Sequence stratigraphy of Mississippian oolitic limestones in northern Arkansas
- ARCO Oil and Gas Co., Plano, TX (USA)
Mississippian carbonate rocks in northern Arkansas make up two major depositional sequences belonging to a ramp that evolved along the southern margin of the North American craton during Paleozoic times. A Lower Mississippian unconformity-bound sequence is made up of the St. Joe Limestone and the overlying Boone Formation. The Upper Mississippian depositional sequence is made up of the Batesville-Hindsville formations and/or the Moorefield shale at its base, followed above by the Fayetteville Shale and Pitkin Limestone. A regional unconformity separates the Upper Mississippian sequence from the overlying Pennsylvanian clastics. St. Joe Limestone makes up the transgressive systems tract and the overlying Boone Formation was deposited as a highstand systems tract in the Lower Mississippian depositional sequence. Oolitic limestones are uncommon in this sequence and only occur near the top of the highstand Boone Formation as the Short Creek Oolite Member. The St. Joe thins over a short distance basinward in northern Arkansas into a highly condensed or starved section, but the highstand Boone deposits extend farther basinward and represent a ramp that prograded into water depths of approximately 400 ft.
- OSTI ID:
- 5535527
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8909166--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Vol. 73:8; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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