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The Development of Stylolites in Carbonate Formation: Implication for CO 2 Sequestration
Author(s) -
ZHOU Xuejun,
ZENG Zhengwen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta geologica sinica ‐ english edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1755-6724
pISSN - 1000-9515
DOI - 10.1111/1755-6724.12194
Subject(s) - stylolite , carbonate , compaction , geology , carbon sequestration , caprock , karst , cementation (geology) , diagenesis , mineralogy , geochemistry , petrology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , paleontology , materials science , carbon dioxide , metallurgy , organic chemistry , cement
The impact of CO 2 sequestration on the host formation is an issue occurring over geologic time. Laboratory tests can provide important results to investigate this matter but have limitations due to a relatively short timeline. Based on literature review and core sample observation, naturally occurred geological phenomena, stylolites are studied in this paper for understanding CO 2 sequestration in deep carbonate formations. Stylolites are distinctive and pervasive structures in carbonates that are related to water‐assisted pressure solution. Pressure solution involving stylolitization is thought to be the main mechanism of compaction and cementation for many carbonates. In parallel, CO 2 sequestration in carbonate formation involves extensive chemical reactions among water, CO 2 and rock matrix, favoring chemical compaction as a consequence. An analogue between stylolites and CO 2 sequestration induced formation heterogeneity exists in the sense of chemical compaction, as both pressure solution in stylolites and CO 2 enriched solution in CO 3 sequestration in carbonate formations may all introduce abnormal porous regions. The shear and/or tension fractures associated with stylolites zones may develop vertically or sub‐vertically; all these give us alert for long‐term safety of CO 2 sequestration. Thus a study of stylolites will help to understand the CO 2 sequestration in deep carbonate formation in the long run.