Sulfuric acid karst and its relationship to hydrocarbon reservoir porosity, native sulfur deposits, and the origin of Mississippi Valley-type ore deposits

Conference · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5140648

Hill, C A ^[1]

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1. Hill (Carol A.), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The Delaware Basin of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas contains hydrocarbons and native sulfur in the basin and sulfuric acid-formed caves and Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) ore deposits around the margins of the basin. Hydrocarbons reacting with sulfate evaporite rock produced hydrogen sulfide gas, which gas oxidized to native sulfur in the basin and which gas also migrated from basin to reef and accumulated there in structural and stratigraphic traps. In the reduced zone of the carbonate reef margin the H[sub 2]S combined with metal-chloride complexes to form MVTs, and in the oxidized zone later in time the H[sub 2]S formed sulfuric acid which dissolved out the famous caves of the region (e.g., Carlsbad Cavern, Lechuguilla Cave). Sulfuric acid karst can be recognized by the discontinuity, large size, and spongework nature of its cave passages, and by the presence of native sulfur, endellite, and large gypsum deposits within these caves. Sulfuric acid oilfield karst refers to cavernous porosity filled with hydrocarbons and can be produced by the mixing of waters of different H[sub 2]S content or by the oxidation of H[sub 2]S to sulfuric acid. Sulfur and carbon-oxygen isotopes have been used to establish and trace the sequence of related hydrocarbon, sulfur, MVT, and karst events in the Delaware Basin.

• OSTI ID: 5140648
• Report Number(s): CONF-9303210--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POROSITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SULFUR ORES
TEXAS
USA