Geochemical characteristics and genetic model of dolomite reservoirs in the eastern margin of the Pre-Caspian Basin

The widespread Carboniferous KT-I dolomite in the eastern margin of the Pre-Caspian Basin is an important hydrocarbon reservoir. The dolomite lithology is dominated by crystalline dolomite. The δ 18 O values range from −6.71‰ to 2.45‰, and average 0.063‰, obviously larger than −2.5‰, indicating low-temperature dolomite of evaporation origin. Stable strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) range from 0.70829 to 0.70875 and average 0.708365, very consistent with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios in Carboniferous seawater. Chemical analysis of Ca and Mg elements shows that the dolomite has 9.1 mole% excess Ca or even higher before stabilization. The degree of order of dolomite is medium-slightly poor, varying in a range of 0.336–0.504 and averaging 0.417. It suggests that the dolomite formed under near-surface conditions. There are two models for the origin of the Carboniferous KT-I dolomite reservoir. These are 1) the evaporation concentration — weathering crust model and 2) the shoal facies — seepage reflux model. The former is mainly developed in restricted platforms — evaporate platforms of restricted marine deposition environments with a representation of dolomite associated with gypsum and mudstone. The latter mainly formed in platform edge shoals and intra-platform shoals and is controlled by dolomitization due to high salinity sea water influx from adjacent restricted sea or evaporate platform.