Depositional environment and diagenesis of Permian Rotliegendes sandstones in Leman Bank and Sole Pit areas of the UK southern North Sea

Early diagenetic features of the Rotliegendes are related to deposition in a desert environment. Wadi sands suffered early calcite cementation as the sediment dried. Aeolian sands were cemented with halite and gypsum where the water table was close to the surface and all grains became coated with ferric oxide and clay after passing below the water table. Later diagenesis is recognised by the presence of pore-destroying cements (recrystallized clays, authigenic feldspar, quartz, dolomite and anhydrite). Their occurrence is related to deep burial followed by faulting and late Cretaceous uplift. In Leman Bank and Sole Pit, the top Rotliegendes reached depths of about 11000 and 14000 ft (3350 and 4250 m respectively) prior to maximum uplift of 6000 ft (1800 m).