STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF THE BUENA VISTA AND ELK HILLS ANTICLINES AND HYDROCARBON TRAPPING POTENTIAL (SOUTH SAN JOAQUIN BASIN, CALIFORNIA) Radu Girbacea Rock Fracture Project, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305-2115 and Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation P.O. Box 27757 Houston, TX 77227-7757 e-mail:
[email protected] Introduction Andreas Fault. For exploration activities, the associa- The goal of this study was to provide a structural tion of thrusting and wrenching can provide additional model for the Buena Vista (BV) and Elk Hills (EH) structural trapping potential which might be underesti- anticlines (Fig. 1) and to add new insights into timing mated based on the previous structural models. and possible mecha-nisms of trap formation. The interpretation was based on balanced restoration of a Data used cross-section running from north of EH through BV and The data set used for this study consist of: up to the San Andreas Fault in the south. GeoSec2D • one 3-D seismic line (Line 574); was used to visualize and model critical points, as fold • one 2-D seismic line (Line SJ-132); geometry in connection to observed fault shape and slip • wells with picks and dipmeter data; amount, dif-ferences in forelimb/backlimb dips, and • surface geology (stratigraphy and structures). thinning of stratigraphic horizons across anticlines. The well and seismic line location is shown on the GeoSec2D was also used to unfold the studied cross- base map in Figure 2. The orientation of section 1-1’ section in steps corresponding to each stratigraphic top. (which is discussed here) was constrained by the regional This enabled the recon-struction of the incremental SJ-132 amd therefore is not perpendicular to the mean strains, the cal-culation of the amount of shortening, and fold axis orientation.