Concentric and radial joint systems within basic sills and their

associated porosity enhancement, Neuquén Basin, Argentina

ADRIANA BERMÚDEZ1 & DANIEL H. DELPINO2
1
National Council of Scientific and Technical Investigations (CONICET), Domene 414,
Neuquén Sarmiento 440, Buenos Aires, Argentina (e-mail: delpinus3@speedy.com.ar)
2
Repsol – YPF, Exploration Argentina Onshore, Talero 360, Neuquén, Argentina
(e-mail: dhdelpinos@repsolypf.com)

Abstract: One of the remarkable characteristics of the Neuquén Basin is that a group of Cenozoic
shallow microgabbroic sills exhibit gas and oil shows, and some have produced hydrocarbons for
up to 20 years. Their capacity to act as reservoirs is caused by the increase in the effective porosity
owing to the simultaneous development of petrological and fracture processes during cooling that
generate systematic variations inside the intrusive bodies.
In this work we describe in detail an unusual intracolumnar joint system formed by two joint
sets, referred to here as concentric and radial joint sets. This atypical joint system is developed
within the small stacked polyhedrons into which certain zones of classic prismatic columns are
transformed during the cooling processes. These small polyhedrons are laterally bounded by the
vertical planes that limit the columns, and at the top and bottom by transversal joint planes oriented
almost perpendicular to the column axis.
As a result of detailed macroscopic analysis, the genesis of the concentric joint sets have been
interpreted as resulting from either the development of natural convective flows or from complex
processes of cooling influenced by the joint-bounded planes of the columns. When the radial joint
set is present, it is clearly related to the development of thermal stresses between the outer and
inner parts of the small polyhedrons.
In geology textbooks and previous published papers the genesis of what is informally called
‘onion skin’ joint sets in basic intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks has been attributed to pro-
cesses related to either weathering or deuteric alteration. However, based on detailed macroscopic
observations, our work suggests that, in most cases, any type of alteration process only accentuates
the planes previously generated during the cooling process.

Geological observations carried out during the early
decades of the last century by Groeber (1929) in the
Neuquén Basin, Argentina, and Wade (1929) in
Madagascar, Africa, suggested that, in those areas
with abundant Cenozoic igneous activity, the heat
transferred from intrusive rocks to organic-rich
host sedimentary rocks triggered the generation of
hydrocarbons. Today, it is widely accepted that
intrusive igneous rocks can play a variety of roles
in the processes of generation, migration and trap-
ping of hydrocarbons.
Related to the hydrocarbon-generation pro-
cesses, igneous intrusions represent one of the poss-
ible heat sources that thermally alter the organic
compounds present in the sedimentary rocks. A
temperature peak over a relatively brief time
following a fast maximum-temperature reaction
can create thermal maturity (Robert 1980; Barker
1983; Kisch 1987).
Later, Barker (1988) pointed out that the heat
flow through deep fractures and igneous intru-
sions throughout the Tertiary caused petroleum
generation to occur in the western area of the
Delaware Basin, USA. According to Johnson
(1989), the heat pulses caused by the Tertiary
intrusive igneous rocks in the Piceance Basin,
Colorado, USA, increased the speed of trans-
formation of the petroleum into gaseous hydro-
carbons. In the Triassic Hartford and Newark
basins, USA, Pratt et al. (1988) related the
sharp variation in the degree of maturity of the
black shales, which act as source rock in a stra-
tigraphic interval of less than 1 km, to a high
heat flow caused by basic igneous intrusions
during the early Jurassic.
Most studies concerning hydrothermal systems
agree that the rise in temperature in the area sur-
rounding the igneous intrusion is what enables
hydrocarbon generation to occur in only a few thou-
sand years (Barker 1988; Didyk & Simoneit 1989).
However, hydrothermal fluids link the generation
with migration processes, transporting hydrocar-
bons at least in the first stages of the migration.
In the same way, Hulen et al. (1994) described
a geothermal system that was able to create an
economically significant oil field.

From: THOMSON , K. & PETFORD , N. (eds) Structure and Emplacement of High-Level Magmatic Systems.
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 302, 185–198.
DOI: 10.1144/SP302.13 0305-8719/08/$15.00 # The Geological Society of London 2008.
186 A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO
Even though there are many references of
bitumen seeps and oil and gas shows related to
basic sills in many basins all around the world
(Schutter 2003), references about basic shallow
intrusive igneous rocks acting as reservoirs of
hydrocarbons with commercial productions are
notably scarce. One of the best-known examples
is the fractured syenitic sill of the Dineh-bi Keyah
field in Arizona (McKenny & Masters 1968). In
this case, as with other well-known examples, the
reservoirs have been assigned to the development
of secondary fracture porosity. Recently, Wu
et al. (2006) has included the presence of steeply
dipping cracks and dilatational fractures of
primary type present in a dolerite body of Jiyang
Basin, China, as another necessary quality to consti-
tute a reservoir.
The purpose of this paper is to describe and
interpret the genesis of systematic variations in
the fracturation system within microgabbroic sills,
and to show that these fracturation systems are
strongly related to cooling processes. In addition,
intracolumnar, concentric and radial joint systems
are described in detail. In some zones within the
sills these atypical joint systems allow primary
porosities of around 15% and a range of permea-
bilities of between 0.1 and 100 mD, enabling
them to act as reservoirs, some of which have
commercial viability.
Geology and tectonic setting
The Neuquén Basin is one of the largest oil- and
gas-producing basins in Argentina. It is located in
the mid-western part of the country (388S, 698W),
and covers an area of approximately 160 000 km2
(Fig. 1).
The sedimentary sequence was affected by
several tectonic events during Mesozoic and Tertiary
times, and as a result two different morphological–
structural areas are distinguished: the Andean
Area, a fold and thrust belt in the western part of
the basin that contains the active Andean Volcanic
Arc; and the Extraandean Area, in the eastern and
the central parts of the basin and platform areas,
where fault-controlled block basement tectonics
predominate (Fig. 1).
In Upper Triassic times, a group of extensional
troughs were formed and then filled with volcanic
and continental clastic deposits. Since then the
Neuquén Basin has been a region of cyclical
marine – continental sedimentary accumulation.
From the Lower Jurassic to the Lower Tertiary,
several marine – continental cycles developed
with their depositional systems controlled by
relative sea-level changes and/or tectonic events
within the basin (Vergani et al. 1995).
From the Lower Jurassic to the Lower-Late
Cretaceous, three main petroleum systems devel-
oped (Urien & Zambrano 1994). Their names
were derived from the formation name of the
source rock, followed by the name of the major
reservoir rock. They are, in chronological order:
Los Molles–Lajas; Vaca Muerta –Tordillo; and
Agrio–Avilé (Fig. 2).
According to Villar et al. (2005), source rocks
from the Los Molles, Vaca Muerta and Agrio
formations commonly include basinal and outer-
shelf marine-rich organic black shales, each
with different potentials for hydrocarbon generation.
Clastic rocks of the Lajas, Tordillo and Avilé
formations are mainly sandstones deposited in
shallow-water deltaic and marine environments
(Maretto et al. 2002; Masarik 2002; McLlroy
et al. 2005). These sandstone bodies, together
with shallow-marine carbonate rocks, constitute
most of the reservoir rock. Thick bodies of evapor-
ites, mainly gypsum and halite, frequently act as
regional seals.
Cenozoic igneous activity within the
Neuquén Basin
For the past 65 Ma, the evolution of the active
Andean Convergent Margin has influenced both
the timing and the distribution of igneous activity.
Subduction of the oceanic Nazca Plate underneath
the continental South American Plate has generated
a magmatic arc that extends roughly parallel to the
margin (Fig. 3).
At the surface, the associated volcanism defines
a volcanic arc, the width of which has changed
several times in an east –west direction. These pro-
cesses have been interpreted by Kay et al. (2006) as
a consequence of changes in the age and angle of
the subducting oceanic plate.
In the subsurface, the expression of this associ-
ate volcanism is reflected in a series of shallow
intrusive bodies, with variable composition and
geometric shapes that form laccoliths of dioritic
and granodioritic compositions, gabbroic sills, as
well as acid and basic dyke swarm complexes
(Fig. 2).
The group of basic sills studied in this work
intrudes black shales from the Upper Jurassic –
Lower Cretaceous Vaca Muerta Formation and have
been K/Ar dated with absolute ages of 23.6 +
4.4 Ma (Aguada San Roque sill), 12.5 + 1.0 Ma
(Loma Las Yeguas sill), 12.5 + 1.1 Ma (Filomena
sill) and 7.3 + 2.2 Ma (Cura Pachingo sill).
On the basis of thin-section studies, all sills have
been classified as microgabbros. Grain size is typi-
cally less than 1 mm, with the average grain size
increasing up to 2 mm towards the interior of the
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS 187

Fig. 1. Map of the Neuquén Basin showing the main tectonic areas, and the location of gas and oil producing
fields. Filomena, Cura Pachingo, Aguada San Roque and Loma Las Yeguas shallow basic sills location are also
shown. Line a –b indicates the direction of the cross-section for Figure 2.

sill, especially in sectors where differentiates are
present. The texture is subhedral – granular, but
occasionally subophitic texture predominates.
Microgabbros are composed of up to about 50%
of normal zoned crystals of labradoritic plagioclase
(An58/63).
The relative proportion of dark- to light-
coloured minerals is nearly 40%. The main
ferromagnesian mineral is a pale green– pinkish
brown clinopyroxene, identified petrographically
as titaniferous augite. Typically, subhedral and
anhedral augite partially enclose plagioclase crys-
tals, forming the classical subophitic texture
(Fig. 4a). Small intercrystalline spaces between
tabular plagioclase crystals are occupied by ana-
lcime and/or albite. Accessory minerals identified
188 A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO

Fig. 2. Geological section west–east through the Neuquén Basin illustrating the three main petroleum systems
and the igneous activity related to the emplacement of gabbroic sills and granodioritic laccoliths, which act as
reservoirs. Stars and arrows mark the main migration paths.

Fig. 3. Schematic cross-section across the active convergent Andean Margin at 388S latitude where the Neuquén
Basin is located. This sketch shows the different igneous sources of gabbroic sills intruded in the back-arc area.
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS
Fig. 4. (a) Photomicrographs showing the subhedral– granular to subophitic texture, which is fairly typical
in microgabbroic sills. Px, piroxene; Pl, plagioclase. Crystal size is 1 mm. (b) Small differentiate syenitic
lenses from a drill core of the Cura Pachingo sill.
as magnetite and apatite also form tiny needles
within the plagioclase crystals.
Leucocratic differentiates classified as syenites
are lighter coloured than microgabbros owing to
the mafic mineral content decreasing to between
25 and 15%. Accordingly, plagioclases are calcic
andesines (An40/50). Syenitic differentiate bodies
occur as small masses and form: magmatic layering,
ritmic graded layers, and network zones with veins
and veinlets (Fig. 4B).
Both microgabbros and syenites display deuteric
alteration as overgrowths by chlorites and biotites
on piroxene crystals. Microgabbro SiO2 content
ranges from 45 to 51%, and total alkalis (Na2Oþ
K2O) from 5.7 to 2.52% (Table 1). In the classifi-
cation diagram proposed by Wilson (1989), all
samples of the sills plot within the alkaline gabbro
field, except for the Loma Las Yeguas sill differen-
tiate which plots in the syenite field (Fig. 5).
Isotopic values of 87Sr/86Sr are compatible with
the classic sources and petrological processes
developed in this segment of the active Andean
Convergent Margin. Those that have values of
87
Sr/86Sr ¼ 0.7064 are in agreement with the low
degrees of partial melting from a garnet-rich
mantle source, while others with values of
87
Sr/86Sr varying from 0.70348 to 0.70371 could
represent a variable subduction component (Fig. 3).
Gabbroic basic sills acting as reservoirs
The fortuitous appearance in 1978 of gas reservoirs
in intrusive basic igneous rocks within the Neuquén
Basin immediately motivated the identification of
these types of rocks by means of seismic reflection
profiles. Orchuela et al. (1989) identified these
igneous bodies as sills owing to their flat display,
189
and concordant and gently inclined high-amplitude
reflectors standing out clearly against a background
of more diffuse reflectors of sedimentary succes-
sion. In cross-section, typical seismic expressions
of sills are represented as flat bodies, with length
values that exceed their thicknesses significantly.
In plan view, sills have an almost ellipsoidal
shape, with maximum diameters ranging from 8
to 13 km. Sections taken normal to the maximum
length show that feeder fractures are always
located at the maximum relative depth and that
the sills ascend from this point towards higher stra-
tigraphic intervals. Changes or ‘jumps’ in the levels
of intrusion are typically induced by lithological
facies changes or previous faults (Fig. 6).
Palaeodepths of the sills have been estimated to be
1500–2000 m, depending on the thickness of the
overlying sedimentary column. The sills range in
thickness from 18 to 45 m. These thicknesses were
determined from drill-cutting descriptions and from
their low gamma-ray log values (20–40 gAPI;
gAPI ¼ American Petroleum Institute gamma ray
units) in contrast to the host black shales.
Magma densities at the time of the emplacement,
calculated according to their geochemical compo-
sition (Botinga & Weil, 1972), range between
2.79 and 2.86 kg m23.
Primary and secondary porosity
Effective porosity and permeability are essential
conditions to develop reservoirs in basic shallow
intrusive igneous rocks; i.e. interconnected pore
spaces as well as permeability that allows the
storage and subsequent circulation of fluids is
required. Therefore, an understanding of the
types of porosity of basic sills is critical for their
 190
Table 1. Representative major (wt%) element abundances in the basic intrusive rocks

Sample Loma Las Yeguas (LLY) Aguada San Roque (ASR) Filomena (Fi) Curapachingo (CuP)
†
M1 M8 M10 M5* 4 19 24 37 45 F1 CuP‡

A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO

SiO2 50.02 48.84 50.33 59.36 45.32 45.47 45.68 45.39 45.24 48.24 45.41
TiO2 1.83 1.93 1.93 1.32 1.36 1.49 1.37 1.40 1.30 1.64 1.47
AI2O3 16.53 14.5 15.77 17.37 10.14 11.01 11.1 10.59 9.91 14.43 11.83
Fe2O8t 10.55 12.00 10.92 6.60 13.52 13.07 12.83 13.16 13.56 11.27 12.56
MnO 0.15 0.12 0.15 0.08 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.17 0.18 0.17 0.17
MgO 6.38 9.19 5.86 1.60 19.4 17.18 17.3 18.18 19.74 8.39 14.27
CaO 9.25 8.54 9.19 3.90 6.20 6.71 7.11 6.68 6.36 7.90 7.22
Na2O 3.71 3.36 3.86 6.30 2.17 2.45 2.36 2.26 1.92 3.74 2.99
K2O 0.82 0.74 0.89 3.09 0.74 0.76 0.73 0.68 0.60 1.96 1.46
P2O5 0.33 0.27 0.35 0.50 0.29 0.34 0.32 0.34 0.32 0.46 0.43
LOI 0.30 0.28 0.68 0.24 0.11 1.60 0.87 0.97 0.54 1.20 1.13
Total 99.87 99.77 99.93 100.36 99.91 99.85 99.96 99.92 99.8 99.4 99.92
Na2O þ K2O 4.53 4.10 4.75 9.39 2.91 3.21 3.09 2.94 2.52 5.7 4.43
86
Sr/87Sr 0.70371 0.70348 0.7064

*Syenitic differentiate.
†
Average of six samples.
‡
Average of five samples.
LOI, loss on ignition.
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS
Fig. 5. Chemical classification and nomenclature of
plutonic rocks from Wilson (1989). Curved line
subdividing rocks into alkaline and subalkaline series is
from Irvine & Baragar (1971). Cura Pachingo sill: CuP
(O) (average of five samples); Loma Las Yeguas sill:
LLY (†); Aguada San Roque sill: ASR (  ); and
Filomena sill: Fi ( 4 ) (average of six samples).
evaluation as potential reservoirs. The widely
accepted typical classification of the pore space
for sedimentary rocks includes two kinds: primary
porosity – which is originated in the initial pro-
cesses that deposited the sediments; and secondary
porosity – which result from processes that occur
after the rocks have been formed. Likewise, this
classification is used in this paper to define the
type of porosity in basic shallow intrusive igneous
rocks; however, the definition is adjusted according
to the specific characteristics of these rocks. The
proposed classification for the different types of
porosity and genesis for basic shallow intrusive
rocks is shown in Table 2.
It is assumed in the case of shallow intrusive
basic igneous rocks that the generation of primary
pore spaces is a continuous process that begins
with the rock emplacement and continues during
Fig. 6. Seismic section showing a typical cross-section
of a sill. Light grey colour represents the sill, and thin
black lines previous and synintrusive faults.
191
the entire cooling period. Petford (2003) defines
the primary porosity in a shallow intrusive basic
igneous rock as the pore space originating during
the emplacement and cooling processes. We add
to his definition: ‘with no changes in its original
whole mineralogical composition’. In this way we
have labelled the different types of voids generated
in the later stages of cooling by deuteric alteration
as primary porosity. Also, we have divided
primary and secondary porosity in two types:
fracture and cavity porosity.
The primary fracture porosity is represented as
columnar and intracolumnar jointed structures
and flow jointing. Columnar joints are three-
dimensional fracture networks that organize the
solid rock in pentagonal and hexagonal columns
that are formed, in this case, during the cooling
process of shallow intrusive basic rocks. Joint
tensional-fracture networks include joint-bounded
columns and transverse-joint planes oriented
normal to the column axes; the latter forming
bands called ‘striae’ or ‘chisel marks’.
Intracolumnar primary porosity related to the
cooling process is a concentric and radial joint
system that develops within the columns. This
joint system will be described in detail in this
paper. Flow jointing is a type of primary fracture
porosity related to magma viscosity and occurs
when shears between the planes are generated.
These types of planes are separated by a few milli-
metres and have been observed close to the contacts
with the host rocks. Sometimes these planes are
marked by microcrystals oriented parallel to the
contacts or microvesicles.
Primary cavity porosity includes vesicles of
millimetres –centimetres in size, generated by
expanding gases that may be locally abundant,
especially near the top of the sills. Primary cavity
porosity includes intercrystal voids and miaroles
that vary in size from centimetres to millimetres,
and are generated during deuteric alteration pro-
cesses that are widespread in zones with differen-
tiated late-magmatic veins.
Secondary porosity is comprised of the pores
that are developed in the last stages of the cooling
process – and even after this process has finished –
which motivate changes in the original minera-
logical composition of the rocks. Such changes
are usually caused by the alteration processes –
which are triggered, in turn, by contact with hydro-
thermal fluids. Secondary porosity also includes the
pores developed by tectonic activity that begins
after the rock has been consolidated.
Summarizing, secondary porosity is mainly
related to tectonic events and hydrothermal altera-
tion processes. Tectonic events produce systematic
joint systems that we call ‘tectonic joints’ and ‘fault
and associated joint systems’ which affect the wall
192 A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO
Table 2. Types of porosity in mafic shallow intrusive rocks
Type of
space Primary
Fracture porosity
Fractures †Columnar jointing (polygonal joint system
and transverse joint planes)
Matrix porosity
†Intracolumnar jointing
(concentric and radial joint systems)
†Flow jointing
Cavities †Vesicles
†Intercrystal voids
†Miaroles
rocks as well as the sills that can play an important
role in the migration of fluids to the sills.
Secondary porosity related to alteration pro-
cesses is developed once the cooling process has
finished and the rock comes in contact with hydro-
thermal fluids. The most common effects of hydro-
thermal alteration are: dissolution; replacement or
elimination by partially or fully dissolving the orig-
inal minerals, leaving behind voids or ‘boxworks’
with the precipitation of new minerals along fluid
pathways; and microbrecciation.
In this way, intracrystalline and intercrystalline
spaces are created. These voids are usually inter-
connected by microfractures, usually hydraulic
microfractures or hydrofracturing, and as a
consequence may give a considerable degree of
permeability to basic igneous rocks.
So far, the best reservoirs in productive basic
sills within the Neuquén Basin have effective total
porosity (primary plus secondary porosity) averages
that range from 10% to 15%, an average fracture
permeability of 250 mD, and an average matrix per-
meability of 0.01–0.1 mD. Permeability may be
due to either the primary or secondary pore
network, or both (Perea et al. 1984).
The term matrix porosity is used to characterize
all types of voids located inside the blocks that are
limited by the biggest fractures with the maximum
relative aperture. In the case of shallow basic intru-
sive rocks, matrix porosity may include cavities and
microfractures (Table 2).
In addition, another form of porosity classifi-
cation that may also be applicable to basic
shallow intrusive rocks was established by Petford
(2003). He proposed the classification of porosity
in igneous rocks taking into account the capacity of
fluid transport in ‘diffusive’ (Class D) and ‘flow’
porosity (Class F). Diffusive porosity includes the
possibility of interfracture diffusion development.
Consequently, intracolumnar concentric and radial
Secondary Petford (2003)
†Tectonic joint systems Flow porosity
(systematic joints) (Class F)
†Faults and associated joints
†Microfractures and Diffusive porosity
microfaults Class D)
†Intercrystal and intracrystal
voids
joints sets, microfractures, as well as microfaults
present in mafic sills would be included in this
type of porosity. In addition, diffusive porosity
could be thought of in a similar way as matrix por-
osity. Equally important, flow porosity includes all
macrofractures that permit flow along the planes. In
basic intrusive igneous rocks this may include joints
limiting planes of columnar jointing, systematic
tectonic joints and faults. As a consequence, flow
porosity includes nearly all fracture porosities
(Table 2).
Summing up, in basic shallow intrusive igneous
rocks total porosity, i.e. the sum of primary and
secondary porosity, is the result of mega-spaces
(voids, vesicles, tectonic and cooling joints) and
meso- and micro-spaces (vesicles, microfractures,
and inter- and intracrystaline voids). Both primary
and secondary porosity can include fracture and
cavity porosity.
Internal development of the shallow intrusive
microgabbroic sills
A transverse profile of a typical sill has been recon-
structed using field analogues, borehole images and
drilled core sections. Texture, petrological and
geochemistry variations that develop within basic
sill intrusions have been described in detail in geo-
logical literature for some time (McDougall 1962;
MacLeod 1981; Froelich & Gottfried 1988). They
have not, however, been compared with systematic
variations in the fracturation system.
For the sills described in this work, systematic vari-
ations as mentioned in the above paragraph are in
agreement with variations in the fracturation system.
Sills that intrude during one single magmatic
phase generally consist of four zones arranged in
a roughly symmetrical way from top to bottom,
and they are identified by their particular texture,
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS 193

thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 2 m. The proportion

of dark minerals decreases in this zone owing to the
gabbro being more silicic, with abundant intracrys-
talline voids and miarolitic cavities (Fig. 8). This,
and the evidence of magmatic diversification pro-
cesses like layering, rhythmic graded layers and
zones of net-veined syenites (59% SiO2) that
develop in the final stages of crystallization,
confirm the development of deuteric processes
within the sill. This zone, usually located slightly
above or below the central part of the sill, exhibits
a lower density of transversal joints. Zone 4 can
also develop with lesser thicknesses as intercala-
tions in other parts of the sill. Small masses and
transgressive bodies with limited lateral continuity
are present in all zones of the sill.

Fig. 7. Illustration of the typical changes in texture and Columnar jointing

fracture density of a sill.
The tiers that develop columnar joints appear to
petrological structure and fracturation (Fig. 7). The form a colonnade zone. The length of the columns
relative thickness of each zone and its location and the diameters of the polygonal joint system
can vary. are not easy to determine owing to the fact that
Contacts at the bottom and top of the sill against the reconstruction has been made through limited
black shales are of planar sharp type and define observations in cores. Generally, as determined by
Zone 1, which has an average thickness of a few indirect observations and field analogies, the
centimetres. This zone represents a basaltic column heights would vary between 3 and 5 m,
chilled margin with microporfiritic texture. A and the diameters between 10 and 50 cm, depending
small amount of both plagioclase and pyroxene on the total thickness of the sill.
microphenocrysts are dispersed in the One of the distinctive characteristics is the pre-
cryptocrystalline groundmass. sence of very well marked joint planes oriented per-
This thin zone frequently shows flow jointing pendicularly to the column axis. These joint planes
determined by oriented microcrystals of plagio- are arranged in stacked succession of variable
clase, and in some cases by the stretching of micro- heights ranging between 5 and 30 cm, with the
vesicles. Flow-jointing planes are approximately
parallel to each other and to the contact plane.
They are thin with separations of 1 mm, but
towards the centre of the sill their spacing gradually
increases until they disappear. Viewed in cross-
section each plane shows continuity up to
several metres.
Stepping towards the centre of the sill, Zone 2,
with a thickness that ranges from tens of centi-
metres to 2 m, is formed by fine-grained micro-
gabbro with a microcrystalline texture and a
development of columnar jointing with transverse
joint planes separated by 30 –50 cm. Further into
the sill, Zone 3 consists of several metres of fine-
to medium-grained granular gabbro with subophitic
texture. The development of columnar joints con-
tinues, but with less separation (about 10 cm) of Fig. 8. Miarolitic cavity in a drill core of the
the transverse joint planes. This is the zone with microgabbroic Cura Pachingo sill (Zone 4). The
irregular cavity is occupied by crystals of plagioclase
the biggest fracture primary porosity owing to the crystallized in open spaces. These crystals are twice the
development of intracolumnar jointing, i.e. con- size of the primary crystals of plagioclase in the
centric and radial joint system. microgabbro. In these zones primary porosity values can
At the centre of the sill, Zone 4 defines a zone be up to 10– 15%, but usually miaroles are discontinuous
with granular medium-grained texture and pore spaces.
194 A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO
Fig. 9. (a) Borehole acoustic image from Zone 3 of the
Cura Pachingo microgabbroic sill showing well-marked
open transversal joint planes. Some of them display
curved boundaries related to the development of
intracolumnar concentric jointing structure. (b)
Borehole resistive image from a microgabbroic sill of
the Neuquén Basin exhibiting variations in electrical
conductivity interpreted as concentric jointed structures.
average around 10 cm (Fig. 9a). These transverse
joint planes, in the case of the sills that have been
studied, are straight or slightly curved, with both
smooth and rough surfaces. These joint planes
have been interpreted as successive cracks that
form during discrete events of growth of the
columns (Degrafff & Aydin 1987) accompanied
by the cyclic stress of accumulation and release in
the cooling body (Peck & Minakami 1968; Ryan
& Sammis 1978).
Concentric and radial joint systems
In all the sills that are acting as petroleum and gas
reservoirs, or have gas and oil shows, the joint
systems described in the next paragraphs have a
decisive influence on the development of higher
values of effective porosity within a reservoir rock.
The development of zones with concentric joint
sets controlled by vertical and horizontal joints was
observed in borehole images (Fig. 9b), field out-
crops (Fig. 10) and in core descriptions of the sills
(Fig. 11).
In cores the small stacked polyhedrons that form
the column have a predominant height of 10 cm and
approximately the same diameter (Fig. 11a). Inside
them, the development of a concentric joint system
Fig. 10. Outcrops of Cenozoic microgabbroic sill few
kilometres south of the Rio Grande oil field, Neuquén
Basin. In cross-section, normal to its axis, these columns
exhibits well-developed concentric joint sets around a
massive core located in the centre of each column. Note
the massive border, a few centimetres thick, that forms
the external walls of the columns.
with separations between the concentric planes
ranging from 1.5 to 3 mm has been observed.
Throughout the different sectors, the concentric
planes are discontinuous and consequently winding,
with several intersections between the planes of the
different bands. The concentric joint planes are very
thin and their surfaces are rough. They are cut by
non-continuous planes with radial or pseudo-radial
design that begins on the outer limits of the
massive nucleus, located in the central zone.
The rounded massive nucleus is harder than
the outer zone. It has a spherical or ellipsoidal
shape and is clearly visible in the concentric zone
because of its ‘egg-rock’ shape. Diameters of these
Fig. 11. Concentric and radial joint systems in core of
Loma Las Yeguas microgabbroic sill. The drill core
sector to the left shows small stacked polyhedrons, each
one with the development of a concentric joint set
outside. To the right a sketch normal to the small
polyhedron axis shows in detail the relationship between
the concentric and radial joint sets.
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS 195

‘egg-rocks’ can vary between 2 and 4 cm. Many of
them present processes of differentiation with
respect to its exterior zone marked by the relative
increment of light-coloured minerals. (Fig. 11b)
The numerous intersections between the open
planes of the concentric and radial joint systems
located inside the small polyhedrons cause the
loss of cohesion in the rock, and, if a minimum
stress is applied, the igneous rock behaves like
‘unlithified sand’. In analogous examples in the
field, it has been observed that the separation
between the concentric joint planes and the
volume of the massive zone increases when the
diameter of the polyhedrons and the separation dis-
tance between the transverse planes to the column
also increases.
Interpretation of the processes
The observations described in the previous section
suggest that the concentric joint systems that are
developed inside the small polyhedrons begin
their formation at the same time as the transverse
planes. After two successive (top and bottom)
transverse planes have been formed during the
cooling process, one small polyhedron is gener-
ated. The height of the polyhedron, i.e. the distance
between the transversal fractures, will be deter-
mined by the decreasing temperature gradient
towards the inside of the igneous cooling body
(Jagla & Rojo 2002). This polyhedral body is
limited laterally by the edge planes that form the
column (Fig. 12).
Once generated, this small polyhedron continues
its process of cooling as an independent unit or ‘iso-
lated cell’. Convective processes that reduce the
temperature compared to the inside of the small
polyhedron would be able to develop between the
edges planes of the columns. Internally, the polyhe-
dron is warmer, but loses heat by conduction towards
the joint planes that limit it. The maximum tempera-
ture is located at the centre of the polyhedron, and
the isothermal surfaces are concentric around this
centre (Budkewitsch & Robin 1994).
The radial joints that cut across the concentric
joint set within the polyhedrons are discontinuous
planes oriented perpendicularly to the direction of
maximum thermal tensile stress and are clearly
related to the cooling process. This has been
described by various authors, especially in fast
cooling lavas such as volcanic bombs and pillow
lavas (McDonald 1972; Yamagishi et al. 1989;
Walker 1992). In this case the radial joints that
cut across the concentric joint planes would rep-
resent the last phase of cooling. The close relation-
ship between the concentric and radial joint systems
inside each small polyhedron supports the idea that
they were both generated during cooling processes.
In this paper two preliminary hypotheses are
considered to explain the formation process of the
concentric joints set:
Hypothesis 1
The concentric planes could be the expression of the
free natural convective processes developed within

Fig. 12. Interpretation of processes developed during the cooling in a jointed columnar structure. The convective
processes of heat transfer that are developed between the edge planes of the columns cause temperature differences
between the outer edge and the interior of the columns. This temperature gradient could induce heat transfer by
conduction towards the outside of the columns and free convection processes within each one of the stacked small
polyhedrons limited by transversal planes. These conductive and convective processes of heat transfer would have
generated the concentric and radial joints system within the columns.
196 A. BERMÚDEZ & D. H. DELPINO
each of the stacked segments that are forming the
columns. These convective systems may have devel-
oped because of specific changes in densities and visc-
osities. Temperature variations between the external
walls and the inside of the columns result in the
former behaving like a solid, losing heat through
conduction, whereas the latter behaves like a fluid.
The presence of differentiates in the central part
of the concentric structure hold up the idea that
convective processes with movements of small-
scale fluids can be produced even inside the
small polyhedron.
Spera et al. (1995) carried out systematic simu-
lations using a mix of silicate melts with the
purpose of studying heterogeneities in magmatic
bodies. In simulations of bodies that are simul-
taneously cooled from the sides and above, and
where the length of the body is much greater than
the width, basic conditions tend to develop on the
outer margins and more acidic conditions develop
towards the centre, i.e. simultaneous convection
and phase changes. These authors point out that
the phenomena described by the model may occur
in a wide-ranging scale of macroscopic lengths
from millimetres to kilometres.
In addition, concentric flow patterns have been
observed in laboratory experiments of free or
natural convection where convective flows are
developed within vertical wall-bounded slots, and
the convection takes the shape of ‘multiple vertical
cells’; in other words, cells located one on top of
the other. Also, similar shapes have been obtained
in convection cells called Rayleight–Bernard cells,
which adjust to the containing walls in a rectangular
box filled with silicone oil. This box is evenly heated
from below and the convection in this case is due to
buoyancy (Leeder & Pérez 2006, p. 200, fig. 4.155).
Transportation of fluids inside the material mass,
instead of throughout the polygonal system of
fractures, has been documented in laboratory
experiments during the formation of columnar
jointing (Goehring & Morris 2005). The concentric
joint set could represent, in this way, the ‘marks’ of
convective processes that have taken place inside
the small polyhedrons.
Hypothesis 2
The curved concentric joints would approximately
reproduce the design of the isothermal surfaces,
and the concentric planes could be the result of
remarkable variations in the thermal stress during
the cooling process, limited by the polygonal
shape of the columns (Fig. 12). Curvilinear joints
with quasi-concentric design have been observed
at microscopic scale in minerals, and their develop-
ment attributed to thermal stress influence during
the cooling of lava flows (Samanta 2001).
Conclusions
One of the interesting characteristics of the
Neuquén Basin of Argentina is that some Cenozoic
shallow basic sills of palaeodepths ranging from 1
to 3 km have been acting as hydrocarbon reservoirs
for up to 20 years.
Sill-effective fracture primary porosity is linked
to cooling processes that create the typical colum-
nar jointing, and also, in some zones within the
sills, an intracolumnar joint system. This system
has few references within geological literature and
to date has received little study. This joint system,
referred to here as a concentric and radial joint
system, increases effective porosity such that
when drilled the sill exhibits reservoir properties
similar to those of unlithified sand.
During the cooling process different zones are
formed within the sill, and in some of these zones
well-formed polygonal columns are bisected by
transversal joints that are oriented normal to the
column’s axis. Then, during the same episode of
cooling, concentric and radial joint sets are
formed in a sequential manner within these discrete
bisected polygonal columns. Concentric joint
planes exhibit marcations owing to natural free con-
vective flows that originated during the magma
cooling processes, and are a result of relative
differences in density and temperature within
the columns.
The radial joint planes present in some of the
studied sills originate from the centre of the
column and cross-cut outwards through the con-
centric planes. These radial planes are created by
thermal stresses owing to the temperature differ-
ences between the outer wall of the column and
its central part.
Concentric joint sets in basic lava flows have
been described in the geological literature as early
as Bonney, who in 1876 referred to them as spher-
oidal structures and related them to the process of
cooling. While this author was ahead of his time,
the subsequent prevailing view presented in most
fundamental geology textbooks was to relate the
genesis of the ‘onion skin structure’ found in lava
flows and sills to processes of weathering or
deuteric alteration.
While it is not possible to set aside all previous
interpretations, in many cases weathering processes
or deuteric alteration act solely on planes already
generated during the cooling process. Clearly, this
is only one qualitative study on the shapes and
genesis of these atypical structures present in
basic intrusive igneous rocks; however, we feel
that these structures could have important economic
importance with regards to water and hydrocarbons,
and therefore deserve further investigation and
laboratory work.
 CONCENTRIC AND RADIAL SYSTEMS
This work is dedicated to the memory of Ken Thomson.
The authors wish to thank REPSOL-YPF for permission
to publish these results. Also we wish to thank
J. Adamovic and an anonymous reviewer for their
helpful comments and suggestions. Thanks also go to
J. Soldo, P. McGregor and B. Bender, for their careful
reviews, and C. Loscerbo and Mr R. Ferreira for their
useful help in figure design and layout.
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