Upper Devonian Catskill delta of West Virginia
Oil and gas reservoir rocks of the Upper Devonian of West Virginia were deposited as shoreline sands along a coastal plain characterized by marine-dominant deltas (Catskill delta complex). These sandstones exhibit facies relationships between red beds and interbedded sandstones and shales that shift westward and eastward with offlap and onlap. Outcrop equivalents at Elkins, West Virginia, are correlated with the interval of Balltown to Fourth sands. Subsurface correlation indicates that maximum westward progradation occurred during deposition of the Gordon and Gordon Stray sands, and that transgression mainly characterized the younger Devonian sands of the Thirty-foot, Fifty-foot and Gantz. Regional correlations suggest that the Bradford-Balltown and Speechly (B sands of Pennsylvania Geological Survey) sands are better developed in northwestern Pennsylvania, whereas the Bayard through Gantz (D sands of Pennsylvania Geological Survey) sands are better developed in northern and central West Virginia, decreasing also in buildup toward southeastern West Virginia. The oil-bearing sandstones occur in strike trend (north-south) in north-central West Virginia connected by feeder channel sandstones with dip trends (east-west). The interpreted fluvial and tidal channels combine to represent distributary channels that supplied the sands to the barrier islands and delta front. Shoreline shifts, with regression and transgression of the ancient sea, caused corresponding changes in distal-fan accumulations with time.
- Research Organization:
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown
- OSTI ID:
- 5685723
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8410269-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Vol. 68:12; Conference: AAPG Eastern Section meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 10 Oct 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
RESERVOIR ROCK
DEPOSITION
WEST VIRGINIA
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
DEVONIAN PERIOD
SANDSTONES
FEDERAL REGION III
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration