Deformation mechanisms, architecture, and petrophysical properties of large normal faults in platform carbonates and their role in the release of carbon dioxide from earth's interior in central Italy

A challenging theme of research in structural geology is the process of faulting in carbonate rocks: how do the resulting internal architecture and petrophysical properties of faults affect subsurface fluid flow. A better understanding of this process is important to evaluate the potential oil and gas recovery from carbonate reservoirs, and to plan CO 2 containment in the depleted reservoirs. Carbonate rocks may deform with different mechanisms depending primarily on their original sedimentary fabric, diagenetic history, fluid content, and tectonic environment. In this dissertation I investigate the deformation mechanisms, petrophysics, and internal fluid composition of large, seismic, basin-bounding normal faults in low porosity platform carbonates. Based on the nature, orientation, and abutting relationships of the structural elements preserved within the faults and in the surrounding carbonate host rocks, I was able to characterize the mechanisms of fault growth and the fault architecture. Incipient faulting occurred at shallow depths by sequential formation and shearing of pressure solution seams and joints/veins; with ongoing deformation and exhumation, the joint-based mechanism became predominant. The end result is a mature normal fault that juxtaposes basin sedimentary rocks of the hanging wall against deformed carbonates of the footwall.; The deformed carbonates of the fault footwalls are composed of rocks with low porosity and permeability and major slip surfaces in the fault core, and fragmented carbonate matrices with high porosity and permeability, and small faults in the damage zone. The degree of fragmentation in the damage zone generally increases towards the fault hanging wall, forming structural domains characterized by different deformation intensity. The rocks of the fault core have sub-spherical pores, those of the damage zone have elongated, crack-like, pores. The permeability structure of the normal fault zones is therefore made up of a fault core that acts as a barrier to fluid flow, and fragmented carbonates that enhance fluid flow. Stable isotope geochemistry data shows two main sources of the fluids that precipitated minerals within the normal faults. The main fluid source is infiltrated meteoric water, the second is CO2-enriched groundwater. Both fluids compartmentalized primarily along the major slip surfaces of the fault cores.