Geophysical Data Bearing on Hydrocarbon Traps and Resource Potential of the Galisteo Basin, New Mexico

Abstract

Land-based gravity and magnetic data were obtained at 56 gravity stations and 250 magnetic stations throughout the northern-central part of the Galisteo Basin south of Santa Fe, NM. The study area extends south from the village of Eldorado to the foothills of the Ortiz Mountains and east from I-25 to Highway 285, an area of approximately 2200 square kilometers. These data offered an approach to integrating surface geological mapping and subsurface geophysical surveys to characterize the distribution, depth, and potential hydrocarbon trap geometries in parts of the Galisteo Basin using the Talwani geophysical modeling program. Both sets of potential field data were integrated into ArcGIS and Surfer to generate extrapolated surfaces and derivative maps, which allowed for the characterization of the subsurface geology along with specific profiles across the mapped area. These data revealed several anomalies within the central portion of the basin that are interpreted as likely hydrocarbon trap-structures.