--> Abstract: Paleozoic Source Rocks in the Central Utah Thrust Belt: Organic Facies Response to Tectonic and Paleoclimatic Variables, by Wavrek, D. A., J. Ali-Adeeb, J. C. Chao, L. E. Santon, E. A. Hardwick, D. K. Strickland, and D. D. Schelling; #90071 (2007)

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Paleozoic Source Rocks in the Central Utah Thrust Belt: Organic Facies Response to Tectonic and Paleoclimatic Variables

Wavrek, D. A.1, J. Ali-Adeeb1, J. C. Chao1, L. E. Santon1, E. A. Hardwick1, D. K. Strickland2, and D. D. Schelling3
1Petroleum Systems International, Inc, Salt Lake City, UT
2Wolverine Gas and Oil, Corp
3Structural Geology International, LLC

     It was not long ago that the industry paradigm explained exploration failure in Central Utah due to inadequate source rock. Our recent studies, however, have proven the existence of hundreds of feet of Mississippian and Devonian source rock. Detailed examination of nearly 600 potential source rocks from the Permian-Devonian stratigraphic horizons in Central Utah reveal important points:
     1. measured TOC in the Mississippian-Devonian horizons exceeding 2% are found in Black Canyon 1, WXC-Barton 1, Sunset Canyon Unit 1, Desolation Unit 1, Bishop Springs Unit 1, Antimony Canyon 1, Paxton 1, Thousand Lakes Mountain 2, Fishlake #1-1, and Tanner 1-27; 2. all Pennsylvanian horizons are below the 2% threshold, except for the Manning Canyon Formation; 3. all Permian horizons with TOC exceeding 2% (Moroni 1-A, Salina Unit 1, and Paxton 1) are interpreted to be stained with migrated hydrocarbons (i.e., not indigenous organic matter); and 4. outcrop sample data reinforce conclusions from the subsurface dataset.
     Understanding organic facies require the integration of tectonic and paleoclimatic variables. For example, the western margin of the Chainman Basin has influence from sediment influx from the Antler Orogeny (i.e., dysoxic facies; maximum TOC 6%) whereas the central area is an anoxic sediment starved depositional system (maximum TOC 16%). In contrast, the eastern margin is influenced by upwelling and contains phosphorites (i.e., upwelling facies; maximum TOC 4%). The practical significance of this latter point is that the upwelling will impart a distinct molecular signature that can lead to erroneous source rock correlations (e.g., Permian Phosphoria Formation). Palinspastic reconstructions are used to better define the distribution of source rock, organic facies, and stratigraphic correlations in the study area.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90071 © 2007 AAPG Rocky Mountain Meeting, Snowbird, Utah