Case studies, Santa Maria Province, California

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

OSTI ID:7032647

Bird, K J; McClellan, P H; Bruns, T R ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA)

Seismic-reflection records and well data are being analyzed to provide a subsurface geologic framework for the US Geological Survey's Santa Maria project. This project, jointly sponsored by the Evolution of Sedimentary Basins and Onshore Oil and Gas Investigations Programs, is a basin-evolution study focusing on the geologically complex and tectonically active south-central Camomia margin. The area embraces several basins and basin fragments: the Santa Maria (on and offshore), Pismo, Huasna Sur, Santa Lucia and western Santa Barbara-Ventura basins. These basins have many similarities, including generally synchronous formation at approximately the end of the Oligocene, basin development on a complex assemblage of Mesozoic tectonostratigraphic terranes, and basin fill consisting of Neogene clastic marine and nonmarine deposits, minor volcanic rocks, and organic-rich biogenous deposits of the Monterey Formation. Despite these similarities, basin origins and paleogeographies are controversial and uncertain. Large petroleum resources, collectively more than 1 billion bbl of oil, and a long exploration history primarily are responsible for an abundance of subsurface information in these basins. However, since the early 1950s, relatively few published studies have provided subsurface documentation. The authors are constructing a network of well-correlation sections, supplemented where possible with seismic-reflection data and synthetic seismograms, which integrate surface with subsurface geology, one basin with another basin, and onshore with offshore regions. Offshore seismic records offer an opportunity for improved stratigraphic understanding, including the discrimination of tectonic from eustatic sea level patterns by calibrating the stratigraphy penetrated in wells with the seismic-reflection records.

• OSTI ID: 7032647
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Vol. 74:5; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
CALIFORNIA
CENOZOIC ERA
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
SURVEYS
TECTONICS
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA