Preannouncement – KEROGENIA palynofacies / kerogen particle counting tool

As most palynologists know, palynofacies analysis or kerogen classification is a powerful tool.

In contrast to stratigraphic palynology, which exclusively bases on palynomorphs (pollen, spores, dinoflagellates and acritarchs), palynofacies regards the complete organic residue. This covers further terrestrial components (plant debris, amorphous organic matter) and other components of marine or aquatic origin (algae, zoomorphs). Palynofacies analysis enhances the interpretation of the microfacies and can lead to a better understanding of the paleoenvironment, or it allows to evaluate the source rock potential.

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Palynofacies counting means, that at least 300 , 500 particles ore more are classified and counted.

The conventional way is manually recording the counts on paper sheets. This is, at first glance, uncomplicated, but it will need to digitalize the data set for further interpretation. The digitalization implies additional time effort.

The second way is to use digital counting. This can be done with special biostratigraphic software regarding the different kerogen particles (e.g. dinocysts, sporomorphs or phytoclasts) as species. But generally, biostratigraphic software is designed for the special needs of chronostratigraphy and not for palynofacies analysis.

I decided to use Microsoft Excel? for palynofacies counting and some years ago, I developed a simple counting sheet, basing on the Visual Basic capability of Excel?. The advantage of Excel? is, that it is a component of the standard Microsoft Office? package and wide distributed on PC.

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Over time, I improved and extended the functionality of the palynofacies counting sheet.

I added size classes for phytoclasts and developed a code which allows to display ternary APP (amorphous organic matter – pollen – palynomorphs) and SMP (spores – microplankton – pollen) diagrams.

All counting data is stored in the format first column sample depth, successive columns particle designation. This easily allows to use the data in external software, e.g STRATABugs? or WellCAD?.

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Main Functions

• ?????????????? Adding samples
• ??????????????????Particle counting via special Excel? screen with click buttons
• ??????????????????Adding comments
• ??????????????????Built in graphic presentation (ternary APP & SMP diagrams)
• ??????????????????Creation of interpretation sheets

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KEROGENIA is designed as Excel? workbook with internal sheets for calculation and displaying diagrams.

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Principal software requirements

Microsoft Excel? with enabled VBA functions (if you want to use the KEROGENIA palynofacies counting tool, your system administrator must allow to run Excel? workbooks files which contain macros).

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Costs

The introductory price will be 59.- Euro

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If you are interested in KEROGENIA, I would be happy if you want to test the first version as soon as I finalized programming. When you become a tester and you decide to purchase KEROGENIA at a later date, I will offer you a discount.

References

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MENDON?A FILHO, J.G., CARVALHO, M. A., MENEZES, T.R. (2002). Palinofácies. In: Técnicas e Procedimentos para o Trabalho com Fósseis e Formas Modernas Comparativas, Dutra, T.L. (Ed.), Unisinos, S?o Leopoldo, pp. 20-24.

MENDON?A FILHO, J.G., CHAGAS, R.B.A., MENEZES, T.R., MENDON?A, J.O., DA SILVA, F.S., SABADINI-SANTOS, E., (2010a): Organic facies of the Oligocene lacustrine system in the Cenozoic Taubaté basin, Southern Brazil. International Journal of Coal Geology, v. 84, 166 - 178.

Steffen, D. & Gorin, G. (1993): Palynofacies of the Upper Tithonian - Berriasian deep-sea carbonates inthe Vocontian Trough (SE France). - Bull. CentresRech. Explor.-Prod. Elf-Aquitaine, 17: 235-247;Boussens.

TYSON, R.V. (1995): Sedimentary Organic Matter. – Chapman & Hall, 615. p., London

KEROGENIA Sceenshots