--> ABSTRACT: Distribution of Mississippian Oolites and Associated Hydrocarbon Production in the United States, by Brian D. Keith and Charles W. Zuppann; #91025 (2010)

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Distribution of Mississippian Oolites and Associated Hydrocarbon Production in the United States

Brian D. Keith, Charles W. Zuppann

Mississippian oolites (oolitic limestones) are widely distributed across the continental United States, and are economically important as hydrocarbon reservoirs. Initial understanding of Mississippian oolitic reservoirs comes from an overview of the Mississippian depositional framework and a review of published literature on depositional models for Mississippian oolites and associated facies.

The Mississippian was divided into four intervals corresponding approximately to the following stages: Kinderhookian (interval A), early Valmeyeran or Osagian (interval B), late Valmeyeran or Meramecian (interval C), and Chesterian (interval D). These intervals, which are not unique to this study, provide a convenient method of subdividing Mississippian rocks for more detailed regional mapping. Paleogeographic and gross lithofacies maps were prepared for each interval to relate oolite occurrences to their regional settings. Interval A was characterized by two broad, shallow seas separated by the Transcontinental lowlands. Marine deposition was dominantly carbonate toward the west and shale to the east. Areas of extensive oolite deposition were adjacent to either side of the Transconti ental lowlands. Interval B was a time of extensive marine transgression with small land areas isolated in a broad, generally shallow sea. Shale deposition continued in the Michigan, Illinois, and northern Appalachian basins, and cherty carbonates accumulated elsewhere. Oolite deposition was limited to the western United States in the Williston basin, and to other areas along the slightly submerged Transcontinental arch. During interval C, land areas became more emergent and the Transcontinental lowlands once again separated the eastern and western seas. Extensive oolite deposition periodically occurred in the Appalachian, Illinois, and Williston basins, and in several areas of Texas. Interval D was marked by even greater emergence and more confined seas that were limited to the westernmo t, south-central, and east-central United States. Siliciclastic sedimentation prevailed, but the drive for oolite deposition was strong because even thin intervening carbonate units are commonly oolitic. Extensive pre-Pennsylvanian erosion removed much of interval D rocks.

Models of deposition and reservoir occurrence in oolitic and associated facies in Mississippian carbonates were compiled from the available literature and include the Greenbrier and Monteagle Limestones of the Appalachian basin, the Salem and Ste. Genevieve Limestones of the Illinois basin, the St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Limestones of central Kansas, the upper Chester of the Anadarko basin, the Chappel formation of the Palo Duro and Hardeman basins, and the Madison Group of the Williston basin.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91025©1989 AAPG Midcontinent, Sept. 24-26, 1989, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.