--> Abstract: Salt System Evolution in the Northern Paradox Basin, by Manuel Paz, Bruce Trudgill, and Chuck Kluth; #90078 (2008)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Salt System Evolution in the Northern Paradox Basin

Manuel Paz1, Bruce Trudgill2, and Chuck Kluth2
1Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Tupman, CA
2Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO

The northern Paradox basin in SE Utah and SW Colorado is characterized by a variety of salt-related structures ranging from deeply buried salt pillows to faulted diapirs and salt walls exposed at the surface.

By restoring a series of 2D structural cross sections, it was determined that the proximal Cutler Group (Permian) is a basinward prograding unit that caused underlying salt within the Paradox Formation (Pennsylvanian) to flow in that same direction, towards the southwest. Under this scheme, more proximal salt structures evolved earlier than the more distal ones. During the early stages of progradation, there is a nondepositional hiatus in the distal part of the Paradox basin. Salt withdrawal depended on the amount of mobile salt available and therefore facies within the Paradox Formation.

Depocenters on the east side of the Salt Valley salt wall migrated to the northwest during the early stages of the Cutler Group deposition, and then to the west. In that same area, welding out of the mobile salt occurred at the end of the Cutler time, although the present-day weld configuration was reached by Chinle time (Triassic).

The highest rates of sediment accumulation, salt wall growth, salt evacuation (in welded areas), salt area decrease and subsidence occurred during Cutler time, when the Uncompahgre Uplift was most active. Under the foreland basin framework, a wedge-top zone was interpreted close or on top of the Uncompahgre Uplift, where post-depositional deformation and cannibalization reincorporated the overlying sediments into the active depositional regime.

This understanding of the salt system evolution in the northern Paradox basin impacts future oil exploration targets by defining a series of play concepts within the Paradox Formation, Honaker Trail Formation, Cutler Group, and White Rim Sandstone.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas