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208143

Strata-bound Colonnade Fractures in Argillaceous Sediments of Qasr El Sagha Delta, Fayum-Egypt.

Article

Last updated: 28 Dec 2024

Subjects

-

Tags

Structural Geology, Tectonics and Geodynamics.

Abstract

This work reports spectacular and unique strata-bound columnar fractures in Late Eocene argillaceous sediments of Qasr El Sagha Delta, Fayum-Egypt. Polygonal fractures are widely distinguished as syn-sedimentary structures attributed to dewatering and simultaneous shrinkage of fine-grained sediments. Exposures permitted visualization of the progressive fracture growth along ca 2 meters high colonnade pillars. The increasing diameter and fracture apertures correlate well with the confined clay thickness. Tetragonal fractures are dominant in ca 3-10cm clay layers, while the hexagonal pattern is dominant in ca > 30cm thick clay beds. Fracture polygons of high frequency, order, and geometrical uniformity are better developed in montmorillonite-rich clays. Fractures have curved and en-passant patterns of ductile clay fracturing during the colloidal phase. Fracturing was developed in substrata conditions under a few meters of burial sediments. Fracture apertures either increase or decrease toward the top and bottom layers of better permeability. A decrease of fracture apertures toward the top and bottom sand and silt indicates fracture initiation inside the colloid and limited fluid flows during fracturing. Fracture fills are of two natures: sand injection and deposition of unconsolidated laminated sands with delicate gastropod shells. Occasionally, clay layers form domes and sags with fracture rosettes and filamentous complex networks injected by sand. Mild and episodic seismicity was the main cause of dewatering (water escaping) and fracturing. This study might help during the evaluation of the subsurface non-conventional reservoirs in the Nile Delta, which underwent the same geological conditions.

DOI

10.21608/egjg.2021.103322.1010

Keywords

Colonnade fractures, colloidal phase, Dewatering, Syneresis, Qasr El Sagha

Authors

First Name

Mohamed Saleh Hassan

Last Name

Hammed

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

geology department, faculty of science, Cairo university-Egypt

Email

salehhammed@cu.edu.eg

City

cairo

Orcid

0000-0001-9706-7831

Volume

65

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

28512

Issue Date

2021-12-01

Receive Date

2021-10-29

Publish Date

2021-12-01

Page Start

55

Page End

72

Print ISSN

0022-1384

Online ISSN

2805-2617

Link

https://egjg.journals.ekb.eg/article_208143.html

Detail API

https://egjg.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=208143

Order

4

Type

Original Article

Type Code

2,013

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Geology

Publication Link

https://egjg.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Strata-bound Colonnade Fractures in Argillaceous Sediments of Qasr El Sagha Delta, Fayum-Egypt.

Details

Type

Article

Created At

23 Jan 2023