Potential hydrocarbon traps along growth faults of Rio Grande rift, New Mexico

Conference · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5848700

Woodward, L A

Major tectonic boundaries along the Rio Grande rift are mostly listric normal faults that controlled late Cenozoic sedimentation in the rift. Potential hydrocarbon source and reservoir rocks occur in Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Pennsylvanian units beneath presumably barren upper Cenozoic continental sediments. Largest of the grabens and half-grabens comprising the rift is the Albuquerque basin, which was explored during the last decade with several deep tests. Upper Cenozoic strata generally dip gently toward the basin center except near bounding faults where reverse drag has beds on the downthrown block dipping toward the growth faults marking the basin margins. Most bounding faults are covered with surficial sediments, but at a few localities with good, deep exposures, stratigraphically deeper beds have undergone more reverse drag than higher strata. Thus, these reversals of dip adjacent to bounding faults may provide structural traps along the margins of the Albuquerque basin. Recent deep wells were drilled in the central part of the Albuquerque basin on structural highs, probably intragraben horsts. Most of these recent tests were tight holes, but encouraging hydrocarbon shows were encountered. The margins of the Albuquerque basin have not been tested yet, but there may be numerous traps where reverse drag is present. These structures could have trapped hydrocarbons where potential reservoir rocks (mainly sandstones) and source beds (mainly organic-rich marine shales of the Cretaceous and Pennsylvanian, and organic-rich laminated limestone of the Jurassic Todilto Formation) occur.

• Research Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque
• OSTI ID: 5848700
• Report Number(s): CONF-850322-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 69:2
• 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
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PENNSYLVANIAN PERIOD
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
TECTONICS
USA