Petroleum source rock evaluations of the Cretaceous Newark Canyon Formation in north-central Nevada

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7171018

Mullarkey, J C; Wendlandt, R F ^[1]; Clayton, J L; Daws, T A ^[2]

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1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden (United States)
2. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

The petroleum source rock potential of the Cretaceous Newark Canyon Formation, Eureka and Elko counties, Nevada, has been determined by integrated field and subsurface sampling and mapping and by geochemical analyses. Geologic mapping was supplemented by measurement of a reference stratigraphic section and four hand-held gamma-ray traverses. Cores and cuttings from three wells provide subsurface control. Sixty-six outcrop and ten subsurface Newark Canyon samples were collected and pyrolyzed (Rock-Eval II) to determine hydrocarbon yield, total organic carbon content (TOC), and thermal maturity. Two samples were solvent extracted for gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses to evaluate the environment of deposition. The Newark Canyon Formation is 2055 ft thick in the Cortez Range and contains 115 ft of limestone and calcareous shale with an average TOC of 2.5 weight % of type II/III kerogen (hydrogen indices 7-424 mg hydrocarbon/g TOC). The correlative section in the Pinon Range contains {approximately}200 ft of calcareous shale averaging 8% TOC (ranging up to 23.5%) of type I/II kerogen (hydrogen indices 457-912 mg hydrocarbon/g TOC). Subsurface samples are similar to the Cortez Range samples in organic content and kerogen type. The Newark Canyon Formation is marginally mature to mature with respect to petroleum generation (average T{sub max} values = {approximately}440C). This data indicates the Newark Canyon Formation is an excellent potential source rock. Saturated hydrocarbon distributions confirm field observations that indicate deposition of the Newark Canyon's organic-rich facies in a low-energy lacustrine environment.

• OSTI ID: 7171018
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
NEVADA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SOURCE ROCKS
GEOCHEMISTRY
MAPPING
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEPOSITION
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
KEROGEN
LIMESTONE
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATURATION
SAMPLING
SHALES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATERIALS
MATTER
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC MATTER
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
580000 - Geosciences