Overthrust belt of southwestern New Mexico: comparison with Wyoming-Utah overthrust belt

Journal Article · Tue Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1981 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5411206

Woodward, L A ^[1]; Duchene, H R

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1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque

The Cordilleran Overthrust belt of Laramide age (Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary) trends west-northwesterly through southwestern New Mexico and is characterized by flat-lying thrusts and subordinate closely compressed folds. These Laramide structures and the rocks deposited prior to and during Laramide deformation are exposed as small patches surrounded by younger postorogenic rocks, including voluminous volcanic rocks of middle Tertiary age and late Cenozoic clastic sediments. Although the thrust belt in southwestern New Mexico has similarities to the thrust belt in northern Utah and western Wyoming where commercial accumulations of hydrocarbons have been found, there are also marked differences: volcanism is much more intense, and younger basin-range block faulting has probably at least partly destroyed thrust-belt traps in New Mexico, whereas this is less likely in Wyoming and Utah. 4 figures.

• OSTI ID: 5411206
• Journal Information: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 65:4; ISSN AAPGB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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