I. Al-aasm et al., Multiple fluid flow events and the formation of saddle dolomite: examples from Middle Devonian carbonates of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, J GEOCHEM E, 69, 2000, pp. 11-15
Saddle dolomite has been described from numerous Devonian carbonate reservo
irs in Alberta and British Columbia. Its presence has been used as an indic
ator of the interaction of high-temperature hydrothermal fluids with host c
arbonates due to tectonic influences in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basi
n. The timing of the fluid flow events that precipitated the saddle dolomit
e and the chemistry of these fluids have been the basis of many arguments.
Some researchers believe that the saddle dolomite was precipitated during t
he Late Devonian to Carboniferous while others contend that the fluid flow
event was during the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary. In this study, we c
onducted a geochemical comparison between the Middle Devonian Sulphur Point
and Slave Point carbonates from northwestern Alberta. The results demonstr
ate the presence of both an early fluid flow events associated with the Lat
e Devonian to Mississippian Antler Orogeny as well as a later event coincid
ent with the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary Laramide Orogeny. (C) 2000 E
lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.