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Subsurface Characterization and Seuqence Stratigraphy of Late Mississippian Strata in the Black Warrior Basin, Alabama and Mississippi

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Subsurface Characterization and Seuqence Stratigraphy of Late Mississippian Strata in the Black Warrior Basin, Alabama and Mississippi University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Master's Theses Graduate School 2008 SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND SEUQENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF LATE MISSISSIPPIAN STRATA IN THE BLACK WARRIOR BASIN, ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI Carrie A. Kidd University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Kidd, Carrie A., "SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND SEUQENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF LATE MISSISSIPPIAN STRATA IN THE BLACK WARRIOR BASIN, ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI" (2008). University of Kentucky Master's Theses. 561. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/561 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT OF THESIS SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND SEUQENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF LATE MISSISSIPPIAN STRATA IN THE BLACK WARRIOR BASIN, ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI A depositional framework for the Mississippian (Chesterian) Pride Mountain Formation/Hartselle Sandstone clastic tongue and the lower Bangor Limestone carbonate ramp in the Black Warrior basin, Mississippi and Alabama, is constructed from approximately 250 geophysical well logs, 15 well cuttings descriptions, and outcrop data. The framework is based upon cross sections, isopach maps, and transgressive-regressive sequence stratigraphy. The Lowndes-Pickens synsedimentary fault block controlled sediment dispersal in during Pride Mountain/Hartselle deposition. The basin filled from the southwest, which pushed the depocenter northeastward during Hartselle deposition. The Hartselle sub- basin is composed of the Hartselle barrier-island and back-barrier deposits to the southwest, including the Pearce siltstone. The Pearce siltstone, a previously unidentified subsurface unit, was deposited in a restricted environment controlled by the Lowndes- Pickens block. The Pride Mountain, Hartselle, and lower Bangor succession contains one complete and one partial transgressive-regressive stratigraphic sequence. An exposure surface at the top of the Hartselle Sandstone and Monteagle Limestone is a maximum regressive surface. The upper part of the Bangor ramp is highly cyclic and grades from oolitic shoal deposits southwestward into a condensed section, the Neal black shale, at the toe of the ramp. The entire thickness of the lower Bangor is equivalent to the Neal shale. Keywords: Floyd/Neal shale, Pearce siltstone, Hartselle sub-basin, Lowndes-Pickens block, Black Warrior basin Carrie A. Kidd November 14, 2008 SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND SEUQENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF LATE MISSISSIPPIAN STRATA IN THE BLACK WARRIOR BASIN, ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI By Carrie Ann Kidd William A. Thomas Director of Thesis Dhananjay Ravat Director of Graduate Studies November 14, 2008 ii RULES FOR THE USE OF THESIS Unpublished theses submitted for the Master’s degree and deposited in the University of Kentucky Library are as a rule open for inspection, but are to be used only with regard to the rights of the authors. Bibliographical references may be noted, but quotations or summaries of parts may be published only with the permission of the author, and the usual scholarly acknowledgements. Extensive copying or publication of the thesis in whole or in part also requires the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. A library that borrows the thesis for use by its patrons is expected to secure the signature of each user. Name Date ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ iii THESIS Carrie Ann Kidd The Graduate School University of Kentucky 2008 Subsurface Characterization and Sequence Stratigraphy of Late Mississippian Strata in the Black Warrior Basin, Alabama and Mississippi ______________________________________ THESIS ________________________________________ A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Carrie Ann Kidd Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. William A. Thomas, Professor of Geology Lexington, Kentucky 2008 Copyright © Carrie Ann Kidd 2008 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first like to thank my advisor Dr. Thomas for his guidance, patience, and time. He holds his students to the highest standard and helps us to achieve our best. A special thank you to Mrs. Thomas for her support, enthusiasm, and a never ending supply of Christmas cookies and tacos. Thank you to the other two members of my thesis committee Dr. Greb and Dr. Ettensohn for their insight and suggestions. I would also like to acknowledge the many people I met at the Alabama Survey for their hospitality, knowledge and experience, and abundant supply of cuttings. I would also like to thank my family and friends. Thanks to my parents, Steve and Penny, my aunt Mary-Jo and uncle Mel, and my brother Adam for pushing me through this and their support. Thank you Mark for listening to my problems, distracting me from my work, and for big hugs when I needed them. I would like to thank my office friends Liz Dodson, Brian Cook, and John Allen as well as the other graduate students for their help and support. Lastly, thank you to Becky Hisel who kept my spirits high on those long days. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………… iii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………... vi List of Files................................................................................................................viii Chapter One: Introduction…………………………………………………………..1 Purpose……………………………………………………………………... 3 Chapter Two: Regional Framework………………………………………………...4 Tectonics and Structure…………………………………………………….. 4 Facies Relationships………………………………………………………...6 Revision of Nomenclature…………………………………………………. 9 Chapter Three: Literature Review…………………………………………………..19 Facies and Depositional Environments…………………………………….. 19 Carbonates and associated facies ………………………………….. 19 Clastic facies……………………………………………………….. 23 Sequence Stratigraphy………………………………………………………28 Chapter Four: Basin evolution………………………………………………….......33 Foreland Basin Evolution..………………………………………………….33 Tectonic and Eustatic Controls on Sedimentation in the Black Warrior Basin……………………………………………………………………….. 38 Chapter Five: Methods……………………………………………………………...42 Methods……………………………………………………………………. 42 Well-log Interpretation and Cuttings Descriptions ……………………….. 44 Sequence Stratigraphy….………………………………………………….. 45 Chapter Six: Results………………………………………………………………... 51 Cross Sections ………………………………………………………………51 Description of Units………………………………………………………... 53 Lewis Sandstone…………………………………………………… 53 Lewis Limestone…………………………………………………… 57 Middle Sandstone…………………………………………………... 59 Evans Sandstone…………………………………………………….61 Hartselle Sandstone………………………………………………… 63 Pearce Siltstone…………………………………………………….. 64 Bangor Limestone………………………………………………….. 66 Floyd/Neal Shale…………………………………………………… 68 iv Chapter Seven: Interpretation and Discussion of Cross Sections………………...... 87 Pride Mountain and Hartselle Sandstone…………………………………... 87 Lowndes-Pickens Block…………………………………………………….92 Pearce Siltstone…………………………………………………………….. 94 Bangor Limestone and Floyd/Neal Shale………………………………….. 97 Summary of Basin Fill….………………………………………………….. 99 Chapter Eight: Sequence Stratigraphy………………………………………………102 Monteagle Limestone Highstand Systems Tract…………………………... 103 Pride Mountain Formation and Hartselle Sandstone Falling-stage Systems Tract ……………………………………………………………… 104 Transgressive Systems Tract and Neal Shale Condensed Section………… 107 Bangor Limestone High Stand Systems Tract……………………………... 108 Application of Transgressive-Regressive Model…………………………... 111 Chapter Nine: Summary/Conclusion………………………………………..………114 Appendices………………………………………………………………………… 118 Appendix A: List of Wells………………………………………………….119 A-1: Alabama wells………………………………………………... 119 A-2: Mississippi wells………………………………………………124 A-3: Pearce wells……………………………………………………128 Appendix B: Cuttings Description………………………………………… 131 References…………………………………………………………………………. 176 Vita………………………………………………………………………………… 183 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Location and structure of the Black Warrior basin………………….12 Figure 2.2: Subsurface stratigraphy of the upper Mississippian (Chesterian) rocks in northern Alabama ………………………………………….13 Figure 2.3: Isopach map of the Pride Mountain/Hartselle interval showing thinning to the south onto the Lowndes-Pickens block……………..14 Figure 2.4: Diagram illustrating the relationship between the Lowndes- Pickens block and the Pride Mountain/Hartselle interval ………….. 15 Figure 2.5: Isopach map of the Bangor Limestone ramp thinning to the Southwest…………………………………………………………... 16 Figure 2.6: Evolution of Mississippian stratigraphic succession over the past
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