A regional subsurface study of the expanded Yegua Formation in the Houston Embayment of the upper Texas Gulf Coast
Journal Article
·
· AAPG Bulletin
OSTI ID:96229
- CNG Producing Co., New Orleans, LA (United States)
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
The Eocene Yegua Formation, one of a series of Tertiary clastic wedges, thickened significantly basinward of the platform margin as it prograded across the Houston diapir province of southeastern Texas. Sandstones of the expanded Yegua represent neritic, distal mouth-bar and shelf environments downdip from the strandline. Structural movements (growth faulting and salt diapirism) were contemporaneous with deposition and exerted a strong influence on patterns of sand dispersal, while sedimentation in turn mobilized the underlying salts and triggered faulting over the unstable shelf edge. Major depocenters became established along strike-parallel growth faults, sourced by dip-oriented feeder systems from the northwestern shelf. The faults, which trend northeast through Liberty and Hardin counties, served to localize thicker sand sections on their downthrown side. Salt diapirism created a major depocenter over a large withdrawal syncline in south-central Liberty County, assumed to be the source for most piercement features in the study area. Thick sand sections also accumulated in other low areas due to salt withdrawal or sediment loading and to damming behind growing domes. In contrast, salt domes and ridges were generally positive topographic highs, which channeled sand into interdomal conduits. Diapirism has therefore compartmentalized the depocenters. Multiple Yegua sandstones now occur in several favorable structural positions (especially along the shelf-edge growth faults and over the central salt-withdrawal syncline), and these areas of thick sand accumulation constitute primary targets for petroleum exploration.
- OSTI ID:
- 96229
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941065--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin, Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 78; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A regional subsurface study of the expanded Yegua Formation in the Houston Diapir Province
Variation of faulting on coastal salt basin diapiric structures
Salt tectonics, patterns of basin fill, and reservoir distribution
Conference
·
Fri Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1994
·
OSTI ID:45196
Variation of faulting on coastal salt basin diapiric structures
Conference
·
Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990
· AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)
·
OSTI ID:5968155
Salt tectonics, patterns of basin fill, and reservoir distribution
Conference
·
Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1988
· AAPG Bull.; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5792546