Geochemistry and origin of organic-rich sediment veins in fractured granitic basement, Helmsdale, Sutherlandshire, UK

John Parnell; Mas'Ud Baba; Stephen Bowden; Liam Bullock

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013

Geochemistry and origin of organic-rich sediment veins in fractured granitic basement, Helmsdale, Sutherlandshire, UK

John Parnell, Mas'Ud Baba, Stephen Bowden, Liam Bullock

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Black sediment veins up to 2 cm width penetrate the Caledonian Helmsdale Granite in the vicinity of the Helmsdale Fault, onshore Moray Firth. The black colour and geochemistry of the veins reflect a high content of organic carbon. Both Devonian and Jurassic shales are conceivable available sources, but sterane compositions relate the organic matter to the Jurassic shales. A content of extractable organic matter higher than in the shales suggests that the carbon in the veins represents oil rather than mechanically mobilized shale. The oil was present during sediment vein emplacement. The veins were emplaced forcefully, which may reflect high fluid pressure associated with post-Jurassic movement on the Helmsdale Fault.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	107-114
Number of pages	8
Journal	Marine and Petroleum Geology
Volume	88
Early online date	12 Aug 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013
Publication status	Published - Dec 2017

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements

MB is in receipt of a PhD studentship from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund of Nigeria. LB is supported by NERC grant NE/M010953/1. C. Taylor, W. Ritchie and J. Johnston provided skilled technical support. Sulphur isotope measurements were made at SUERC. The manuscript benefitted substantially from the careful reviews of A.G. Leslie and an anonymous referee.

Keywords

Injectites
Moray Firth
Helmsdale Fault
Helmsdale Granite
Great Glen Fault

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10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013Licence: Unspecified

Geochemistry and origin of organic-rich sediment veins in fractured
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Final published version, 2.38 MBLicence: CC BY

Stephen Bowden
- School of Geosciences, Geology and Geophysics - Reader
Person: Academic

Cite this

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title = "Geochemistry and origin of organic-rich sediment veins in fractured granitic basement, Helmsdale, Sutherlandshire, UK",

abstract = "Black sediment veins up to 2 cm width penetrate the Caledonian Helmsdale Granite in the vicinity of the Helmsdale Fault, onshore Moray Firth. The black colour and geochemistry of the veins reflect a high content of organic carbon. Both Devonian and Jurassic shales are conceivable available sources, but sterane compositions relate the organic matter to the Jurassic shales. A content of extractable organic matter higher than in the shales suggests that the carbon in the veins represents oil rather than mechanically mobilized shale. The oil was present during sediment vein emplacement. The veins were emplaced forcefully, which may reflect high fluid pressure associated with post-Jurassic movement on the Helmsdale Fault.",

keywords = "Injectites, Moray Firth, Helmsdale Fault, Helmsdale Granite, Great Glen Fault",

author = "John Parnell and Mas'Ud Baba and Stephen Bowden and Liam Bullock",

note = "Acknowledgements MB is in receipt of a PhD studentship from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund of Nigeria. LB is supported by NERC grant NE/M010953/1. C. Taylor, W. Ritchie and J. Johnston provided skilled technical support. Sulphur isotope measurements were made at SUERC. The manuscript benefitted substantially from the careful reviews of A.G. Leslie and an anonymous referee.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013",

language = "English",

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journal = "Marine and Petroleum Geology",

issn = "0264-8172",

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AU - Baba, Mas'Ud

AU - Bowden, Stephen

AU - Bullock, Liam

N1 - Acknowledgements MB is in receipt of a PhD studentship from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund of Nigeria. LB is supported by NERC grant NE/M010953/1. C. Taylor, W. Ritchie and J. Johnston provided skilled technical support. Sulphur isotope measurements were made at SUERC. The manuscript benefitted substantially from the careful reviews of A.G. Leslie and an anonymous referee.

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N2 - Black sediment veins up to 2 cm width penetrate the Caledonian Helmsdale Granite in the vicinity of the Helmsdale Fault, onshore Moray Firth. The black colour and geochemistry of the veins reflect a high content of organic carbon. Both Devonian and Jurassic shales are conceivable available sources, but sterane compositions relate the organic matter to the Jurassic shales. A content of extractable organic matter higher than in the shales suggests that the carbon in the veins represents oil rather than mechanically mobilized shale. The oil was present during sediment vein emplacement. The veins were emplaced forcefully, which may reflect high fluid pressure associated with post-Jurassic movement on the Helmsdale Fault.

AB - Black sediment veins up to 2 cm width penetrate the Caledonian Helmsdale Granite in the vicinity of the Helmsdale Fault, onshore Moray Firth. The black colour and geochemistry of the veins reflect a high content of organic carbon. Both Devonian and Jurassic shales are conceivable available sources, but sterane compositions relate the organic matter to the Jurassic shales. A content of extractable organic matter higher than in the shales suggests that the carbon in the veins represents oil rather than mechanically mobilized shale. The oil was present during sediment vein emplacement. The veins were emplaced forcefully, which may reflect high fluid pressure associated with post-Jurassic movement on the Helmsdale Fault.

KW - Injectites

KW - Moray Firth

KW - Helmsdale Fault

KW - Helmsdale Granite

KW - Great Glen Fault

U2 - 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013

DO - 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.08.013

M3 - Article

SN - 0264-8172

VL - 88

SP - 107

EP - 114

JO - Marine and Petroleum Geology

JF - Marine and Petroleum Geology

ER -

Geochemistry and origin of organic-rich sediment veins in fractured granitic basement, Helmsdale, Sutherlandshire, UK

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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