DOCSLIB.ORG

Microsoft Outlook

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

From: Bill Brown <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 13, 2017 4:47 PM To: Sidney Hill Subject: Comments on the Proposed Sandoval County Oil and Gas Ordinance Attachments: Sandoval county oil and gas comments WJB.pdf Here are my comments Thanks Bill Brown 1 November 13, 2017 [email protected] To: Attention: Sandoval County Commission Sandoval County, New Mexico From: William Brown, P.G. 15 Snow Peak Road Placitas, New Mexico 87043 RE: Comments on the Proposed Sandoval County Oil and Gas Ordinance Introduction The recently proposed “Stoddard Ordinance” in its current form poses a potentially serious threat to the long-term drinking water supply for the citizens of Sandoval County and potentially surrounding counties, pueblos, and municipalities, including the City of Albuquerque, the City Rio Rancho, and the Town of Bernalillo. As part of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of the Sandoval County, NM " SECTION 2. PURPOSE. “The provisions of this Ordinance are designed to promote health and the general welfare of the County; to secure safety from fire, flood, and other dangers; to protect local water resources; to facilitate adequate provisions for transportation, water and wastewater systems, schools, parks and other community requirements; to conserve the value of property; and to provide for the compatible development of land and other natural resources in Sandoval County." The Stoddard Ordinance does not adequately meet the stated purposes of the Zoning Ordinance. Hydrogeologic Setting Sandoval County straddles several major geologic provinces including the San Juan Basin on the west and the Rio Grande Rift in the east. The San Juan basin is characterized by a broad depression with a relatively simple geologic environment. The attached Figures 1 and 2 highlight the geologic setting in the eastern and more densely populated portions of the County. The Rio Grande Rift is characterized by numerous north-south trending normal faults which have resulted in the sediment infilled Rio Grande basin bounded by the uplifted Sandia mountains to the east. Tertiary and Quaternary basin fill sediments (shown in orange and brown on the attached maps), are the primary source of the Santa Fe aquifer. This aquifer provides drinking water for over half a million people in Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia Counties. Proposed oil and gas exploration would penetrate these shallower aquifer zones and extend into the deeper Mesozoic and Paleozoic bedrock formations (shown in blues and greens on Figures 1 and 2). These underlying bedrock zones would likely be “fracked” as part of the oil and gas exploration/production well drilling process. Potential Threats to Water Supplies As can be seen on Figures 1 and 2, numerous faults are present in the vicinity of Bernalillo and Placitas areas. Implementation of Fracking in the proximity of these complicated and extensive fault zones poses a threat to overlying groundwater zones. Because of the highly complex large-scale nature of faulting in the area, the effects of fracking (and subsequent grouting) cannot be fully predicted. Horizontal fracking of bedrock adjacent to faults can result in facilitated migration of hydrocarbon contaminants (both oil and gas) along the fault zones to overlying groundwater zones. It should be noted that only the large-scale faults are shown on Figures 1 and 2; numerous smaller faults and fractures are present in the subsurface which are not shown on the maps/cross sections which further complicate the hydrogeology of the area. Aquifer sensitivity to oil and gas production in the County generally increases from west to east. This is especially true in the vicinity of Placitas. Faulting in the Placitas area has also juxtaposed Mesozoic and Paleozoic (targets for oil-gas exploration) geologic formations against younger Tertiary and Quaternary Santa Fe aquifer formations. Fracking in these areas is even more problematic and potentially threatening to the areas water supply. Conclusions Oil and gas exploration and production is not an exact science and many things can go wrong during drilling, fracking, and grouting processes in complex geologic environments. This has been documented at numerous locations throughout the United States. The current rush to approve what is a short-sighted and flawed policy towards oil and gas production in Sandoval County oversimplifies a complex problem and ignores the long-term needs of the Citizens of Sandoval County. The County Planning and Zoning Director does not currently have the expertise or the resources to make decisions which may drastically affect the long-term water supply for thousands of people. At a minimum, Sandoval County should specify wellhead protection areas limiting or preventing oil and gas production within portions of the County based on aquifer sensitivity and land use. This is especially true in the eastern portions of the County and Placitas in particular due to its highly complex geology and potential aquifer sensitivity. No other water supply is available to the residents and municipalities in these critically sensitive areas. Historically, Mitigation of oil-gas exploration contaminants to drinking water aquifers is cost-prohibitive and generally impractical. Long-term litigations are usually the result. Implementation of a more comprehensive approach to oil and gas exploration in Sandoval County can effectively mitigate these potential problems. William Brown, P.G. Hydrogeologist Placitas, NM PLACITAS QUADRANGLE - NEW MEXICO NMBMMR Open File Map Series NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF–GM–2 and OF–GM–16 A DIVISION OF NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING & TECHNOLOGY Map last modified 17 February 2000 PLATE I of III. ines & Mine (BERNALILLO NW) f M ra o l R MEX u e a s IC e o W BERNALILLO QUADRANGLE r u E O u r . B c N NEW MEXICO e (SAN FELIPE M s PUEBLO NE) N B ° (SANTA ANA PUEBLO) SANTA FE 39 MI New Mexico Tech 106 37' 30" 3 000m 3 3 3 3 3 3 106°30' 106°22'30" 53 E. 54 55 56 35' 57 R. 3 E. R. 4 E. JEMEZ CANYON DAM 2.7 MI. 32' 30" 61 420 000 FEET 63 364 5 E. LAS VEGAS 105 MI 366000m E. 367 R. 4 E.27'30" R. 5 E. 368 (SAN FELIPE PUEBLO) 370 371 25' 372 373 374 460 000 FEET • •• 35° 22' 30" Luce fault • 35°22'30" • Qay ˇcp S QHa 10 • Qre Tsla? QToc(?) QHa Qae QTob Qao Qrp QHa • P5 QTsp s 13 Jt QHa QHa 77 • • l • QTob l QHa QTsa • 11 QHa E T P 4 • QHa • ? QHa 6 a y Qao • r Qay Qay Qe 13 • Tbsa • • r 2 82 • t u QHa • Qls h t A 67 75 QTob QHa 1• • Je Qrp Qre • l Tsp n • s S A • Qls l c e Qe • 2 Qrp • QHa Qpm1 QTspcs • j Qpm ie t C T 9 • 5 n s 5 QHa • ce 1 • • 2 • • for the E M QHa • QHa Qpo3 5 QTob • • • • • • QTob QHa • • 6 QHa QHa • l l QTsa Qpo3 3 QToc(?) QTob • ••• • 39 • Qe af • QTsa QTsps • • QHa ˇcp 15 QTob Tp • QTob • ault • Tsp c QTsp •• Qpm sm Qay • Qre • QTob f • • • Dr. Paul W. Bauer 3 • QTob • l l Qpm2 15 QHa 4 • 1 • af • Tsp • Qrp s • • af 4 • Qpm • Dr. Peter A. Scholle Qca • l Tsla? • 6 • Qls1 l • • QTob QTsp 1 590 000 • Tobc • ? s • • • 6 • • QTob Geologic Mapping U D • QTob 3 • Qrp • 1 af • • 88 • l • • Qcb Qpo QHa • l w 3 10 FEET Director and State Geologist • Qe • • QHa QTob • Qre af 85 Qao • Qrpr e • • • • i • • • Program Director Qay • Qpm2 • • • 39 000m af • • • Qre V 4 • • 15 N. • • • 5 • • P6 U 14 • • • • • 4 Qae • Qay T. 13 N. • 70 l • QHa • Tsp • 6 • QHao Qre l QTsa D s 18 • • QHao Qpm • 2 • • ? • • • • QHao Qpo3 85 Qao • QTsa • • • QHa • • QTs t • ˇcp • Qre • y • • • 3 • 8 • 22 • • Qpo • • RWP-17 • Qpm QTsa e • • • l • • • 3 • l l • QTsp Qpo s • • • QTob Qao • l • 18 • • Qre ?• Tsp cs QTob • • B1 • • a • • QTsp 7 62 • • s • 8 • • 12 • • V • • • 4 6 I • 3 l • QHa • 37 • Qss •• I 23 l • 15 QToc(?) QTob Qe • • • • • • • • • I • • PUEBLO OF • • • U D • • QHa 77 I • • • • • QTob QHa • • Qpo Qao I • 11 • • I • Geology of the Bernalillo and Placitas • 43 t • • ••• QTob • af • 78 • Qpm QTsa • • 4 80 s • • QTob • Tvc • R 48 QHao • 3 e • • B3 • l l • Qre • QTspcs • • Qpo 19 • • Qpo • a Tsla? Qrp2 W • 3 Qpo • ? QTob • Qss Qpm2 Qay • af • 19 Qao • Qay 39 • n • 8 • QTob • ? Qpm Ts p s 14 • Qae 5 QTsa • Qao 28 • • QHa • Qss • quadrangles, Sandoval County, Qay af QTsa Qpo • 3 • 23 ch • • 7 • QTob SANDA ANA • 10 QTsp • cs • 3 Qao • Qrm 5 QTsp Tsp 5 • l Qpm Qpy • cs cs QHa • • l Tsla? Qay • • • QTsa B4 • 6 7 11 Tvcb • • i Tvcb • QTob • I I ˇz ˇc • Qre I I • • • 8 • t I S • • I • I • • I Qpo ˇcp • E o 3 7 QTob 10 I • • I • • • Qao I I • I Qao • C New Mexico QHa • QHa QTst I I QTob • • • Tsp Qpo Qpo CUBA 59 MI. CUBA A • cs QTt QToc(?) • • QToc(?) 78 • I I Qpm Qay 2 • R QTsa • QTsp 4 • • I • QTsa • cs QHa I I I Qpm QTst Qpo • Qrp 5 l R 3 18 • Qae II • j Qay l Qss f Qao • • Tvc • 19 I Qe 30 11 I 4 • • 9 af E QHa ?• 31 • a Qca • 8 • 12 I Qpm Qay QTob 1 4 82 • P4 1 • 58 ˇz • 39 T 65 QToc(?) 4 I • • 19 • Qrp u SAN YSIDRO 16 MI. SAN I 1 13 10 • Qae QTob 83 • • I I 85 QToc(?) I Qss • • Qao E 7 2 • 35 • • • QHa l Qpm • 77 • QHao Qpm D Qpm • • Qao • 88 QTsa QTsa • Pa 34 QTob Qay t Plate I of III.
Recommended publications
  • An Environmental History of the Middle Rio Grande Basin

    An Environmental History of the Middle Rio Grande Basin

    United States Department of From the Rio to the Sierra: Agriculture Forest Service An Environmental History of Rocky Mountain Research Station the Middle Rio Grande Basin Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-5 Dan Scurlock i Scurlock, Dan. 1998. From the rio to the sierra: An environmental history of the Middle Rio Grande Basin. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-5. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 440 p. Abstract Various human groups have greatly affected the processes and evolution of Middle Rio Grande Basin ecosystems, especially riparian zones, from A.D. 1540 to the present. Overgrazing, clear-cutting, irrigation farming, fire suppression, intensive hunting, and introduction of exotic plants have combined with droughts and floods to bring about environmental and associated cultural changes in the Basin. As a result of these changes, public laws were passed and agencies created to rectify or mitigate various environmental problems in the region. Although restoration and remedial programs have improved the overall “health” of Basin ecosystems, most old and new environmental problems persist. Keywords: environmental impact, environmental history, historic climate, historic fauna, historic flora, Rio Grande Publisher’s Note The opinions and recommendations expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA Forest Service. Mention of trade names does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Federal Government. The author withheld diacritical marks from the Spanish words in text for consistency with English punctuation. Publisher Rocky Mountain Research Station Fort Collins, Colorado May 1998 You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media.
  • Late Paleozoic Tectonic and Sedimentologic History of the Penasco Uplift, North-Central New Mexico

    Late Paleozoic Tectonic and Sedimentologic History of the Penasco Uplift, North-Central New Mexico

    RICE UNIVERSITY LATE PALEOZOIC TECTONIC AND SEDIMENTOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE PENASCO UPLIFT, NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO by ROY DONALD ADAMS A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS APPROVED, THESIS COMMITTEE: 0^ (3- /jtd&i obfe B. Anderson, Chairman Assistant Professor pf Geology KT Rudy R. Schwarzer, Adjunct Assistant Professor of GSology John /E. Warme Professor of Geology Donald R. Baker Professor of Geology Houston, Texas May, 1980 ABSTRACT LATE PALEOZOIC TECTONIC AND SEDIMENTOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE PENASCO UPLIFT, NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO Roy Donald Adams The Paleozoic Peiiasco Uplift, located on the site of the present Nacimiento Mountains of north-central New Mexico, acted as a sediment source and modifier of regional sedimentation patterns from Middle Pennsylvanian to Early Permian time. The earliest history of the uplift is still poorly defined. Orogenic activity may have started as early as the Late Mississippian, or there may have been quiescence until after deposition of the Morrow-age Osha Canyon Formation and prior to deposition of the Atoka-age Sandia Formation. Coarse, arkosic siliciclastic sediments inter- bedded with fossilferious carbonates in the Madera Formation indicate that by early Desmoinesian time the Peiiasco Uplift had risen sufficiently to expose and erode Precambrian rocks. Paleotransport indicators in the arkosic sediments show transport away from the uplift. Throughout the remainder of the Pennsylvanian, the Peiiasco Uplift was a sediment source. The siliciclastic sediments derived from the Peiiasco Uplift formed a wedge that prograded out onto and interfingered with carbonate sediments of a shallow normal marine shelf. A change in paleotransport directions from northeasterly to southwesterly occurs on the east side of the Peiiasco Uplift and is due to the arrival of a flood of siliciclastic sediments derived from the Uncompahgre-San Luis Uplift to the northeast.
  • Ground-Water Geochemistry of the Albuquerque-Belen Basin, Central New Mexico

    Ground-Water Geochemistry of the Albuquerque-Belen Basin, Central New Mexico

    GROUND-WA TER GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE ALBVQVERQVE-BELEN BASIN, CENTRAL NEW MEXICO By Scott K. Anderholm U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4094 Albuquerque, New Mexico 1988 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Division Books and Open-File Reports Pinetree Office Park Federal Center, Building 810 4501 Indian School Rd. NE, Suite 200 Box 25425 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 Denver, Colorado 80225 CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................. 1 Introduction ......................................................... 2 Acknowledgments ................................................. 4 Purpose and scope ............................................... 4 Location ........................................................ 4 Climate ......................................................... 6 Previous investigations ......................................... 6 Geology .................................................... 6 Hydrology .................................................. 6 Well-numbering system ........................................... 9 Geology .............................................................. 10 Precambrian rocks ............................................... 10 Paleozoic rocks ................................................. 10 Mesozoic
  • Geology and Mineral Resources of Sierra Nacimiento and Vicinity, New

    Geology and Mineral Resources of Sierra Nacimiento and Vicinity, New

    iv Contents ABSTRACT 7 TERTIARY-QUATERNARY 47 INTRODUCTION 7 QUATERNARY 48 LOCATION 7 Bandelier Tuff 48 PHYSIOGRAPHY 9 Surficial deposits 48 PREVIOUS WORK 9 PALEOTECTONIC SETTING 48 ROCKS AND FORMATIONS 9 REGIONAL TECTONIC SETTING 49 PRECAMBRIAN 9 STRUCTURE 49 Northern Nacimiento area 9 NACIMIENTO UPLIFT 49 Southern Nacimiento area 15 Nacimiento fault 51 CAMBRIAN-ORDOVICIAN (?) 20 Pajarito fault 52 MISSISSIPPIAN 20 Synthetic reverse faults 52 Arroyo Peñasco Formation 20 Eastward-trending faults 53 Log Springs Formation 21 Trail Creek fault 53 PENNSYLVANIAN 21 Antithetic reverse faults 53 Osha Canyon Formation 23 Normal faults 53 Sandia Formation 23 Folds 54 Madera Formation 23 SAN JUAN BASIN 55 Paleotectonic interpretation 25 En echelon folds 55 PERMIAN 25 Northeast-trending faults 55 Abo Formation 25 Synclinal bend 56 Yeso Formation 27 Northerly trending normal faults 56 Glorieta Sandstone 30 Antithetic reverse faults 56 Bernal Formation 30 GALLINA-ARCHULETA ARCH 56 TRIASSIC 30 CHAMA BASIN 57 Chinle Formation 30 RIΟ GRANDE RIFT 57 JURASSIC 34 JEMEZ VOLCANIC FIELD 59 Entrada Sandstone 34 TECTONIC EVOLUTION 60 Todilto Formation 34 MINERAL AND ENERGY RESOURCES 63 Morrison Formation 34 COPPER 63 Depositional environments 37 Mineralization 63 CRETACEOUS 37 Origin 67 Dakota Formation 37 AGGREGATE 69 Mancos Shale 39 TRAVERTINE 70 Mesaverde Group 40 GYPSUM 70 Lewis Shale 41 COAL 70 Pictured Cliffs Sandstone 41 ΗUMΑTE 70 Fruitland Formation and Kirtland Shale URANIUM 70 undivided 42 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY 72 TERTIARY 42 OIL AND GAS 72 Ojo Alamo Sandstone
  • Precambrian Rocks of the Northern Part of the Nacimiento Uplift, New Mexico Lee A

    Precambrian Rocks of the Northern Part of the Nacimiento Uplift, New Mexico Lee A

    New Mexico Geological Society Downloaded from: http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/28 Precambrian rocks of the northern part of the Nacimiento uplift, New Mexico Lee A. Woodward, Douglas McLelland, and J. W. Husler, 1977, pp. 93-98 in: San Juan Basin III (northwestern New Mexico), Fassett, J. F.; James, H. L.; [eds.], New Mexico Geological Society 28th Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, 319 p. This is one of many related papers that were included in the 1977 NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook. Annual NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebooks Every fall since 1950, the New Mexico Geological Society (NMGS) has held an annual Fall Field Conference that explores some region of New Mexico (or surrounding states). Always well attended, these conferences provide a guidebook to participants. Besides detailed road logs, the guidebooks contain many well written, edited, and peer-reviewed geoscience papers. These books have set the national standard for geologic guidebooks and are an essential geologic reference for anyone working in or around New Mexico. Free Downloads NMGS has decided to make peer-reviewed papers from our Fall Field Conference guidebooks available for free download. Non-members will have access to guidebook papers two years after publication. Members have access to all papers. This is in keeping with our mission of promoting interest, research, and cooperation regarding geology in New Mexico. However, guidebook sales represent a significant proportion of our operating budget. Therefore, only research papers are available for download. Road logs, mini-papers, maps, stratigraphic charts, and other selected content are available only in the printed guidebooks. Copyright Information Publications of the New Mexico Geological Society, printed and electronic, are protected by the copyright laws of the United States.
  • Gravity and Aeromagnetic Studies of the Santo Domingo Basin Area, New Mexico

    Gravity and Aeromagnetic Studies of the Santo Domingo Basin Area, New Mexico

    Gravity and Aeromagnetic Studies of the Santo Domingo Basin Area, New Mexico By V.J.S. Grauch, David A. Sawyer, Scott A. Minor, Mark R. Hudson, and Ren A. Thompson Chapter D of The Cerrillos Uplift, the La Bajada Constriction, and Hydrogeologic Framework of the Santo Domingo Basin, Rio Grande Rift, New Mexico Edited by Scott A. Minor Professional Paper 1720–D U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Contents Abstract .........................................................................................................................................................63 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................63 Gravity Data and Methods..........................................................................................................................64 Data Compilation .................................................................................................................................64 Estimating Thickness of Basin Fill ...................................................................................................64 Locating Faults From Gravity Data ...................................................................................................66 Aeromagnetic Data and Methods .............................................................................................................69 Data Compilation .................................................................................................................................69
  • Guidebook Contains Preliminary Findings of a Number of Concurrent Projects Being Worked on by the Trip Leaders

    Guidebook Contains Preliminary Findings of a Number of Concurrent Projects Being Worked on by the Trip Leaders

    TH FRIENDS OF THE PLEISTOCENE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN-CELL, 45 FIELD CONFERENCE PLIO-PLEISTOCENE STRATIGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL PART OF THE ALBUQUERQUE BASIN OCTOBER 12-14, 2001 SEAN D. CONNELL New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources-Albuquerque Office, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 2808 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 DAVID W. LOVE New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801 JOHN D. SORRELL Tribal Hydrologist, Pueblo of Isleta, P.O. Box 1270, Isleta, NM 87022 J. BRUCE J. HARRISON Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801 Open-File Report 454C and D Initial Release: October 11, 2001 New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801 NMBGMR OFR454 C & D INTRODUCTION This field-guide accompanies the 45th annual Rocky Mountain Cell of the Friends of the Pleistocene (FOP), held at Isleta Lakes, New Mexico. The Friends of the Pleistocene is an informal gathering of Quaternary geologists, geomorphologists, and pedologists who meet annually in the field. The field guide has been separated into two parts. Part C (open-file report 454C) contains the three-days of road logs and stop descriptions. Part D (open-file report 454D) contains a collection of mini-papers relevant to field-trip stops. This field guide is a companion to open-file report 454A and 454B, which accompanied a field trip for the annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain/South Central Section of the Geological Society of America, held in Albuquerque in late April.
  • Overkill, Glacial History, and the Extinction of North America's Ice Age Megafauna

    Overkill, Glacial History, and the Extinction of North America's Ice Age Megafauna

    PERSPECTIVE Overkill, glacial history, and the extinction of North America’s Ice Age megafauna PERSPECTIVE David J. Meltzera,1 Edited by Richard G. Klein, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, and approved September 23, 2020 (received for review July 21, 2020) The end of the Pleistocene in North America saw the extinction of 38 genera of mostly large mammals. As their disappearance seemingly coincided with the arrival of people in the Americas, their extinction is often attributed to human overkill, notwithstanding a dearth of archaeological evidence of human predation. Moreover, this period saw the extinction of other species, along with significant changes in many surviving taxa, suggesting a broader cause, notably, the ecological upheaval that occurred as Earth shifted from a glacial to an interglacial climate. But, overkill advocates ask, if extinctions were due to climate changes, why did these large mammals survive previous glacial−interglacial transitions, only to vanish at the one when human hunters were present? This question rests on two assumptions: that pre- vious glacial−interglacial transitions were similar to the end of the Pleistocene, and that the large mammal genera survived unchanged over multiple such cycles. Neither is demonstrably correct. Resolving the cause of large mammal extinctions requires greater knowledge of individual species’ histories and their adaptive tolerances, a fuller understanding of how past climatic and ecological changes impacted those animals and their biotic communities, and what changes occurred at the Pleistocene−Holocene boundary that might have led to those genera going extinct at that time. Then we will be able to ascertain whether the sole ecologically significant difference between previous glacial−interglacial transitions and the very last one was a human presence.
  • 13. Late Pliocene-Pleistocene Glaciation

    13. Late Pliocene-Pleistocene Glaciation

    13. LATE PLIOCENE - PLEISTOCENE GLACIATION W. A. Berggren, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts The discussion in this chapter is broken down into two increase in the former exceeding that of the latter; or parts: the first deals with glaciation in the North Atlantic as (v) less detritals, clay and carbonate deposited per unit time revealed in the data obtained on Leg 12; in the second part (that is, decreased sedimentation rate) with the decrease in an attempt is made to provide a chronologic framework of the latter exceeding the former. In view of the demon- Late Pliocene-Pleistocene glaciation and to correlate gla- strable increase in sedimentation rate above the preglacial/ cial/interglacial sequences as recorded in land and deep-sea glacial boundary at Sites 111, 112 and 116 due to increased sediments. amounts of detrital minerals and the fact that glacial periods in high latitudes are characterized by a carbonate GLACIATION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC minimum (Mclntyre et al., in press) it can be seen that the One of the most significant aspects of Leg 12 was the correct explanation for the increase in natural gamma activ- various results which were obtained regarding glaciation in ity in the glacial part of the section is rather complex. Thin the North Atlantic. Glacial sediments were encountered at bands of carbonate were found at various levels intercalated all sites in the North Atlantic with the exception of Site with detrital-rich clays which indicates interglacial intervals, 117 (for the purpose of this discussion the North Atlantic so that the correct explanation probably lies with (iii) encompasses Sites 111 through 117; Sites 118 and 119 are above.
  • Briefguiderocks Copy

    Briefguiderocks Copy

    BRIEF GUIDE TO ROCKS What is a rock? • A mixture of minerals. • A naturally occurring solid. • A “time machine” with a story to tell. All rocks tell a story; a rock represents a period of time (during which it was formed), an environment (in which it was formed) and a geologic process (how it was formed). By “reading the record of a rock” you can understand its history. Sandia Granite How are rocks classified? • Igneous: solidified from magma (molten, or liquid, rock within the Earth) Note: Igneous rocks are further divided into Plutonic (the magma solidified beneath Earth’s surface) and Volcanic (the magma erupted onto Earth’s surface to become lava and the lava solidified at the surface). Examples: Plutonic = granite, gabbro, granodiorite, monzonite Volcanic = basalt, rhyolite, pumice, obsidian • Sedimentary: rocks produced by the movement and deposition of eroded minerals, sand, silt, pebbles, or cobbles or by the deposition of precipitates. Note: Sedimentary rocks are divided into Clastic (a rock with layers of sediment of various grain sizes) or Chemical (a rock formed by precipitation of chemicals layer by layer out of water). Examples: Clastic = sandstone, shale Chemical = limestone, travertine • Metamorphic: a pre-existing rock (igneous or sedimentary or even metamorphic) that has been altered by changes in temperature, pressure, or stress into a different type of rock by mineralogical, chemical, and/or structural changes, while in the solid state. Note: Metamorphic rocks are sometimes classified by geologists into levels of metamorphism (how much it has changed) from low to high intensity. Metamorphic rocks that have been under pressure show an alignment of minerals that is called foliation.
  • Mississippian Oolites and Petroleum Reservoirs in the United States—An Overview

    Mississippian Oolites and Petroleum Reservoirs in the United States—An Overview

    Chapter 1 • Mississippian Oolites and Petroleum Reservoirs in the United States—An Overview Brian D. Keith Indiana Geological Survey and Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana, USA Charles W. Zuppann Indiana Geological Survey Bloomington, Indiana, USA • ABSTRACT A coincidence of tectonic, eustatic, and geochemical conditions resulted in substantial deposits of oolitic limestone during later Mississippian time in the continental United States. These oolitic limestones have formed petrole­ um reservoirs with favorable primary and secondary recovery characteris­ tics. Significant potential reserves in stratigraphic traps remain to be discovered and developed in these reservoirs. INTRODUCTION oolitic limestone deposition on the North American continent was during the Mississippian. Mississippian rocks of the continental U.S. have With the recent emphasis on global-scale geologic been the subject of two previous compilation vol­ processes, we recognize that attention must be given umes by the USGS (Craig and Connor, 1979; U.S. to Mississippian oolitic deposition on a broader scale, Geological Survey, 1979), both concentrating on the seeking to understand the factors that influenced and Mississippian system as a whole, the former on controlled oolitic deposition at that time. A prerequi­ Mississippian and Pennsylvanian stratigraphy and site to interpreting worldwide depositional patterns the latter on the paleotectonic history of the of Mississippian oolitic rocks is to study these Mississippian. However, there has not been a publi­ deposits at both the regional and the continental cation specifically emphasizing Mississippian oolitic scales. The abundant occurrence and widespread dis­ rocks. Geologists have reported oolitic limestones in tribution of Mississippian oolitic rocks, and the Mississippian rocks in many areas of the United wealth of available subsurface information, make the States for years, but Wilson (1975, p.
  • By Aaron Watters BS a Thesis in Geology Submitted to the Graduate

    By Aaron Watters BS a Thesis in Geology Submitted to the Graduate

    MIDDLE PENNSYLVANIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHIC AND BASIN ANALYSIS OF THE TAOS TROUGH, NORTHERN NEW MEXICO By Aaron Watters B.S. A Thesis In Geology Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCES Approved Dr. Dustin E. Sweet Chair of Committee Dr. James E. Barrick Dr. Seiichi Nagihara Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School August, 2014 Copyright 2014, Aaron Watters Texas Tech University, Aaron Watters, August 2014 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The success of a major project like this would not have been possible without the contribution of others. I would like to acknowledge all those who provided me the possibility to complete this thesis. I would like to extend my greatest appreciation to my advisor Dr. Dustin E. Sweet. This thesis would simply not have been possible without his mentorship and constructive feedback. His extensive knowledge and insight helped me compile the necessary research and field data for this project. He educated me on all the different methods used to complete my thesis; even down to organizational skills that provided the essential structure behind the development of my work. He was a big motivation for me to complete my thesis on time, and among all, he was the reason I decided to pursue my graduate degree at Texas Tech University. In addition, I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. James E. Barrick and Dr. Seiichi Nagihara, for their useful suggestions and comments. Special thanks to Dr. James E. Barrick for also helping me provide age analysis on my conodonts.