Paleoenvironmental and source rock assessment of black shales of Pennsylvanian Age, Powder River and northern Denver basins

Conference · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6023901

Clayton, J L; King, J D; Lubeck, C M; Leventhal, J S; Daws, T A

Thin Middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) organic-rich black shales (cumulative thickness < 50 ft) underlie much of the northern Denver basin and southeastern Powder River basin. In the Powder River basin, these shales are part of the middle member of the Minnelusa Formation. During Desmoinesian time, the present area of the southeastern Powder River basin and Nebraska was a shallow, at times highly saline, restricted sea. In contrast, in the present area of northeastern Colorado, black shales were deposited in a marine environment with normal salinity that was probably continuous with the Mid-Continent Pennsylvanian sea. Assessment of the paleoenvironment has been carried out using organic geochemical parameters. Shales deposited in the restricted basin setting contain abundant porphyrins (25,000-30,000 ppm relative to total extractable organic matter) and significant quantities of aryl isoprenoids. The aryl isoprenoid compounds (1) are evidence for the presence of the sulfur bacteria families Chlorobiaceae and possibly Chromatiaceae and (2) indicate that euxinic conditions existed in the water column. High ratios of sulfur to carbon in the shales support this interpretation. In contrast, extracts from black shale in the normal sea to the south contain lower porphyrin concentrations (generally less than 1000 ppm) and aryl isoprenoids are minor constituents or are absent. Sulfur/carbon ratios in these latter shales are similar to those observed for normal marine shales (that is, not euxinic conditions). Other paleoenvironmental indicators (sterane composition, alkane distribution) are consistent with these observations. Bulk organic matter in the black shales from both environments is type II and has good source potential for generation of liquid hydrocarbons during catagenesis. Pyrolysis yields of 50 kg/MT (50,000 ppm) are common, and in some shales, yield is 100 kg/MT (100,000 ppm).

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6023901
• Report Number(s): CONF-8808223-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
&amp; Exploration
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
COLORADO
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MATERIALS
MATURATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
PALEOZOIC ERA
PENNSYLVANIAN PERIOD
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POWDER RIVER BASIN
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS
USA
WYOMING