Morphology, paleogeographic setting, and origin of the middle Wilcox Yoakum Canyon, Texas coastal plain

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6558766

Dingus, W F ^[1]; Galloway, W E ^[2]

---

1. Exxon Co., Midland, TX (USA)
2. Univ. of Texas, Austin (USA)

The Yoakum canyon is the largest of the Gulf Coast Eocene erosional gorges and is interpreted as a buried submarine channel. The canyon can be traced for 67 mi (108 km) from the Wilcox fault zone, which defines the position of the early Eocene shelf edge, nearly to present outcrop. In this paper, the authors expand on previously published descriptions of the canyon and use a more extensive subsurface database. Decompaction of the canyon shale-fill reveals that original depths of the canyon exceeded 3,500 ft (1,067 m). Apparent canyon-wall slump scarps and a peripheral chaotic zone, interpreted as an incipient slump feature, are comparable to similar features of the late Quaternary Mississippi submarine canyon. The Yoakum canyon formed within the Garwood subembayment to the west of and adjacent to the middle Wilcox Rockdale delta system. Quantitative mapping of facies adjacent to the Yoakum shale indicate the following sequence of events. (1) Muddy, distal deltaic and shelf facies of the lower middle Wilcox subgroup were deposited during a retrogradation. (2) A resurgence of progradation deposited upper middle Wilcox deltaic facies atop the unconsolidated, lower middle Wilcox continental margin muds, loading the shelf edge and initiating slump failure of the continental margin. (3) Headward erosion of the canyon across the shelf occurred contemporaneously with a subsidence-induced transgression that coincided with a disruption in sediment supply. The Yoakum canyon was excavated by a combination of slumping and current scour. (4) The canyon was filled by hemipelagic and prodelta muds of the upper Wilcox subgroup. 19 figs.

• OSTI ID: 6558766
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Vol. 74:7; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
CENOZOIC ERA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
DEPOSITION
EOCENE EPOCH
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GULF COAST
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTATION
TERTIARY PERIOD
TEXAS
USA