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Biofacies analysis and depositional environments of mid-Eocene larger benthic foraminifera-rich deposits in northern Tunisia

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Abstract

In NW Tunisia, the lateral facies equivalents of the mid-Eocene (Bartonian) “Reineche Limestones” member of the shaley Souar Formation, which constitute a proven reservoir hydrocarbon bearing in Gulf of Gabes, are still poorly known and characterized in NE Tunisia and the Salt Dome zone. Recent sedimentological investigations conducted on: (1) the “Reineche Limestones” member in its type locality in NE Tunisia and (2) three correlative sections, first described herein NW Tunisia, allow improving our knowledge about the Middle Eocene biofacies distribution as well as their depositional environment at a regional scale. Fossil assemblages, rock texture, and fabrics lead to the characterization of eight micro-biofacies (Mf1–Mf8) corresponding to “shoal” inner ramp and middle-to-outer ramp depositional settings. This study demonstrates that the Bartonian carbonates of NE Tunisia bear LBF-dominating assemblages and subordinate planktic and small benthic foraminifera, gastropods, algae, and echinids are indicative of marine ramp context under oligotrophic conditions. However, correlative successions from NW Tunisia are represented by relatively thinner carbonate intervals, including either skeletal limestone facies or phosphorite-rich carbonates. The first facies type, dominated by LBF assemblages, suggests the same depositional conditions as the “Reineche limestones”. The phosphorite-rich carbonate facies is characterized by the presence of peloids, bone fragments, lithic components with subordinate nummulitids, planktic and small benthic foraminifers, diversified open marine fauna, and fine siliciclastic grains, all suggesting oxic–sub-oxic conditions favorable for phosphorite genesis. The Bartonian phosphorite-rich carbonate of northwestern Tunisia represents a good example of phosphatic sediment production and accumulation during the latest episode of the Paleogene phosphatogenesis around the paleohigh structures of the Salt Dome zone in the south-Tethyan margin of Tunisia.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Pr. Ercan Özcan from the Department of Geological Engineering at Istanbul Technical University (Turkey) who left us before seeing the first fruit of his collaboration in the wide domain of Larger Benthic Foraminfera paleontology and biostratigraphy. The authors are grateful to the Editorial board of “Carbonates and Evaporites” and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful revisions. They thank their host institutes for logistic support. This study is part of research works of the Research Laboratory LR18ES07. It is also conducted in the frame of the collaboration research project between Tunisia (University of Carthage) and Algeria (University of Betna 2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021, Zarzouna, Tunisia

    Sirine Chouat, Mohamed Slim El Ayachi, Kamel Boukhalfa, Rabah Alouani & Mabrouk Boughdiri

  2. Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, LR18ES07, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Kamel Boukhalfa & Mohamed Soussi

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  1. Sirine Chouat
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  2. Mohamed Slim El Ayachi
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  3. Kamel Boukhalfa
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  4. Rabah Alouani
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  5. Mohamed Soussi
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  6. Mabrouk Boughdiri
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Contributions

A.B.C.D.E.F participated in field surveys, A.C. and E. wrote the main manuscript text, B.C.E and F. prepared figures, and all authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mabrouk Boughdiri.

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The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.

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Chouat, S., Ayachi, M.S.E., Boukhalfa, K. et al. Biofacies analysis and depositional environments of mid-Eocene larger benthic foraminifera-rich deposits in northern Tunisia. Carbonates Evaporites 38, 65 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-023-00888-4

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