High-Resolution Sequence Stratigraphic and Chronostratigraphic Investigations of the Lower

Presentation to Kansas Geological Society September 23, 2008

High-Resolution Sequence Stratigraphic and Chronostratigraphic Investigations of the Lower Shelf and Basinal Lithofacies of the Upper Devonian and Mississippian in the southern Midcontinent U.S.A.

W. Lynn Watney, Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS 66047 [email protected]; Darwin Boardman, Boone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State U., Stillwater, OK; Thomas L. Thompson, Emeritus, Division of Geology and Land Survey, Rolla, MO; Neil Suneson, Oklahoma Geology Survey; and John Doveton, K. David Newell, John Victorine, Ken Stalder, and Evan Franseeen, KGS.

Chert-rich, primarily Osagean Mississippian carbonate strata form important reservoirs, especially in shelf/ramp margin locations bordering the northern margin of the Anadarko and Arkoma Basins. However, important questions remain regarding the temporal and spatial distribution of this lithofacies along the shelf-to-basin transition that could be important to delineating additional conventional and unconventional gas resources. Presentation includes a review of recent coring of Upper Devonian and Mississippian deep-water shales in the Arkoma basin.

Overall goals of this on-going study include: 1) provide better understand the sequence- stratigraphic framework of shelf-margin to basinal strata by integrating subsurface (well log, core) data, surface exposures, biostratigraphy, and eventually, isotope geochronology; 2) evaluate controls on stratigraphic architecture and facies distribution including the controls of sea level fluctuations and syndepositional tectonism, both of which appear to be major controls on, and timing of silica distribution; and 3) to provide predictive capabilities for distribution of resources housed in these rocks including traditional oil and gas, unconventional gas in tight rocks, and Mississippi Valley Pb-Zn deposits.