Radioactive elements as indicators of sedimentation conditions

The book discusses the possibilities of using the spectral gamma method to identify lithologic facies of sedimentary rock deposits in cases where conventional methods of facies analysis for one or another technical reasons (usually due to the difficult accessibility of core material) do not give a satisfactory result. The basics of geochemistry of natural radioactive elements - uranium thorium and potassium - are considered. On the example of some oil and gas provinces of the former Soviet Union the main regularities of the position of radioactive elements in the area and facies profile of sediments are revealed. Examples of the use of spectral gamma method data for identification of lithofacies of sedimentary formations in some oil and gas bearing regions of the world (Danish North Sea North-Eastern Thailand South-Western Libya Southern Tanzania Shaimsky region of Western Siberia) are given. The regularities of uranium thorium and potassium behavior on the facies profile of humid and arid sedimentary basins of the West Siberian plate facies profile of geochronological subdivisions (ages) and individual oil and gas fields have been studied.