--> Abstract: Constraints of Cambrian Mafic Volcanism in the Formation of the Southern Oklahoma Aulocogen, by Jasper Hobbs; #90199 (2014)

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Constraints of Cambrian Mafic Volcanism in the Formation of the Southern Oklahoma Aulocogen

Jasper Hobbs
Geology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
[email protected]

Abstract

The Southern Oklahoma aulocogen (SOA) contains Cambrian basalts that were found in the subsurface during oil and gas exploration. Based on the thickness of the basalt packages, it's thought that they could represent flood basalts from a Large Igneous Province (LIP) and these mafic rocks appear as erupted lavas and intrusive dikes. The goal of this project is to determine the petrologic constraints of these rocks to learn more about their source, formation, and potential impact on the geology of the SOA; understanding these basalts better can help refine local/regional geophysical models and it's possible that they could act as previously unrecognized pathways for oil and gas migration. Samples will be taken from well cuttings from seven wells that span an area >20km along strike in the Arbuckle Mountains region (OK). The samples will be prepped for geochemical and isotopic analysis at K-State. Thin sections will be made through Spectrum Petrographics, XRF whole rock geochemical analysis will be performed at Franklin and Marshall College, and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope analysis will be performed at the University of Kansas. These data will be used to determine the basalts' petrogensis and mantle/crustal sources involved in magmatism; this information is critical to understanding whether the formation of the SOA occurred as a result of the influence of a mantle hotspot, or continental rifting limited to the upper mantle and crust. The results of this project will have implications for global tectonics and will greatly increase the understanding of the local, subsurface geology.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90199 © 2014 AAPG Foundation 2014 Grants-in-Aid Projects