--> Abstract: Global Hydrocarbon Potential of Impact Structures, by D. B. Buthman; #90928 (1999).

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BUTHMAN, DAVID B.
Unocal, Sugar Land, TX

Abstract: Global Hydrocarbon Potential of Impact Structures

Summary

Astroblemes, or ancient weathered impact craters, are reported to have produced hydrocarbons at Red Wing Creek Field, North Dakota; Viewfield Field, Saskatchewan; Avak Structure / Barrow Gas Field, Alaska, Calvin-28 and Mr. Pleasant Fields, Michigan; Ames Field, Oklahoma, and at Sheeba Crater, India. Throughtout the world numerous oil and gas fields produce from reservoirs and traps recognized as being of astrobleme origin, and it is probable that dozens more, if not hundreds, of already productive structures have yet to be recognized as having an astrobleme origin. Cumulative production from astroblemes is estimated to exceed 2.3 billion barrels of oil.

In order to explore for hydrocarbon-bearing astroblemes, one must first surrender the notion that meteorite impact events are random in space and time. A contrarian theory is presented which challenges this paradigm by illustrating several time-dependent, mappable crater trends on Earth, including the Pennsylvanian Meteorite Belt, and the Late Cretaceous Belt. This predictability is further related to crater belt forming events on other celestial bodies in the solar system as well as to the 1994 breakup of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet and subsequent impact belt which formed across the face of the planet Jupiter.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas