Environment of deposition of the Jurassic-Cretaceous continental deposit in Central Pahang (Peninsular Malaysia) by sedimentary facies analysis

702001-101855-1678-B
Author : Azyan Syahira Azmi, Mohd Suhaili Ismail, Jasmi Ab Talib, Nur Marina Samsudin
Publication : Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia
Page : 153-162
Volume Number : 70
Year : 2020
DOI : https://doi.org/10.7186/bgsm70202013

Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia, Volume 70, November 2020, pp. 153 – 162

Environment of deposition of the Jurassic-Cretaceous continental deposit in Central Pahang (Peninsular Malaysia) by sedimentary facies analysis

Azyan Syahira Azmi1,*, Mohd Suhaili Ismail1, Jasmi Ab Talib2, Nur Marina Samsudin2

1Shale Gas Research Group, Institute of Hydrocarbon Recovery, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia
2Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia
* Corresponding author email address: aazyansyahira@gmail.com

Abstract: Spatial lithofacies and lithofacies association serves as one of the reliable methods in assessing the depositional process of sediments and interpreting its depositional environment. The method of facies analysis is adapted in this study where four newly exposed stratigraphic sections along the Jerantut-Maran road in Jerantut, Central Pahang of Peninsular Malaysia were studied. Previous studies showed that the environment of deposition of these continental deposits is broadly of braided-meandering river. Sedimentological data from the newly exposed stratigraphic sections had given a better understanding on the sedimentation processes involved in these deposits where interpretation on the environment of deposition is construed up to its sub-environment. The main lithofacies recognized include conglomerate, sandstone, and fine-grained facies. The facies associations identified include (i) massive to laminated silt/mudstone, (ii) massive sandstone, (iii) thin to thick ripple to parallel laminated sandstone, (iv) conglomeratic sandstone, (v) graded channelized sandstone, (vi) coarsening upwards medium bedded sandstone and (vii) heterolithic sandstone. The different facies associations are grouped to four (4) facies assemblages showing characteristics of certain environment: (1) floodplain, (2) channel bar complex, (3) point bar and (4) crevasse splay. Floodplain facies assemblage is marked by fine-grained facies, mainly siltstone/mudstone and fine-grained sands with lower flow regime structures. Channel bar complex is identified by high energy deposits of coarse-to-medium grained sandstones often with scoured bottom and lenticular geometry. Point bar is recognized by the lateral accretion surfaces often consisting of normal graded sandstone with sharp top and bottom contact, sometimes capped with thin mudstones. Crevasse splay facies assemblage is characterized by heterolithic sandstone, dominated by flaser-wavy bedding and coarsening upwards medium bedded sandstone that is overlain by fine-grained facies of the floodplain assemblage. The overall facies based on an outcrop scale suggests general features of fluvial facies with fluctuations in flow energy. The environment of deposition is thus interpreted to be of braided river with floodplains and isolated point bar.

Keywords: Continental, facies analysis, fluvial, Mesozoic, sedimentology, Tembeling Group

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7186/bgsm70202013