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PETROLOGY AND RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE AND LATE EOCENE CARBONATE STRATA<br />

ability values are significantly decre<strong>as</strong>ed where moldic and<br />

intraparticle pores have been reduced or closed by the<br />

growth of sparry calcite cement.<br />

Quartz-Rich Molluscan Grainstone<br />

This well-indurated lithofacies occurs principally in P-<br />

22 between 147-175 ft <strong>as</strong> thin beds intercalated with sandy,<br />

skeletal packstone. It consists of well-worn gravel and sand<br />

sized pelecypod and echinoderm fragments with subordinate<br />

foraminifers, bryozoans, and comminuted skeletal debris.<br />

Subangular quartz sand forms 5-40% of the unit and is lower<br />

medium to upper fine grained. Terrigenous mud comprises<br />

2-10% of this lithofacies. Micrite, which forms less than 5%<br />

of the unit, occurs beneath pelecypod umbrell<strong>as</strong> and <strong>as</strong> geopetal<br />

infillings of pelecypod molds; most h<strong>as</strong> aggraded to<br />

microspar. Accessory constituents include glauconite, collophane,<br />

carbonate intracl<strong>as</strong>ts, feldspar, and heavy minerals.<br />

Sparry calcite cement occurs <strong>as</strong> syntaxial overgrowths on<br />

echinoderm fragments, and fills or partly fills intraparticle<br />

pores in foraminifers and bryozoans, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> moldic pores<br />

formed by dissolution of aragonitic pelecypods.<br />

Porosity averages 20.5% and is mesomoldic and mesovug<br />

formed by dissolution of aragonitic pelecypods. Minor<br />

secondary intergranular, intercrystalline, and channel pores<br />

also occur. Numerous molds have been reduced or filled by<br />

sparry calcite cement. Me<strong>as</strong>ured permeability (air) ranges<br />

from 1.4 to 6.1 Darcies and is high because many of the<br />

molds and vugs are connected <strong>as</strong> the result of close packing<br />

of original skeletal allochems.<br />

Diagenesis<br />

The major diagenetic events that have affected the Santee<br />

include: 1) marine phreatic – micritization of skeletal<br />

allochems, glauconitization, phosphatization, and rare<br />

fibrous calcite cementation within foraminifer tests: and 2)<br />

freshwater meteoric – neomorphism of micrite to microspar<br />

dissolution of aragonitic and opaline silica skeletal grains,<br />

precipitation of sparry calcite cement in primary and secondary<br />

pores, and syntaxial calcite overgrowths on echinoderm<br />

fragments. Opal-CT lepispheres and authigenic clinoptilolite<br />

crystals that line secondary moldic pores postdate the dissolution<br />

of aragonitic allochems. The primary source of silica<br />

w<strong>as</strong> the dissolution of sponge spicules and diatoms valves.<br />

Depositional Environment<br />

The Santee contains a diverse fauna indicative of clear,<br />

open-marine shelf waters of normal salinity. The abundance<br />

of micrite and terrigenous mud suggests deposition below<br />

normal marine wave b<strong>as</strong>e. However, the presence of abraded<br />

molluscs, echinoderms, and bryozoans indicates that bottom<br />

transport by currents and storm-generated waves alternated<br />

with quiet-water conditions in which muds could accumulate.<br />

The abundance of terrigenous mud, woody organic<br />

debris, and muscovite in P-21 suggest a proximal riverine<br />

input. The incre<strong>as</strong>e in size and percentage of quartz sand in<br />

P-22 implies higher energy conditions, possibly a shoal environment.<br />

GRIFFINS LANDING MEMBER<br />

The Griffins Landing Member of the Dry Branch Formation<br />

unconformably overlies the Clinchfield Formation<br />

(Figs. 2 and 3) and h<strong>as</strong> been correlated to the upper Eocene<br />

TA4.2 cycle (Harris and Zullo, 1992). The Griffins Landing<br />

sequence probably represents transgressive and highstand<br />

deposits (Harris and Zullo, 1992).<br />

The Griffins Landing is friable to moderately indurated,<br />

although thin beds of well indurated carbonate occur in the<br />

b<strong>as</strong>al 15 ft of P-21. Colors are variable, including tan, greenish-gray,<br />

grayish-green, and light gray. Weight percent carbonate<br />

averages 39.1% (s-21.2%; range = 2 to 83%) and is<br />

slightly higher in P-21 (x = 44.1%, s- 23.0%) than in P-22 (x<br />

= 35.3%, s = 19.2%). The unit is characterized by alternations<br />

of carbonate-rich beds with calcareous muds and<br />

muddy, calcareous sands (Figs. 2 and 3). The terrigenous<br />

fractions consists of fine, subangular quartz sand (x = 41.4%,<br />

s = 20.3%) with subordinate mud (x = 19.4%, s = 12.4%).<br />

Mean size of the quartz fraction is upper fine sand (x =<br />

2.09φ, s = 0.4φ), and ranges from upper very fine (3.05φ) to<br />

upper medium (1.08φ) grained. Generally, mean size is largest<br />

near the b<strong>as</strong>e and top of the unit. Maximum grain size<br />

ranges from upper very coarse (-0.82%φ to lower medium<br />

(1.70φ) sand, and closely follows the trend of mean size<br />

(Figs. 2 and 3). Sorting of the terrigenous sand fraction is<br />

moderate (x = 0.67φ, s = 0.12φ) in both wells.<br />

The Griffins Landing includes four lithofacies: sandy,<br />

calcareous mud; muddy, calcareous quartz sand; muddy,<br />

quartz-rich packstone; and muddy, quartz-rich grainstone.<br />

Muscovite is common and is most abundant in fine grained,<br />

mud-rich units. Rare glauconite, pyrite, sponge spicules, and<br />

bluish-gray and pink quartz occur in all lithologies. The<br />

heavy mineral suite includes tourmaline, garnet, zircon,<br />

rutile, sphene, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite, ilmenite, and<br />

magnetite. Opal-CT lepispheres line primary and secondary<br />

pores in all units, and fibrous chalcedony commonly replaces<br />

or partly replaces low-Mg calcite molluscs. Authigenic clinoptilolite<br />

occurs <strong>as</strong> 2-5um crystals that line primary and<br />

secondary pores.<br />

Sandy Calcareous Mud<br />

This minor lithofacies occurs near the b<strong>as</strong>e of the Griffins<br />

Landing in both wells. It consists of terrigenous sandy<br />

mud containing subordinate sand and gravel size fragments<br />

of oysters, other pelecypods, echinoderms, foraminifers, and<br />

comminuted skeletal grains. Abraded biocl<strong>as</strong>tic grains fro<br />

10-30% of whole rock volume. Porosity is usually less than<br />

5% and is primarily intraparticle in foraminifers and meso-<br />

53

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