PALEOREDOX CONDITIONS OF THE POINT PLEASANT FORMATION IN SE OHIO

The Point Pleasant Formation is a series of interbedded limestones and shales defined in the Sebree Trough of the Appalachian Basin. In recent years, the formation has received increasing attention by petrol companies and academic researchers alike due to its potential for oil and gas production. Previous research has focused on the formation’s porosity, sequence stratigraphy, and mineralogy in regions adjacent to Ohio in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. However, literature on the geochemical analysis of the Point Pleasant Formation, particularly within the southeast region of Ohio, is lacking. Geochemical analysis of the Point Pleasant Formation will give insight into its depositional environment and paleoredox condition. Paleoredox conditions, indicated by geochemical proxies, are controlled by the presence or absence of oxygen in bottom water. Elemental geochemical proxies are often used based on an element’s mobility during deposition and cross examined for greater accuracy. This study uses chemical analysis of drill cores from seven locations in SE Ohio to determine the paleoredox conditions of the Point Pleasant Formation. A combination of 32 major and trace element samples, 14 stable isotope samples using δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, and total organic carbon will be used in this study as geochemical proxies for depositional conditions. Early cross evaluation shows consistent trends with oxic to dysoxic conditions found in previous studies in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. This is supported by the lack of Molybdenum detected in samples across all seven core sites and supported using cross evaluation of other elemental proxies. Data throughout seven drill core locations revealed consistent values and interpretations, indicating consistency of deposition across SE Ohio. Based on analysis of elemental data, the environment of formation was likely oxic to dysoxic during the Point Pleasant’s deposition.