Abstract
The Paradox basin is a complex pull-apart basin of major proportions that developed along intersecting basement fracture zones by strong east-west extensional pulses in the Middle Pennsylvanian. These stresses caused the Ancestral Rocky Mountains to emerge and the Paradox basin to subside. Oblique divergent strike-slip faulting along the Uncompahgre-San Luis uplifts allowed smaller subbasins to develop by orthogonal spreading along intersecting northeast-trending transform faults. The rate of basin-floor subsidence was related to combinations of normal reverse, and strike-slip faulting. The northernmost subbasin of the Paradox basin is bounded by the northwest-trending Uncompahgre uplift, the salt Valley diapiric feature, and the northeast-trending San Rafael and Cataract lineaments. Although generally straight on a regional scale, the Uncompahgre master fault system is complicated in detail. The zone consists of en echelon fault slices, thrust blocks, and detachment faults. Few Paleozoic tests have been drilled along the northern Uncompahgre front. Most structural interpretations have been based on seismic data that have disregarded empirical geologic data from the few deep tests in the area. Structural features such as the Thompson-Yellow Cat anticlines have been assumed to be salt bulges or pillow structures. Geologic and geophysical data strongly suggest these features may be low-angle detachment thrustmore » sheets. The true economic potential of the area also remains unknown; however, the structural style, burial history, and sedimentary rock types suggest that sizable accumulations of untapped hydrocarbons may exist in this portion of the Paradox basin.« less
Published Version
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