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Title: Rhythmic bedding patterns for locating structural features, Niobrara Formation, United States western interior

Abstract

Milankovitch-type bedding cycles are well developed in the Upper Cretaceous Fort Hays Limestone Member, Niobrara Formation. These time-equivalent cycles can be correlated across much of Colorado, Kansas, and northeastern New Mexico by combining subsurface and outcrop data. Documentation of thickness variations within the regionally persistent Fort Hays bedding sequences furnishes a basis for fine-scale analysis of Late Cretaceous crustal movements within the eastern ramp region of the Western Interior foreland basin. Regional thickness changes in groups of shale-limestone couplets were correlated and mapped in outcrop and in the subsurface to locate structural elements that influenced Fort Hays deposition. In the Denver-Julesburg basin of Colorado and western Kansas, up to 6.1 m (20 ft) of thinning of the section occurs dominantly along northeastwardly trending belts formed during Late Cretaceous reactivation of the Transcontinental arch. Mapping of these small-scale thickness changes in the Fort Hays demonstrates that Cretaceous reactivation of the Transcontinental arch was not restricted to the northern part of the Denver-Julesburg basin. Additional structures may occur as far south as the Colorado-New Mexico border. A northwestwardly thinning trend is also apparent and may have resulted from increased compaction and diagenesis, reduction of sediment input during transgression, or from uplift inmore » the vicinity of the Colorado Front Range. 8 figures.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Exxon Co., Houston, TX (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6181867
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 73:5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; COLORADO; GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS; STRATIGRAPHY; KANSAS; NEW MEXICO; CRETACEOUS PERIOD; DEPOSITION; DIAGENESIS; LIMESTONE; SEDIMENTARY BASINS; SHALES; CARBONATE ROCKS; FEDERAL REGION VI; FEDERAL REGION VII; FEDERAL REGION VIII; GEOLOGIC AGES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; GEOLOGY; MESOZOIC ERA; NORTH AMERICA; ROCKS; SEDIMENTARY ROCKS; USA; 020200* - Petroleum- Reserves, Geology, & Exploration

Citation Formats

Laferriere, A P, and Hattin, D E. Rhythmic bedding patterns for locating structural features, Niobrara Formation, United States western interior. United States: N. p., 1989. Web.
Laferriere, A P, & Hattin, D E. Rhythmic bedding patterns for locating structural features, Niobrara Formation, United States western interior. United States.
Laferriere, A P, and Hattin, D E. 1989. "Rhythmic bedding patterns for locating structural features, Niobrara Formation, United States western interior". United States.
@article{osti_6181867,
title = {Rhythmic bedding patterns for locating structural features, Niobrara Formation, United States western interior},
author = {Laferriere, A P and Hattin, D E},
abstractNote = {Milankovitch-type bedding cycles are well developed in the Upper Cretaceous Fort Hays Limestone Member, Niobrara Formation. These time-equivalent cycles can be correlated across much of Colorado, Kansas, and northeastern New Mexico by combining subsurface and outcrop data. Documentation of thickness variations within the regionally persistent Fort Hays bedding sequences furnishes a basis for fine-scale analysis of Late Cretaceous crustal movements within the eastern ramp region of the Western Interior foreland basin. Regional thickness changes in groups of shale-limestone couplets were correlated and mapped in outcrop and in the subsurface to locate structural elements that influenced Fort Hays deposition. In the Denver-Julesburg basin of Colorado and western Kansas, up to 6.1 m (20 ft) of thinning of the section occurs dominantly along northeastwardly trending belts formed during Late Cretaceous reactivation of the Transcontinental arch. Mapping of these small-scale thickness changes in the Fort Hays demonstrates that Cretaceous reactivation of the Transcontinental arch was not restricted to the northern part of the Denver-Julesburg basin. Additional structures may occur as far south as the Colorado-New Mexico border. A northwestwardly thinning trend is also apparent and may have resulted from increased compaction and diagenesis, reduction of sediment input during transgression, or from uplift in the vicinity of the Colorado Front Range. 8 figures.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6181867}, journal = {AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 73:5,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989},
month = {Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989}
}