Fómeque Formation, Geological formation in Eastern Ranges of Colombian Andes.
The Fómeque Formation is a geological structure in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes, made up of several hundred meters of sedimentary rock. It contains alternating layers of organic shale, limestone, and sandstone in the Altiplano Cundiboyacense region.
The formation dates to the Early Cretaceous period, specifically from the Barremian to Late Aptian epochs. It reveals evidence of ancient marine environments that existed in this region more than 100 million years ago.
The formation takes its name from the municipality of Fómeque in Cundinamarca, where the rock layers are particularly accessible for study. The name directly links this geological structure to the local place where it is most visible.
The high organic carbon content in these rocks makes the formation an important source for several Colombian oil fields. Scientists regularly study its composition to better understand how hydrocarbons formed and accumulated in the region.
Within the formation, researchers have found several fossil species including specimens of Acarthohoplites, Melchionites, Nicklesia, Olcostephanus, and Pulchellia. These fossils show which marine organisms lived in this area before it became mountains.
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