Itanhaém Formation

Itanhaém Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Albian ~
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Camburi Group
Underlies	Itajaí-Açu Fm., Juréia Fm.
Overlies	Ariri Formation
Thickness	up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Shale, siltstone, marl
Other	Sandstone
Location
Coordinates	26°6′S 43°43′W
Region	Santos Basin, South Atlantic
Country	Brazil
Type section
Named for	Itanhaém
Location of the Santos Basin

The Itanhaém Formation (Portuguese: Formacão Itanhaém) is a geological formation of the Santos Basin offshore of the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina. The predominantly shale formation with marls, siltstones and sandstones dates to the Early Cretaceous period; Early Albian epoch and has a maximum thickness of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). The formation is the reservoir rock of the Tambaú Field in the Santos Basin.

Etymology

The formation is named after the town of Itanhaém, São Paulo.

Description

The Itanhaém Formation is 517 to 1,500 metres (1,696 to 4,921 ft) thick, and consists of dark grey shales, siltstones and light grey marls, ochre-brown calcisilts and subordinated sandstones. These facies change laterally into the coarse clastics of the Florianópolis Formation. Facies analysis indicates a marine environment ranging from sub-littoral (inner neritic) and more rarely to pelagic (outer bathyal) conditions. The age based on planktonic foraminifera and pollen is Early Albian.

The formation is the reservoir rock of the Tambaú Field in the Santos Basin.

See also

• Campos Basin

References

Bibliography

• Template:Cite LSA
• Template:Cite LSA
• Template:Cite LSA