Spatial thickness variation of Carboniferous coal-bearing sequences: A sedimentological response to varying levels of compactional and structural control

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5830527

Liu, Yuejin; Ferm, J C ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

A study of 1,120 borehole records from Carboniferous coal-bearing rocks in a 160 square mile area in southeastern Kentucky shows that within a stratigraphic interval of about 2,000 feet, the major lithic components are coarsening-upward sequences and coal groups. The latter are groups of rocks averaging 120 feet in thickness which include coal, thin mudstone and sandstone of channel or splay origin. The coarsening-upward sequences, which consist of mudstone overlain by sandstone, are of two types, one that is thick (mean thickness 170 feet/52 m) and very widespread and the other thin (mean thickness 70 feet/21 m) and has only local distribution. Variogram and trend surface procedures were used to characterize the dimension and areal distribution of these rock bodies. The results show that thickness variation is a product of differential compaction and movement of deep seated structures contemporaneous with sedimentation. Structural effects on two scales can be recognized, one on the order of 6 to 10 miles and other greater than 20 miles. Differential compaction effects are found to be closely associated with those produced by the smaller scale structures while some of the large scale structure effects are concordant with present Alleghenian structures.

• OSTI ID: 5830527
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058-; CODEN: GAAPBC
• Journal Information: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 24:7; Conference: 1992 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Cincinnati, OH (United States), 26-29 Oct 1992; ISSN 0016-7592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL DEPOSITS
STRATIGRAPHY
KENTUCKY
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
COAL SEAMS
COMPACTING
SANDSTONES
SILTSTONES
THICKNESS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIMENSIONS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
011000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration