Evolution of the San Juan basin, Colorado, and New Mexico basin analysis case study

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6682746

Ridgley, J L; Huffman, Jr, A C ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Lakewood, CO (USA)

During 1985 to 1989, the US Geological Survey conducted a basin analysis study that investigated the sedimentological and structural history of the San Juan basin and vicinity. The San Juan basin is a large asymmetric basin in southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico near the southeastern edge of the Colorado Plateau. It formed as a result of northeast-directed compression coupled with a slight northeastward shift of the Colorado Plateau during the Late Cretaceous to Oligocene Laramide orogeny. Although the basin assumed its final configuration during the Laramide orogeny, regional stratigraphic and sedimentologic studies show that uplifts active during the Laramide orogeny were also active in the geologic past. Analysis of 1,000 mi of reflection seismic data defines a rectilinear pattern of northwest- and northeast-trending faults that involved the Precambrian basement in basin development. Middle Pennsylvanian to Late Permian, Middle to Late Jurassic, Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous-Oligocene, and Miocene were major times of movements on the faults and/or bounding uplifts. Preserved Mesozoic and older sedimentary rocks in the basin accumulated as part of widespread regional depositional systems. Pennsylvanian strata, consisting of a thick sequence of clastic and carbonate rocks, and evaporites deposited in both open and restricted marine environments contain significant oil and gas resources. Mesozoic strata deposited in a variety of widespread continental and marine environments host 50% of the country's uranium reserves. Five marine transgressive-regressive cycles during the Cretaceous resulted in a thick sequence of intertonguing marine and continental rocks containing large resources of coal, oil, and gas.

• OSTI ID: 6682746
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 74:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
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& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
CENOZOIC ERA
COAL DEPOSITS
COLORADO
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
EVAPORITES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PERMIAN PERIOD
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
TERTIARY PERIOD
TRIASSIC PERIOD
USA