Mineralogy & Geochemistry of Black

Shale from Kubang Pasu Formation in

Northwest Peninsular Malaysia

Mohamad Asyraf bin Ibrahim

18206
April 13, 2017
Table of Contents
Introduction
 Background & Scope of Study
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Shale consists mainly of clays and non- clays minerals associated with organic matter
Main source rock in petroleum system is shale
High contents of organic matter in shale favour for hydrocarbon generation
25% of sedimentary cover in Peninsular Malaysia was made up of Paleozoic black-
shale
Kubang Pasu Formation is from age of Carboniferous- Permian

SCOPE OF STUDY
Black Shale from Kubang Pasu Formation in Northwest Peninsular Malaysia
Mainly focused on mineralogical and geochemical compositions of these black shale
Structural zone of Peninsular Malaysia (Foo, 1983)
Summary of stratigraphic nomenclature of Nortwest PM (Hassan et al , 2014)
Problem Statements

Insufficient geological information regarding Kubang Pasu

Formation as most of the studies only focused on part of the
formation which is in Perlis, excluding Kedahs part of the
formation.
Insufficient of mineralogical and geochemical data regarding
black- shale from this formation.
Objective

This study was directed with the following objectives:-

1) To identify the compositions of Palaeozoic black- shales from
Kubang Pasu Formation.
2) To assess the potential of Palaeozoic black- shales from Kubang
Pasu Formation as a hydrocarbon source rock.
Literature Review
ORIGIN OF BLACK SHALE

Black shale is a fine- grained dark coloured sedimentary rock rich in organic
matter (Meyers & Mitterer, 1986)
Usually deposited in brackish water or marine deep environment. However,
Schlanger & Jenkyns (1976) suggest that it can formed in range of shallow to
deep aquatic environment
Require abundant sources of organic matter deposited in anoxic environment
(Ozaki et al, 2011)
Accumulation of black shale are controlled by geological process (Tourtelot,
1979)
Shale consists of clay and non- clay minerals. Its constituent are controlled by
depositional environment under which they are deposited.
Preservation of organic matter controlled by:-

Organic matter supply

Type of organic matter
Oxygen level of the environment
Rapid burial
Size of sediments
 Economic Significance of Black Shale

SOURCE ROCK FOR HYDROCARBON

- Organic richness
- Temperature and Pressure

HOST FOR TRACE METAL

- Black shale commonly rich in sulphides & metals (Leventhal, 1993)
- The Kupferschiefer of Permian age copper and plumbum
- Derived from interactions of seawater & planktonic organism, volcanic ash
depositions, and unusual circulation patterns
- Metal rich shale can occur despite high organic preservation in shale but not vice
versa
 Geology of Peninsular Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia can be divided into Western, Central, and Eastern belt.
Western belt was further divided into North-western Zone (Foo, 1983)
Eastern Belt consist of east of Malay Peninsular until Eastern part of Johor. Mostly
underlain by clastic and volcanic Carboniferous Permian sediments.
Central zone bordered on the west by Main Range Granite and Lower Paleozoic
sediments of Bentong Group. Predominantly underlain by Permian- Triassic
clastic, limestones and volcanic

Structural zone of Peninsular Malaysia (Foo, 1983)

 Western zone or known as Kinta- Malacca Sector was represented by Baling and
Bentong group, Kinta Limestones, Kati and Kenny Hill formation, Dinding Schist,
Hawthorden Schist, and Kuala Lumpur limestones. It crops out from Perak- Thai
border to further southward of Malacca.
Northwestern sector represented by Machinchang, Setul, Kubang Pasu/ Singa
Formation and Chuping Limestones. Ranging from Perlis, Mainland of Kedah to
Langkawi. Conformable sequence of sediments ranging from late Cambrian to
Late Permian represent Paleozoic stratigraphy in this zone.
Northwest sector underlain by clastics, limestones, and minor volcanic (Khoo &
Tan, 1983)
 Stratigraphy & Geology of Kubang Pasu
Formation
Paleozoic sedimentary succession are
abundantly preserved in northwest
Peninsular Malaysia (Hassan et al, 2013)
Kubang Pasu formation are equivalent to
Carbo-Permian Singa Formation of
Lankawi Island (Jones, 1966)
Basically, it was overlain by Chuping
Limestone and underlain by Setul
Limestones.

Geological map of northwest

Peninsular Malaysia (Hassan
et al., 2014)
 Jentik Formation that is between
Upper Setul and Kubang Pasu
Formation was proposed by Lee (2002).
It is consists of six subunits.
Due to distinct characteristic of these
subunits, Hassan & Lee (2005) upgrade
these units as new formations and
discard Jentik Formation.
Hassan & Lee (2005) suggests that
Chepor Formation was deposited in
marine delta.
Presence of Sanai Limestone was
refuted by Ong & Basir (2007).
Thus, led Lee (2009) to combine Wang
Kelian and Binjai into Chepor
Formation.

Stratigraphic unit of N.PM (Hassan and Lee, 2005)

Summary of stratigraphic development of N.PM
1) Chepor Member
- Consist mostly of thick, grey to red mudstone interbedded with quartzitic
and feldspartic sandstone rich in fossil
- Late Devonian to Carboniferous
- Was assumed as glacial marine shelf system

2) Undifferentiated upper Kubang Pasu Formation

- Quite similar to Chepor member but are poorly fossiliferous
- Equivalent to Singa Formation in Langkawi
- Glacial marine diamictites with interbedded lithic to quartzitic sandstone
(Jones, 1981)
3) Uppermost Kubang Pasu Formation
- Late to Early Permian
- Can be divided into cycles of meters to ten of meters thick facies
succession (Hassan et at., 2013)
- Shows coarsening upwards succession
- Possibly prograding wave- and storm- influenced coastal depositional
environment
 Conformably overlying Mahang
Formation.
Deep marine Mahang Formation in
Kedah had passes up to the Kubang
Pasu Formation that was also deposited
in deeper water (Basir et al., 2013)
Kubang Pasu Formation in Kedah
consist of chert sequence, interbedded
mudstone-sandstone and a thick
sandstone sequence that represent
upper part of the formation (Zaiton &
Basir, 2000)
Thus, Kubang Pasu formation in Perlis
was considered as shallow marine by
Yap 1991 and Basir 1999 conclude that
Kubang Pasu Formation in Kedah as of
deeper marine which is from deep sea
fan to basin floor. Stratigraphy of north Kedah & Perlis (Hutchinson, 1989)
Methodology
 Geological Fieldwork and Studies
Mineralogical and Geochemical analysis
- X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis
- Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Analysis
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Analysis
- Ultraviolet Visible (UV-Vis) Analysis
- Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analysis
Crushed powdered black shale was used for these analysis
 FTIR & SEM = Dried powdered was used directly for the analysis
TOC = Powdered sample was treated with HCl
UV-Vis = Methanol was used to extract organic materials. Supernatant
solution containing organic extract was used for the analysis
XRD = Separated to bulk and clay sample. Dried powdered bulk sample
was scanned directly with 2o to 80o 2 . For clay sample, acetic acid was
used to remove carbonates. Organic matter was remove by hydrogen
peroxide. Then, it was washed with distilled water and suspended
particles less than <2m was collected and scanned with 2o to 40o 2 .
 Gantt Chart and Milestones

1- Preliminary visits to the

outcrop for sample
collection and
development of maps.

2- Complete all required

laboratory analysis.

3- Correlations of
geological and results from
lab analysis for final repots
Results and Discussion
Study Area Identified
Bukit Chondong Outcrop
Continuous

Consists of alternating beds of shale and sandstone. Represent uppermost part

of formation
Abundant of sedimentary structures like horizontal planar lamination, planar
cross bed and wave- ripple cross lamination with trace fossils like vertical
burrows and bioturbation.
Transgression and regression in sea level caused the alternating of coarse and
fine grains sediments. Mainly coarsening upwards.
Shallow marine part. Overlaid by Chuping Limestones due to sea level drops.
Jitra 1st and 2nd Outcrop
Continuous

Composed of black mudstone, red fossiliferous mudstone and

sandstone. Represent Chepor Member of the formation.
High intensity of dropstones and ripple mark observed in
sandstone at Jitra 1st.
Jitra 2nd is continuation of Jitra 1st, concretions can be found at
Jitra 2nd.
Glacial marine shelf or prodeltas.
Tanah Merah Outcrop
Continuous

Composed of black shale and sandstone with some dropstones.

Affected by compression creating anticline and syncline.
Shales are quite harder than others outcrop and calcite- veins can
be seen in shales.
No bioturbation or fossils discovered.
Chert discovered at nearby outcrop. Pyrite can be observed from
these outcrop.
Assumed as deep marine part of the formation.
 MINERALOGICAL ANALYSIS : XRD
No State & Sample Non-clay minerals Clay Minerals
District
Quartz Calcite Pyrite Illite Kaolinite

1. Perlis BC1 Major Traces Traces Major -

(Kangar) BC2 Major Traces Traces Major -
BC3 Major Traces Traces Major -
2. Kedah Jitra 1st Major - Traces Minor Major
(Jitra) Jitra 2nd Major - Traces Minor Major
3. Kedah TM Major - Traces Major -
(Pendang)
 Continuous
No State & Sample Illite
District Crystallinity, IC
(wt.%)
1. Perlis BC1 0.32
(Kangar) BC2 0.32
BC3 0.32
2. Kedah Jitra 1st 0.29
(Jitra) Jitra 0.29
2nd
3. Kedah TM 0.34
(Pendang) Metamorphic zone based on IC (Verdel et al., 2011)
MINERALOGICAL ANALYSIS : SEM
100 x 3000 x
GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS : FTIR
No State & District Sample Functional Group (Compound)
Identification
Functional Group Dominant Organic
Presence Compound
1. Perlis (Kangar) BC1 Alcohol Aromatic
BC2 Phosphorus Aromatic
BC3 Aliphatic Aromatic/ Aliphatic
Aromatic
2. Kedah (Jitra) Jitra 1st Aliphatic
Jitra 2nd Aliphatic
3. Kedah (Pendang) TM Phosphorus Aliphatic
Aliphatic
Aromatic
GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS : UV- Vis
No State & Sample Aliphatic/ Aromatic Identification
District Wavelength (mm) Absorbance (%) E4/E6 Ratio

1. Perlis BC1 465 0.635015 1.07

(Kangar) 665 0.592627
BC2 465 0.599926 1.06
665 0.56341
BC3 465 0.830276 0.99
665 0.840803
2. Kedah Jitra 1st 465 0.785454 0.98
(Jitra) 665 0.801946
Jitra 465 0.780363 0.98
2nd 665 791892
3. Kedah TM 465 0.864051 0.98
(Pendang) 665 0.879519
Continuous

E4/E6 higher than 1 represent

aromatics dominant while lower
than 1 represent aliphatic
dominance (Ben Awuah and
Padmanabhan, 2014).
Humic acid contains greater
amount of aromatics compared
to aliphatics.
Humic kerogen usually classified
as Type III and lipid- rich kerogen
usually Type II.

Modified Van Krevelen diagram (El-Nagar, 2014)

GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS : TOC
No State & District Sample TOC Quality Potential
(wt.%) Source Rock

1. Perlis (Kangar) BC1 1.4 Good Yes

BC2 1.2 Good Yes
BC3 0.8 Fair No
2. Kedah (Jitra) Jitra 1st 2.7 Very Yes
Good
Jitra 2nd 2.8 Very Yes
Good
3. Kedah (Pendang) TM 10.8 Excellent Yes
Conclusion & Recommendation
Conclusion

Kubang Pasu Formation ranging from shallow to deep marine

environment from North Perlis to north of Kedah.
Mineralogical and geochemical analysis shows compositions of
black shale associated with shallow and deep marine respectively.
Black shales of Kubang Pasu Formation has a potential as a
hydrocarbon source rock.
Based on organic compounds identified, kerogen produced by this
black shale probably type II and type III which favour for oil and
gas formation.
Recommendation

Further analysis using these technique should be conducted:-

a) XRF
b) Rock-Eval Pyrolysis
c) Vitrinite Reflectance
References
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THANK YOU.
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