The scarcity of available core samples from Miocene age rocks resulted in seal analyses being restricted to two wells from the Matagorda Island area. In order to expand the amount of analyzed seal rock samples beyond the small set of core samples, a set of well cuttings was identified and obtained from the Bureau of Economic Geology’s core and rock sample collection.

Fifteen thin sections were generated from mudstone cuttings of well OCS-G-3733 A-6 (API: 427034015800). Fourteen thin sections were created using cuttings from well OCS-G-6042 API 4270340281l, which is not shown on the map above, but is located near the Matagorda Island wells. However, the petrographic technicians were unable to sufficiently polish the thin sections due to their unconsolidated nature. The poor quality of the thin sections made petrographic and texture studies very difficult.

The high potential value for seal analyses (i.e., in light of the small number of core samples) necessitated a second attempt to generate polished thin sections from mudstone drill cuttings.

Ten cuttings from a well (API 4270600020) close to the first P-cable survey area were selected within the depth range 4900 to 10105 ft. The samples were moderately polished for SEM examination.

The analyses were carried out using a field-emission SEM, an FEI Nova™ NanoSEM 430, at The University of Texas at Austin. Both Secondary Electron (SE) and Back-Scattered Electron modes were used to show mudstone texture. A system of two, energy-dispersive, X-ray detectors was used in conjunction with SEM to produce elemental maps and consequently, help to identify mineral phases. Back-Scattered Electron images and EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) elemental maps were obtained from the thin sections, which yielded useful information on the texture and lithology of the fine-grained portion of the examined samples.

Texture
Thin section texture shows large variation. Grain size ranges from clay to fine sand. Silt and sand abundance varies significantly. Figure A shows a claystone with few silt grains while Figure F shows a sample containing over 80% silt grains.

SEM imaging provides a qualitative assessment of fabric alignment. The samples show large variations in degree of fabric orientation. For example, the sample in Figure A shows a high degree of clay alignment in the vertical direction in the image, while the silty claystone in Figure G shows weak clay alignment. Apparently, higher silt/sand content leads to poor alignment. However, silt/sand content is not the only control. For example, Figure A and B are from the same cuttings interval (~ 30 ft), but the section in Figure A is highly aligned and in Figure B the claystone is poorly aligned. Depth control on clay alignment is not obvious either. Figures A and B show quite different degrees of alignment within the same sample. Figure A is from 4900-4930 ft and it shows better alignment than the deeper samples (e.g. Figures C, G, and H).

	Figure A Claystone with strong clay alignment. 4900-4930 ft.		Figure B Claystone with weak clay alignment 4900-4930 ft.
	Figure C Silty mudstone with fossils (foraminifer and other shell fragments). Pyrite framboids often partially fill foraminifer chambers.  7506-7536 ft		Figure D Siltstone with abundant pyrite. Silt grains aligned with bedding. 5845-5884 ft.

	Figure E Claystone and fine-grained sandstone laminae. 5845-5884. 4900-4930 ft.		Figure F 7506 -7536 ft Sample with poor to moderately rounded grains.
	Figure G Siltstone with random orientation. 6561-6581 ft.		Figure H Silty claystone with poor fabric alignment. 10105-10135 ft.

Minerology
SEM assisted with energy dispersive X-ray detectors was used to make elemental maps of the thin sections, which, to a degree, reveal mineral distribution. Figure I shows a typical elemental map with each element assigned to a distinctive color. With information about the elemental composition and knowledge of the occurrence of common minerals, one can recognize the mineral by the specific color assigned to it. For example, silicon is assigned as blue; so, quartz shows up as blue grains. Purple is assigned to potassium; so purple grains are interpreted as K-feldspar. Calcium (red) is interpreted to indicate calcite. If more than one element is present, the resultant mineral color is a combination of the individual elemental colors. For example, when red is assigned to calcium and yellow to sodium, plagioclase grains show up as brown.

The elemental maps show that the most abundant silt grains are quartz, calcite, K-feldspar and plagioclase. The most abundant detrital grains are quartz (Figure J). Quartz also composes a large proportion of the matrix (Figures I, K). All the samples contain varying amounts of detrital calcite (up to 40%) (Figure K). Calcite is mostly from fossil debris, such as foraminifer and mollusk shell fragments (Figures L-N). However, the clay size grains usually do not show any indications for their origin, and it is difficult to determine whether they are from fossil fragments or from other detrital sources (Figure K). K-feldspar and plagioclase are also abundant (up to 15% locally) (Figures I, J, N). The matrix is mostly composed of illite, chlorite (fibrous, greenish yellow clay platelets in Figure J) and clay-size quartz and feldspar grains.

Cementation in the samples is sporadic. Authigenic minerals (those that precipitate during sedimentation) include calcite, pyrite, and ankerite. The sample in Figure O from 5845-5884 ft contains a calcite nodule where authigenic calcite has replaced other minerals and formed a pure calcite area only containing scattered quartz grains. However, calcite cements are not common in other samples, primarily due to the lack of available pore space for precipitation sites. Pyrite usually occurs as framboids and is present throughout the depth range (Figures I, O, P). Sometimes, clusters of pyrite framboids are concentrated in zones, which may be related to fracture or organic-rich layers. Ankerite mostly occurs in fossil chambers (Figures M, Q). Overall, diagenesis does not appear to be significant.

	Figure I Silty mudstone with various silt sized mineral grains, such as quartz (blue), K-feldspar (purple), albite (brown), calcite (red). 7506-7536 ft.		Figure J Siltstone showing quartz (blue), plagioclase (brown) and K-feldspar (pink) grains. Pore-filling chlorite exists as fibrous habits (green). 10105-10135 ft.
	Figure K Silty claystone containing abundant clay size detrital grains, such as calcite (red), quartz (blue), K-feldspar (purple). 4900-4930 ft		Figure L Silty claystone containing fine silt size quartz and calcite (fossil). 6151-6181 ft

	Figure M Fossil chambers filled with detrital grains and cements (siderite and pyrite). 6151-6181 ft.		Figure N K-feldspar (purple) and plagioclase (dark green) are major silt grains. Note silt size fossil fragments in low right corner. 6151-6181 ft
	Figure O Calcite nodule (red) containing scattered quartz (blue) grains. The band of organic matter (dark) and pyrite (yellow) may be a fracture. 5845-5884 ft.		Figure P Pyrite framboid (yellow) clusters parallel to bedding from up right to low left. 7566-7596 ft
	Figure Q Close up of Figure M showing ankerite rhombs (yellow-green) inside fossil (red) chamber. 6151-6181 ft.