Diagenesis

Diagenesis ( lithification) includes the full range of alterations sediments

undergo after deposition, at relatively low temperatures and pressures
(gradational to metamorphism)
Lithification may occur simultaneously with deposition (in several
carbonates, evaporites, and volcanoclastics)
Physical and chemical diagenetic processes constitute compaction and
cementation, respectively
Diagenesis leads to a reduction of porosity and permeability

Diagenesis
Compaction
Compaction is the result of overburden pressure during sediment burial,
resulting in a decrease of volume and an increase of density
Compaction is extremely important in organics and muds, but less important
in sands, gravels, and reefal carbonates
Compaction is accompanied by the expulsion of groundwater and a reduction
of porosity

Differential compaction is important when sediments exhibit a high

spatial variability

Diagenesis
Compaction
Pressure dissolution results in increasingly interlocking grains, and
significantly contributes to lithification
In limestones, pressure dissolution usually occurs at specific horizons, that
may or may not correspond to depositional bedding planes
Stylolites are irregular pressure dissolution surfaces with higher
proportions of residual material and represent more extreme forms of
this process

Diagenesis
Cementation
Dissolution commonly occurs without high pressures, and subsequent
precipitation results in the formation of cement (authigenic minerals)
Calcium carbonate (sparry or micritic)
Silica (commonly microquartz)
Clay minerals

Cementation reduces both the porosity and the permeability

Diagenesis
Cementation
Nodules (irregular) and concretions (rounded) are larger cemented bodies
(e.g., silica, calcite, siderite, pyrite)
Chert (flint) is the most widely known type of silica nodules, especially
common in limestones

Diagenesis
Dolomitization
Dolomites are mostly formed diagenetically, involving the replacement of
calcite or aragonite by dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2)
Four main models of dolomitization can be distinguished:

Evaporite brine residue/seepage reflux model

Meteoric-marine/groundwater mixing model (obsolete)
Burial compaction/formation water model
Sea water/convection model

Diagenesis
Coal formation
Coal formation is primarily the result of compaction and geothermal
heating
A very high proportion of compaction occurs during the peataccumulation stage
Peat --> lignite --> bituminous coal --> anthracite
Relative increase of carbon over hydrogen and oxygen (gradual expulsion of
H2O, CO2, and CH4)
Methane (CH4) is an important byproduct of coal formation

Diagenesis
Hydrocarbon formation
Diagenetic breakdown of planktonic algae (maturation) leads to the
formation of kerogen (long-chain hydrocarbons)
Liquid hydrocarbons (shorter-chain hydrocarbons) are generally formed at
temperatures of 70-100 C (oil window at 2-3 km depth)
Methane is released at temperatures over 150 C