Economic and Environmental Geology (자원환경지질)

The Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology (대한자원환경지질학회)
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Geochemical Characteristics of Devonian Cairn Formation in Alberta, Canada

캐나다 알버타 지역의 데본기 Cairn층의 지화학적 특성 연구

  • Park, Myong-Ho (E&P Technology Institute, Korea National Oil Corporation) ;
  • Kim, Ji-Hoon (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) ;
  • Lee, Sung-Dong (E&P Technology Institute, Korea National Oil Corporation) ;
  • Choi, Ji-Young (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) ;
  • Kil, Yong-Woo (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
  • 박명호 (한국석유공사 석유개발연구원) ;
  • 김지훈 (한국지질자원연구원) ;
  • 이성동 (한국석유공사 석유개발연구원) ;
  • 최지영 (한국지질자원연구원) ;
  • 길영우 (한국지질자원연구원)
  • Received : 2010.02.09
  • Accepted : 2010.04.06
  • Published : 2010.04.28
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Abstract

Devonian Cairn Formation is one of the important hydrocarbon reservoirs in Alberta, Canada. However, the Cairn Formation, outcropped in the study area, is not prospective reservoir with poor porosity and permeability by some late diagenetic processes. In this study, geochemical characteristics of the Cairn Formation were studied to use these preliminary results for advanced geological and geophysical petroleum explorations in the near future. Rock-Eval pyrolysis showed that total organic carbon content is less than 0.3 wt.%, indicating a minor amount of bitumen and/or other hydrocarbons. The carbonates in the Cairn Formation are mainly composed of subhedral and anhedral dolomites. Pore sizes in the carbonate are various, ranging from nanometer to micrometer. Clastic sediments increase in the upper and lower parts of the Cairn Formation, probably due to changing its depositional conditions. The Cairn Formation can also be divided into several intervals based on Ca/Mg ratio in dolomite and degree of amount of calcite. These could be formed by different sedimentary environment, degree of cementation and recrystallization, different saline/fresh water, etc.

캐나다 알버타주의 로키산맥에 위치한 데본기 Cairn층은 일부 탄화수소의 저류층이 발달되어 있다. 그러나 연구지역의 Cairn층은 전체적으로 속성작용을 여러 차례에 걸쳐 받아서 공극이나 투수율이 낮아 저류층으로서 좋은 품질의 특성을 보여주지 못하고 있다. 이번 연구는 데본기 Cairn층의 지화학적 특성을 규명하여 캐나다 오일샌드 및 탄산염암 비투멘에 대한 석유탐사 기초자료로 활용하는 데에 그 목적이 있다. Cairn층에 대한 Rock-Eval 열분석 결과는 총 유기탄소 함량이 0.3 wt.% 이하로 매우 낮아 비투멘이나 다른 탄화수소의 함량이 매우 낮음을 가리킨다. 원소분석 결과도 유기탄소보다는 대부분 무기탄소(10.9~13.3 wt.%)로 존재하고 있음을 보여 준다. Cairn층의 구성광물은 반자형 내지 타형의 돌로마이트가 대부분이고 일부 시료에서 비투멘의 성분이 전체적으로 매우 낮은 농도로 분산되어 있다. 구성광물 사이 공극의 직경은 $nm{\sim}{\mu}m$로 다양하나 결정들의 구조가 대부분 치밀한 편이다. XRF의 주성분 변화를 보면 Cairn층의 상하부 경계면에서 쇄설성 퇴적물의 유입이 상대적으로 증가하였음을 알 수 있는데, 이는 탄산염암이 생물학적으로 활발하게 형성되던 시기의 전후로 일정 양의 쇄설성 퇴적물의 유업으로 인하여 퇴적환경이 변하였음을 지시한다. Cairn층은 전체적으로 여러 차례의 속성작용을 받았으며, 이 결과로 탄산염암은 대부분 돌로마이트화 되었다. 특히, Ca/Mg 비의 경향성과 방해석의 포함 정도 등을 보면 Cairn층의 속성작용은 여러 시기로 구분할 수 있으며, 이러한 결과는 퇴적환경의 변화, 교질작용과 재결정 정도, 해수 이외의 다른 속성수의 영향 등이 원인일 가능성이 높다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Grant : 비재래 탄산염암 유전의 3D 지질구조 구축 기술개발

Supported by : 한국에너지기술평가원

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