Deposition and diagenesis of Upper Miocene arkoses, Yowlumne and Rio Viejo fields, Kern County, California
Upper Miocene arkoses of the Yowlumne and Rio Viejo fields, southern San Joaquin Valley, California, are channel-fill turbidites characterized by the dominance of incomplete massive A or AB turbidite sequences. They occur in a depth range of 11,250 to 14,300 ft (3430 to 4360 m). Quartz and feldspar constitute more than 90% of the detrital mineralogy. However, in the Yowlumne and Stevens sandstones, K-feldspars dominate over plagioclase by more than a 2:1 ratio, and the plagioclase has an average composition of An/sub 14/ or less. In the 10-4 sandstone, this ratio is 1:1, and the average plagioclase composition is An/sub 32/. Diagenesis during deep burial results in extensive feldspar alteration and clay authigenesis. The clay minerals vary in mineralogy, abundance, and sequence of formation in the different units. These variations were considered geochemically, and they concluded that the effect of detrital feldspar composition on the pore-fluid chemistry is the dominant control. Porosity and permeability of these arkoses are dependent on the abundance and type of authigenic clays; the overall averages are 14.7% and 3.8 md for the 10-4 sandstone, compared to 16.9% and 38 md for the Yowlumne and Stevens sandstones. Thus, development of reservoir quality is strongly influenced by detrital feldspar composition and diagenesis. 12 figures, 4 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Texas A and M Univ., College Station
- OSTI ID:
- 7230292
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 70:8; ISSN AAPGB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CALIFORNIA
CENOZOIC ERA
CHALCOGENIDES
DEPOSITION
DIAGENESIS
FEDERAL REGION IX
FELDSPARS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
QUARTZ
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA