Stable isotopic and petrographic data have been used to interpret conditions for the formation of authigenic kaolinite within Lower Palaeocene sands, Central North Sea. Two wells within the Witch Ground Graben were sampled (1975 m to 2795 m). Texturally early calcite concretions have isotopic compositions (δ18O = 18.3–21.6‰ SMOW) which indicate that they were precipitated in predominantly meteoric waters. The isotopic composition of later vermiform kaolinite (δ18O = 14.8–17.7‰ SMOW and δD = −53 to −71‰ SMOW) indicates that kaolinite precipitated at around 45–70°C, from a mixed meteoric-marine pore-water (δ18O = −5 to −3‰ SMOW). These modelled precipitation temperatures are consistent with the paragenetic sequence and consequently post-precipitation hydrogen isotope exchange between kaolinite and the pore-waters is presumed not to have occurred. It is inferred that the original depositional marine pore-waters were flushed out during the late Palaeocene (54.8 Ma) by a head of meteoric water from the East Shetland Platform. The Lower Palaeocene aquifer became closed to meteoric influx after marine transgression during the late Palaeocene (54.0 Ma). The remaining meteoric pore-waters in the sandstones became mixed with water from compacting marine muds surrounding the hydrostatically pressured sandstones.

The diagenetic history of an interbedded sequence of Middle Jurassic Sleipner (or Pentland), Hugin and Heather Formation sandstones and mudrocks from the Brae Area has been investigated using petrographic, stable isotope, fluid inclusion and K-Ar dating techniques. Generally, similar diagenetic processes affected both the mudrocks and sandstones resulting in the formation of carbonate, quartz and clay cements and evidence of dissolution and secondary porosity except for the absence of kaolinite in the Hugin Formation. The mudrocks were possible sources of some components involved in sandstone diagenesis but were not passive exporters of such reactants as similar reactions also occurred in the mudrocks. The stable isotope data indicate that most of the diagenetic processes occurred in the presence of marine or evolved marine pore-waters.

Upper Jurassic sandstones of the South Brae Field were deposited as a submarine fan complex. The earliest formed concretionary ferroan calcite cement passively encloses detrital feldspars which originally formed more than 10% of the rock. Later non-ferroan calcite at the concretion margins was precipitated from a more aggressive fluid. This fluid dissolved up to half of the feldspars and micas originally present, but little or no clay was precipitated. Aluminium must have been lost from the system.

A late dissolution event has enhanced porosity by up to 8%. Feldspar was again reduced in volume by about half, leaving only ∼2% in the rock today. Very minor amounts of fibrous illite and kaolinite (<1%) form the last diagenetic cement. Aluminium must have again been lost from the system.

As the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF) encloses and interdigitates with the South Brae sandstones, a local source of organic acids is quite possible. These acid solutions may have increased the mobility of Al. The Al from the feldspars must have therefore been transported vertically into the KCF, or more probably transported laterally by compactional flows out of the basin (up to 10 km) during release of overpressured basinal water.

Pore-lining chlorites are often responsible for the preservation of porosity in deeply buried sandstones because they inhibit the formation of quartz overgrowths, but little is understood about when and how they form. Chemical analyses and XRD data indicate that there are at least two common types: Fe-rich, and Mg-rich. The Fe-rich examples occur as individual euhedral crystals, are invariably interstratified with 7 Å layers (probably berthierine) and form as the Ib β = 90° polytype at low temperatures. With increasing temperature, their chemistry changes, 7 Å layers are lost, crystal size increases, and eventually they transform to the high temperature IIb β = 97° polytype. The Mg-rich examples occur as boxwork arrangements of crystals, are not interstratified with 7 Å layers and are exclusively the IIb β = 97° polytype. The Fe-rich examples occur most frequently in sandstones that were deposited at the transition between marine and non-marine environments and the presence of Fe-rich oolites in many samples suggests a link to the ironstone facies. They probably formed originally at surface or near-surface conditions as a 7 Å mineral, such as berthierine or even odinite, in a fresh water/marine water mixing zone in tropical regions. The Mg-rich varieties tend to be found in aeolian or sabkha sandstones in close association with evaporites. They are probably replacements of Mg-rich smectites via the intermediate mineral corrensite. Precursor Mg-rich smectites formed originally from evaporite brines at near-surface conditions; chlorite itself was not formed until temperatures were high enough to crystallize the IIb β = 97° polytype.

Grain-coating chlorite cements commonly occur within sandstones of late Middle and Upper Miocene age deposited in the North Sumatra back-arc basin. Chlorites from the Lower Keutapang Member contain Ca (maximum 0.75 wt% oxide) and show textural evidence for direct precipitation on grains. However, crystals are subhedral, showing curved faces and often ragged edges, and show a tendency to merge together. In overlying beds of the Upper Keutapang Member, grain-coating chlorite-smectite (20% smectite) cements display an identical morphology but are more siliceous, have a lower octahedral occupancy and contain higher total (Na + Ca + K). It is proposed that chlorite cements in the Keutapang Formation originated as smectite-rich cement rims whose initial precipitation was related to the breakdown of volcanic detritus in the sediments. Transformation to chlorite occurred subsequently during burial, facilitated by a high geothermal gradient in the back-arc basin.

The suite of London Clay mudrock samples may be sub-divided into three lithofacies: laminated silty claystone, partially bioturbated silty claystone, and partially bioturbated claystone. Mineralogically the mudrocks show little bulk variation, but considerable differences in the suites of trace cements which characterize each sample. The concretions also show a range of cement types, even within a single concretion. Preservation of uncompacted burrows and minus cement porosities (MCP) indicate that the concretions formed during early diagenesis. These data have been used to constrain the timing of authigenic mineral formation in both the mudrocks and concretions. Petrographic study of the concretions has revealed that there are significant errors involved in the use of MCP for estimation of depth of formation, which make it of qualitative rather than quantitative use. Stable isotope and chemical data suggest concretion formation occurred towards the base of the sulphate reduction zone and in the methane oxidation zone.