--> Abstract: Lower Cretaceous Sedimentary Facies and Sea-Level Changes, Gulf Coast, by Edward McFarlan, Jr.; #90967 (1977).

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Abstract: Lower Cretaceous Sedimentary Facies and Sea-Level Changes, Gulf Coast

Edward McFarlan, Jr.

In the northern part of the Gulf Coast, Lower Cretaceous strata form an arcuate prism which thickens from a few hundred feet to more than 10,000 ft (3,000 m) along the ancient shelf margin 100 to 300 mi (160 to 480 km) downdip. This prism was divided into 11 time-stratigraphic units by use of hundreds of control wells providing lithologic and faunal data. This information led to the recognition and mapping of major depositional facies including alluvial valley, delta, prodelta, inner shelf, middle shelf, outer shelf, and basin within each time-stratigraphic unit. During continuous deposition in Early Cretaceous time, these major facies units have transgressed and regressed many times across the broad subsiding shelfal areas. The transgressions during upper Cotton Valley, ower Hosston through James, and Mooringsport through Washita deposition are thought to have been controlled primarily by eustatic relative rise in sea level. Regressions during upper Hosston, Rodessa, Glen Rose, and Paluxy deposition probably were controlled by a decreased rate of subsidence and an increase in the supply of clastic sediments from rising uplands inland.

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