Depositional and Ecological Features of Permian Oxygen Deficient Deposits at Shangsi Section, Northeast Sichuan, China

Because oxygen deficient conditions enhance the preservation of depositional organic matter, analysis on paleooxygenation conditions of depositional environments becomes a routine work in evaluations of potential hydrocarbon source rocks. The article focuses on depositional and ecological features relating to oxygen deficient shelfal environments at the Shangsi (上寺) Section, as a part of multidiscipline collaboration to reevaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the Middle and Upper Permian, Guangyuan (广元), Northeast Sichuan (四川) Province. Ichnofabric Zoophycos, sepiolite-bearing limestones (SBL) were interpreted as indicators of dysaerobic environments. Laminated calcareous and/or siliceous mudstones with pelagic ammonites and radiolarians were believed to be the deposits of anaerobic environments. When rhythmic succession was considered, average strategy was adopted for the oxygenation explanation of a given interval. The anaerobic condition in this Permian section was observed in the upper part of the latest Permian Dalong (大隆) Formation, in which siliceous mudstones with ammonite, radiolarians develop in association with lower U/Mo ratio, lower biomarker ratio of Pr/Ph, and the highest TOC content. The topmost Maokou (茅口) Formation, featured by thin-bedded calcareous and siliceous mudstones with ammonite, thin-shelled bivalves, and laminations would be deposits of the quasianaerobic condition. The middle part of the Members I and III of the Chihsia Formation is proposed to be dysaerobic condition as indicated by occurrences of SBL and ichnofabric features, with the Member III being the severe dysaerobic condition.