Print this pageThe southwestern Midland Basin is located at the junction of several important late Paleozoic lectonic features within the Permian Basin, including the Central Basin Platform, Ozona Arch, and several basement-involved fault systems that partition the Midland Basin into smaller depocenters. These structural features formed far inboard and at the same time as crustal shortening in the Marathon-Ouachita orogenic belt to the south and east. Thus, the Midland Basin and adjacent tedionic features represent important examples of intra-foreland deformation that are broadly similar to features from "broken forelands."
The main object of this project is to examine the late Paleozoic stratigraphic and structural hislory of the southwestern Midland Basin. Data used in this study include several 3D seismic surveys (covering over 800 km2), numerous 2D seismic prolles, digital well-logs, and production data. Stratigraphic analysis will be based on well-log analysis and seismic interpretation with integration of published inibrmation. Structural analysis will include fault mapping, structure contour maps, and kinematic studies.
This project will provide important information regarding the depositional and tectonic history of the southwestern Midland Basin. The goals are to characterize the stratigraphic relationships of late Paleozoic strata, and to examine the influence of basement-involved structures on syn- and post-tectonic stratigraphic development. This integrated study will also provide insights into the petroleum systems that developed in the southwestern Midland Basin and will enhance hydrocarbon recovery across the area. In addition, the southwestern Midland Basin and adjacent tectonic features are important analogs for better understanding the complex, but poorly understood deformation that can develop across distal foreland regions.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90925©1999 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid