--> Abstract: Growth History of Hainesville Salt Dome, Wood County, Texas, by J. E. Loocke, R. O. Kehle; #90967 (1977).

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Abstract: Growth History of Hainesville Salt Dome, Wood County, Texas

J. E. Loocke, R. O. Kehle

On the basis of a nine-step reconstruction of the growth history, the Hainesville dome is interpreted to have begun growing during latest Jurassic (Cotton Valley) or earliest Cretaceous (Travis Peak) time, as a result of uneven sediment loading by prograding fan-delta systems. The structure gradually built into a broad, topographically high, salt pillow which subsequent sediments onlapped. The top of the structure was eroded, and continued growth and erosion, probably accompanied by normal faulting caused by tension over the crest of the structure, resulted in exposure of salt during deposition of the Woodbine or lower part of the Eagle Ford. Salt extrusion caused subsidence of the dome flanks until no topographic high remained by the middle of Eagle Ford deposition. Subs quent sedimentation caused continued growth of the salt spine, which was extruded through the erosional orifice. This growth was accompanied by continued flank subsidence and peripheral faulting.

The reconstruction is based on seismic and well-log data from the Hainesville dome. These data were integrated to produce a structure map and several isochron maps. Computed migration of part of one seismic line through the dome improved the resolution. Depth conversion of the section, checked by computer modeling, resulted in a final corrected-depth section which was used to reconstruct the dome's growth history. Nine intervals were used in the reconstructions, which were made by presuming the upper surface of each unit to be a horizontal datum at the time of deposition. Below each datum, the isopach thickness of the underlying unit was drawn. This method assumes that isopach variations are accommodated through salt movement below. The reconstructions also were used to interpret the rowth history and petroleum migration and to predict the probable location of favorable reservoir facies and traps.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90967©1977 GCAGS and GC Section SEPM 27th Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas