Tectonic control on deltaic cyclicity in the Ridge Basin, California
- Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX (United States)
Upper Miocene sedimentary rocks of the Ridge basin provide an opportunity to evaluate the relationship between tectonics, subsidence history, and basin fill in an extensional strike-slip setting. Cyclicity of strata within the Ridge basin, which is expressed by the progradational members of the Ridge Route Formation and retrogradation within the Violin Breccia, records sedimentological response to basin margin faulting and variations in accomodation. This cyclicity is best developed within the members of the Peace Valley Formation where thick shaly lacustrine packages are punctuated by progradational sandy fluvial-deltaic units of the Ridge Route Formation. A geohistory curve constructed for the lower portion of the Ridge Basin Group based on magnetostratigraphic age control shows high rates of accomodation with dramatic changes in the interval subsidence rate. There is a significant correlation between increases in subsidence rate and the deposition of thick lacustrine shales in the basin axis and coeval progradation of the Violin Breccia along the western margin of the basin. The Violin Breccia strata were deposited contemporaneously with movement along the San Gabriel fault, and during periods of increased faulting, it prograded into the basin in response to higher sedimentation rates associated with erosion of the uplifted footwall (high relief margin). Progradational intervals of the Violin Breccia, which correspond to the highest rates of subsidence within the basin, are out of phase with the progradation of the sand-prone members of the Ridge Route Formation being derived from the east (low relief margin) during periods of lower subsidence rate. Decreases of subsidence rate generally correspond to periods of progradation of the sandstone members of the Ridge Route Formation and retrogradation of the Violin Breccia until the next period of tectonic subsidence which starts the cycle over again.
- OSTI ID:
- 6833479
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404149--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 78:4; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Sequence stratigraphy in a continental extensional basin: A case study from the Goshute Valley, east-central Nevada--Deja vu
Rift border system: The interplay between tectonics and sedimentation in the Reconcavo basin, northeastern Brazil
Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CALIFORNIA
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
NORTH AMERICA
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
SHALES
TECTONICS
USA
VARIATIONS