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Cross-basin Mo and U analysis of the Upper Mississippian Bowland Shale, UK

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Sanem Acikalin Cartigny, Dr Shannon FlynnORCiD, Dr Cees van der Land

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Abstract

© 2023 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights reserved.The Bowland sub-basin is a target for hydrocarbon exploration, but to a large extent it remains unex-plored. To determine the economic potential of the Bowland sub-basin, it is important to identify the oceanographic processes involved in the deposition of the Bowland Shale Formation in the Late Mississippian (c. 330 Ma). Palaeoceanographic processes are known to be a major control on the development of hydrocarbon source rocks. This study investigates core (Preese Hall-1 and Becconsall-1Z) materials from the Upper Bowland Shale, and makes a comparison with previously published data (outcrop Hind Clough), all from the Bowland sub-basin, Lancashire, UK. The sedimentology and geochemistry of this formation were determined via a multi-technique approach including X-ray fluorescence, sedimentology, gamma-ray spectra, X-ray diffraction and Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Key trace metal abundances and enrichment factors were used to assess sediment provenance and to determine the bottom-water redox conditions during the deposition of the Upper Bowland Shale. Our results support interpretations of contemporaneous anoxia developing in bottom waters in at least three sites in the Bowland sub-basin. In a comparison with the Fort Worth Basin (Barnett Shale, USA), the Bowland sub-basin was apparently less restricted and deposited under a much higher mean sediment accumulation rate. Knowledge from this study will improve future resource estimates of the Bowland Shale Formation, and challenge the early assumptions that the Barnett Shale is an analogue of the Bowland Shale.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Walker J, Emmings JF, Acikalin S, Flynn S, van der Land C, Jones M, Vane CH, Hennissen JAI, Hough E, Wagner T, Craddock L

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Geological Society Special Publication

Year: 2024

Volume: 534

Issue: 1

Pages: 147-164

Print publication date: 27/06/2024

Online publication date: 25/10/2024

Acceptance date: 21/05/2023

Publisher: Geological Society of London

URL: https://doi.org/10.1144/SP534-2022-231

DOI: 10.1144/SP534-2022-231

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