Tracing the subsurface sulfur cycle using isotopic and elemental fingerprinting: from the micro to the macro scale

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic and corrosive gas that commonly occurs in deeply buried sedimentary systems. Understanding its distribution is paramount to creating safe and effective models of H2S occurrence aiding in the identification of high-risk areas. Characterizing subsurface sulfur sources and H2S formation pathways would enhance these models leading to more accurate predictions of potential high H2S regions. However, gaps remain in our understanding of the dominant formation processes and migration pathways of key ingredients for H2S production in the Lower Triassic Montney Formation of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Essential to this is assessing the reactants necessary for H2S production, potential pathways for fluid migration, diagenetic history, and changes in redox conditions through time. The Montney Formation has undergone several phases of diagenesis related to post-depositional alteration and multiple cycles of tectonic burial and uplift. Early chemical alteration includes dolomitization and, in some cases, microbial reduction of porewater sulfate to sulfide that occurred prior to significant burial (Davies et al., 1997; Vaisblat et al., 2021; Liseroudi et al., 2020, 2021). The most recent tectonic-related burial during the Laramide Orogeny resulted in burial depths in excess of 3-5 km (Ness, 2001; Ducros et al., 2017) leading to significant thermal and barometric alteration. Associated with this orogenic activity was the reactivation of underlying faults (O'Connell et al., 1990) and development of fractures especially near the deformation front. These fractures provide conduits for fluid migration into the Montney that combined with heat and pressure resulting in hydrocarbon generation, migration, and development of overpressure, notably in the western margin of the basin. In addition, high temperatures resulted in thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) leading to the formation of H2S and subsequently pyrite. We present an interpretation of the Montney subsurface sulfur cycle through the use of petrography, micro- and macro-scale geochemical analysis (isotopic and elemental) to illustrate the complexity of this system. This work relies heavily on previous studies within and outside our research group and incorporates new analytical techniques to expand the toolbox. We aim to guide future research directions and activities by addressing issues related to sampling and data quality issues, analytical approaches, and highlight knowledge gaps.