Calcite veins in northeastern Puente Hills, southern California

Conference · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6987366

Spira, M O; Zenger, D H

Calcite vein fillings are locally exposed in the northeastern Puente Hills, 2 mi southwest of Pomona on the northeast margin of the Los Angeles basin. They occur within northeast- and northwest-trending faults in the middle Miocene Glendora Volcanics and in the Soquel Member of the upper Miocene Puente Formation. The veins range in width from 1 in. to 15 ft, and several can be traced hundreds of feet. The veins exhibit complex banded and brecciated textures and emit a strong hydrocarbon odor when broken. The carbon isotopic composition is light (delta/sup 13/C = -22.1 to -45.6 per thousand PDB). The range of the oxygen isotopic composition (delta/sup 18/O = +21.3 to +31.1 per thousand SMOW) generally compares with those reported for diagenetic carbonates in marine Miocene shales of California and Oregon. Dissolution of unusual local Soquel marine carbonates, now primarily dolomite, and diagenetic cements seems to be the most likely source of the calcite that was deposited incrementally along faults to form the calcite-filled veins. The extremely depleted carbon isotope values represent the addition of carbon derived from the chemical and/or biological oxidation of methane; a petroleum source of the methane is suggested by the presence of solid hydrocarbon inclusions in the vein calcite. The formation temperature of the vein calcite was probably below hydrothermal.

• OSTI ID: 6987366
• Report Number(s): CONF-8604187-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 70:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCITE
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALIFORNIA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
ISOTOPE RATIO
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA