Pliocene facies trends and controls on deposition of lower gusher shallow gas reservoirs, North Coles Levee Field, San Joaquin Basin, California

Conference · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7119336

Steward, D C; Gillespie, J M ^[1]

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1. California State Univ., Bakersfield, CA (United States)

Net sand isochore maps of three Pliocene-age Lower Gusher sands in the Etchegoin Formation at North Coles Levee field, southern San Joaquin basin, California display geometries suggestive of deposition in delta front settings. The north-south depositional strike of these sands approximately parallels the orientation of the paleoshoreline. The sands thicken and display greater lateral continuity near distributary channel sands, which are oriented east-northeast approximately perpendicular to the shoreline. A comparison of the isochore maps of each of the three sand bodies show that they are stacked vertically above each other, indicating that the position of the shoreline remained stationary during deposition of the Gusher interval. This apparent stillstand of the shoreline is superimposed on an overall regression of the sea from the San Joaquin basin during the Pliocene. Therefore, we believe that the Lower Gusher sands were deposited during a period of relatively rapid basin subsidence, which negated the effects of the marine regression and caused vertical aggradation of shoreline facies in the North Coles Levee area. The Lower Gusher interval at North and South Coles Levee contains the most prolific shallow gas reservoirs on the Bakersfield Arch. A thorough knowledge of depositional trends in the Lower Gusher interval increases the probability of encountering reservoir-quality facies in exploration programs focusing on Pliocene gas.

• OSTI ID: 7119336
• Report Number(s): CONF-9404149--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Journal Volume: 78:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CALIFORNIA
CENOZOIC ERA
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIMENSIONS
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
LEVELS
MAPS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NORTH AMERICA
ORIENTATION
PLIOCENE EPOCH
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SAND
SEA LEVEL
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA
VOLUME