Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Open Access Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Geophysics (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
Advisor 1
Aleksey Smirnov
Committee Member 1
Mir Sadri-Sabet
Committee Member 2
Kari Anderson
Abstract
A relationship between the hydrocarbon migration and magnetic properties of near-surface sediments was investigated from several hundreds of samples collected over the hydrocarbon-bearing Silurian pinnacle reef belt of the Michigan Basin. The collected samples were investigated using several rock magnetic methods and optical microscopy. The investigation has not revealed a straightforward relationship between the magnetic susceptibility and hydrocarbon reservoirs within the reef belt; both anomalously high and low susceptibility values were observed. The elevated values are associated with newly formed magnetite in the form of spheroidal grains produced by hydrocarbon-related diagenesis while the extremely low susceptibilities may reflect dissolution of the originally present hematite. However, a strong correlation was observed between the elevated susceptibility and the gas reservoirs in the Devonian Traverse Group. The obtained results indicate that the magnetic susceptibility method has a hydrocarbon exploration potential but the relevant processes of magnetic mineral diagenesis require additional investigation.
Recommended Citation
Tresnak, Jake, "Rock Magnetic Investigation of the Michigan Basin Soils and Sediments Overlying the Oil-Bearing Silurian Pinnacle Reefs", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2017.
Included in
Biogeochemistry Commons, Geochemistry Commons, Geology Commons, Geophysics and Seismology Commons, Soil Science Commons
