Carbonate rock classification applied to brazilian sedimentary basins

Abstract

A new classification of carbonate rocks is proposed seeking to cover the entire spectrum of their occurrence in Brazilian basins. Emphasis is given to those in oil exploration and production locations, especially since the discovery of giant oil fields in the so called Pre-Salt section. This classification is a synergy between the various existing classifications adapting or modifying some terms and introducing new names. The carbonate rocks were divided into four groups according to their depositional texture: 1) elements not bound during deposition (mudstone, wackestone, packstone, grainstone, floatstone, rudstone, bioaccumulated, breccia), 2) elements bound during deposition, or in situ (boundstone, stromatolite, arborescent stromato-lite, arbustiform stromatolite, dendriform stromatolite, thrombolite, dendrolite, leiolite, spherulitite, travertine and tufa), 3) elements bound or not bound during deposition (laminite, smooth laminite, crenulated lami-nite); 4) unrecognized depositional texture (crystalline limestone, dolomite).