Aneth oil field, giant carbonate stratigraphic trap, Paradox basin, Utah, U. S. A

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7079582

Petterson, J A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Montana, Missoula (United States)

The Aneth oil field (approximately 400 million bbl original primary reserves) occurs within an isolated southeast-northwest-trending Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) algal carbonate bank buildup located approximately 25 mi (40 km) basinward of the main carbonate shelf of the Paradox basin in Utah. Desmoinesian deposition was strongly cyclic, with as many as 30 main evaporite-carbonate cycles recognized. The Aneth algal bank is part of the Desert Creek cycle, which is the first cycle above that of the most widespread salt-bearing cycle. The Desert Creek carbonate facies grades basinward to increasingly prevalent evaporite facies, dominated by thick salt beds in the basin center. Within the isolated algal-mound facies, the Desert Creek cycle is characterized by a vertical succession that includes (1) basal black, organic-rich, dolomitic, silty shale, (2) overlying dark chalky, finely crystalline dolomite, which grades upward into (3) the main carbonate mound facies, dominated by accumulations of calcareous, leafy green algae with associated brachiopods, fusulinids, small foraminifera, ostracodes, and rare corals. Mound buildups are overlain by a relatively thin, black, organic-rich shale unit, the basal bed of the succeeding mound-bearing Ismay cycle. This unit thickens markedly on the flanks of the Desert Creek and other mound buildup. Interrelated depositional processes of these various sedimentary facies have resulted in a close association between source rock, large reservoir, and seal at Aneth, and contributed significantly toward the large size of the Aneth accumulation.

• OSTI ID: 7079582
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
STRATIGRAPHY
UTAH
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PARADOX BASIN
RESERVOIR ROCK
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEONTOLOGY
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration