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Home , Basin and Range Province

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

National Assessment

Western Basin and Range Province

(Province 83)

By Harry E. Cook1

Open-File Report

87-450L

.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., MS 999, Menlo Park, CA

This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S.

Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature.

1987 INTRODUCTION

Basin Location and Size

Province 83 encompasses about one-half of (Fig. 1). To call this province a single basin is obviously a misnomer. This province represents a collage of diverse basins and basin types that evolved in response to a number of sedimentologic and tectonic episodes along the western margin of North

America (Figs. 2,3).

QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF HYDROCARBONS

Within Province 83 the possibility of commercial accumulations of hydrocarbons is low. However, one area in Pershing County (Dixie Valley, lat. 40°N. and long. 117°45 fW.) has been identified as a speculative play.

This area is attractive enough to warrant additional field mapping and sam­ pling the potential source and reservoir facies. This play, the Dixie Valley

Play, is discussed below.

REGIONAL GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK

This section will attempt to outline the regional structural setting and geologic history of the Cordillera. To gain a true perspective of the geo­ logic evolution of western Nevada, one must look beyond this man-made boundary into eastern Nevada and . The regional tectonics and stratigraphy of these three Cordilleran provinces have an intimate interwoven genesis that dates back to the Proterozoic (Figs. 2-6). Plate tectonic theory will be 124* 122' 120* 118' 116* 114* T~

42'

WESTERN NEVADA

40'

38' ^r: / v

36'

34

0 50 100 MILES

0 50>0 100 KILOMETERS

FlGUEK ^ Index map of California ahowing the geomorphic division* of the province (81A) in Stiples and Western Nevada, Basin and Range Province (83) in hachures. Modified after Scott (1983).

la MESOZOIC ACCRETED TERRANE

PMI?cTT EO'-^'- "'06EOCUNE V TERRANE//. ' 7 >*.'. '.

Latt Precambrian adga of ... .. Middla Triattic edge of ccntinant

Early Tartiary adga of continent

Figure 2. Major components of Cordllleran "collage*1 V - "tfrangellla"; S - Stlkine arc; SD - "Seven Devlla" arc.

From Davis et al (1978)

Ib CorHinentOl Slopt^,*i* S u j (Z km isoboth) ȣ ~

** 4

PACIFIC OCEAN

Piovinces of Kiomoth te«iern Kicmoth belt lo, O'doncion ocean floor, Silurian (XC ft, Po'»o70'C oceontc cru*t ond Ic, Oevonian-Ptrrnien island ore

volcanic rockc 2 Central metomorphiC belt, o tC'Op of o Devonian ecoflen.c belt 3.Weslern Permian and Triatsic t*'i of ocean-floor racks 4 Western Jo'OiSiC b*tt, Upp«r Juroine volcanic rock*

100 SOO KILOMETERS ::soNQ«A^v

Figure 3 . Tectonic elements of California, Nevada, ond neighboring .

From Hamilton (1969)

Ic I

NEVADA

. PM-TR SONOMA OROGE

DEV-MISS ANTLER OROGENY

CRET-EOC OVERTHRUST BELT

CALIFORNIA

Figure A. Map showing locations of Permo-Triassic Golconda thrust, Devonian-Mississippian Roberts Thrust, and the Cretaceous- Sevier thrust of the Overthrust Belt. From Cook and Taylor (1983).

Id GEOLOGIC COLUMN MAJOR TECTONIC EVENTS 1 UYBP PERiOJ/ CORDilLERAN FIVE MAJOR EVENTS KM fttGlON & +*»& PllOnhliO t 5 TERTIARY , 5uS 50- [6 < o?(5SS L I *' "C wo- CRETACtOUS"" c 4 150- JL « ^ ^ ' JURASSIC 5 I 7 200- 1 1 TRiASSlC fjsc)NOMA . 250- 4 *OfrCNY -L PCRUIAN | MCCSTMAL DCKlCt 3 500- CARBON­ IFEROUS - MISS 350- C' NTLtH AOGCNT L DEVONIAN 5 t 400- 7 SILURIAN 450- «L 2 ORDOVICIAN M CORUHURAN» ^MIOCCOCLINAL JSCWMENttTIOH 500- 1 A M 550- CAMBRIAN M C

00- PRECAUBRIAN 9 9 1

Figure 5. Major tectonic events in the Cordi&eran, From Cook and laylor (1983).

le PACIFIC MARGIN ATLANTIC MARGIN . .*: . . *. . ' .-. .* - 1YBH " '...... : '. . ..». / . : . . > CENOZOIC...... /.-. v.v/.V-V. "CIRCUM- PACIFIC ..'. ATLANTIC:;.-.: 100- CRETACEOUS ' SUB DUCT ION- ;':bCEAN:'/.:V. :.-: s Y STEM . : /.' ' SPREADING-'.-'.'- * » » * * **.*. \ " *!*«*/ JURASSIC * * ...**...... * * * * : '"L ' ' ' ' ' 200- ** * * » * »* ».* » TRIASSIC .-^ARC ACCRETION (?) |-*-SON OMA OROGENY -*- PANGAEA ASSEMBLED PERMIAN 300- | OOU IRRH BASIN |-*-OUACHITA OROGENY PENNSYLVAN1AN j MJD- CARBONIFEROUS MISSISSIPPIAN ^^"ANTl RIFTING -ER OROGENY {-^-ACADIAN OROGENY 400- DEVONIAN SILURIAN Z < LU |-*-TACONIC OROGENY 500- ORDOVICIAN IT Z "1 INITIAL FORMATION f OF ANADARKO-ARDMORE ^-j o J AULACOGEN CAMBRIAN -1 o 600- ~ u « 0 0 ^ ^ RIFTING ON fol * 0 700- o "^ MARGIN [ J PRECAMBRIAN 0 ^ i 800- PRE-APPALACHIAN PRE -WINDERMERE *^" R "^"" RIFTING IFTING

Flgurt V ^-Diagram to Illustrate approximate relative timing of key events on Pacific aad Atlantic aarglns of . * . "

From Dickinson (1977).

If liberally used to understand the complex geologic history of the Cordillera.

This theory appears to offer unique unifying insights into the origin of the diverse tectonic-sedimentologic regimes in the provinces of Nevada and

California.

Five tectonic events shaped the western margin of North America in the vicinity of California and Nevada (Fig. 5). Some of these events are confined to each respective province, but some events were of broader scale, and affected the entire western margin of North America simultaneously.

Event 1: Proterozoic Crystalline Basement

Strontium and neodymium isotopes have been used to define Precambrian crystalline basement of Proterozoic age. This continental is inferred to extend as far west as central Nevada (Fig. 7, ISr = 0.706) (Kistler, 1974;

Farmer and DePaolo, 1983). Extensive metamorphism and intrusion of this base­ ment occurred between 1,650 and 1,750 Ma (King, 1969).

Event 2: Late Precambrian Through Devonian

Continental Rifting and Passive Margin Development

The Proterozoic continent was broken by a major rifting event near the end of the Precambrian (Figs. 8,9) (Stewart, 1972; Stewart and Suczek,

1977). Until the end of the Devonian a passive comprised western North America from Alaska to southeastern California (Figs. 10,11)

(Churkin, 1974; Cook and Taylor, 1975). This rifting and initial development of the Cordilleran miogeocline is not well dated directly, but stratigraphic backstripping indicates that rifting happened between 625 and 550 ma (Bond and 200 H fcn

Figure 7'. Map of the cen­ tral part of (he Cordillera, showing Pre- f~7~~J Basin & Range cambrian and early PaJeozok tectonic features in relation to Metamorphic the COCORP 40eN Transect Core Complexes From Miller and Bradfisb Muscovite granite belt (1980), ZarUnan (1974), Stewart (full extent not shown) (1980), Speed (1982), and Fanner and DePaolo (1983). Accreted terranes % Precambrian basement From Allmendinger et al (f987). exposures

Pigura 8 .-Diagram showing a model of the Ittt Precambrian and Cambrian developmtnt of the western "United Statea From Cook and Egbert (1*981). RIFTING AND DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN U.S.A. PASSIVE CONTINENTAL MARGIN 625-550 M.A.

WEST EAST I CA NEVADA - 500 KM

rrrt^T' - CONTINENTAL oTAGic v I . OCEANIC CRUST ' MOT" *'\

HINGE LINE SONOMAN ANTLER OROGENY OROGENY SEVIER PM.-TR. DEV.-MISS. OROGENY CRET.-EOC.

Sleuarl (19721, Cook & Taylor (1975), Allmendinger el tl 11987)

Figure 9. From Cook and Taylor (1987).

2b !« * Ut*

MAJUft STIUTILMAPMIL- ill*

Figure 10. General location of »ectlona In the Hot Creek Range and central Egan Range, Nevada, In relation to major regional stratigrcphic belu v . *

From Cook and Taylor (1977).

2c LATE PRE-CAMBRIAN THROUGH LATE DEVONIAN PASSIVE PULL-APART MARGIN

CONTINENTAL MARGIN I I ' I CARBONATE PLATFORM I

100 KM

Figure 11. Paleogeographlc map,

2d Kominz, 1984). On the basis of sedimentologic and biostratigraphic analyses between and western North America, Cook and Taylor (1975) established that this rifting event occurred no later than about 520 ma. This passive continental margin became the site of 5,000 m of shoal-water carbonate platform and basinal sediments from the Cambrian through the Devonian (Figs. 12,13) (Cook and Taylor, 1983; Cook and Taylor, 1987).

Event 3: Late Devonian Through Triassic Terrane Accretion

Two major accretionary events occurred during the Late Devonian-Early

Mississippian (Antler orogeny, Roberts et al., 1958; Speed, 1982,1983), and the Permian-Triassic (Sonoma orogeny, Sllberling and Roberts, 1962; Speed,

1979,1982,1983) (Figs. 4,5,12). During the Antler orogeny the Roberts Moun­ tains allochthon oceanic rocks were thrust eastward at least 100 km over the continental slope and platform margin carbonates. This event formed the Antler erogenic highlands and foreland basin (Figs. 4,12,14,15). Similarly, during the Sonoman orogeny, oceanic rocks in the Golconda allochthon (Figs. 4,12) were thrust eastward about 50-75 km over previously deformed continen­ tal-margin sediments (Fig. 12). The Sonoman orogeny, however, involved less crustal shortening than the Antler orogeny, and did not develop a foreland basin, as was the case during the Antler orogeny (Fig. 16).

The tectonic model that is commonly called upon to explain the distri­ bution of lithofacies in both orogenies is that of a normal polarity arc; the back-arc (inner-arc) basin (Fig. 14) develops as a normal-trapped marginal basin (Fig. 17c). This model is basically a Japan sea-type (Mitchell and Reading, 1969) orogen (i.e., a continent bordered by a marginal sea with a nearby arc offshore (Dickinson, 1977). RIFTING AND DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN U.S.A. PASSIVE CONTINENTAL MARGIN 625-550 M.A.

117' WEST EAST I CA NEVADA UTAH -500 KM

OCEANIC CRUST' x STAGE x | / w,', ,x rt^^SIA ' '- - "^ / HINGE LINE SONOMAN ANTLER OROGENY OROGENY SEVIER PM.-TR. DEV.-MISS. OROGENY CRET.-EOC.

Stewarl 11972), Cook & Taylor (19751. Ailmendinger el al (1987)

Figure 12. From Cook and lay lor (1987)

3a PASSIVE CONTINENTAL MARGIN WESTERN U.S.A.

WEST * NEVADA UTAH EAST

I I II

MIDDLE INNER OCEANIC CONTINENTAL SHELF SHELF BASIN MARGIN 500 KM " Cook and Taylor 119831

Figure 13. Generalized Pre-Antler orogeny depositional profile from western Utah to central Nevada. Based on data from Cook and Taylor (1975,1983,1987).

3b LATE DEVONIAN - EARLY MISSISSIPPIAN

CARBONATE PLATFORM

100 KM

Figure 14. Paleogeographic map,

3c FORMER CONTINENTAL SHELF

KLAMATH- T NORTH SlERRAN ANTLER 1 ISLAND ARC OROGENIC FORELAND BASIN CRATONIC PLATFORM OUTER-ARC BASIN ~J3£~* INNER ARC BASIN WGHLAND

Z~&)--' ' ^l^ ^-ss^^'^'f-f^- - ^^ "ZZ2 /£ ^"-^/^ ggr -1 J= i^tl ~I_ ^^- / , V "^

Figure 15.Hypothetical and generalized diagram showing relation between latest Devonian and Mississippian island-arc system and North American continent during Antler orogenic deformation. From Poole et al (1987).

EARLY MESOZOIC

42*

100 MM

Figure 16. Paleogeographic map. Early Mesozoic, TIME 1 (BEFORE) TIME 2 (AFTER)

CONTINENTAL-MARGIN INTERARC ISLAND MARGINAL ARC BASIN

OCEANIC CRUST ARC-TYPE IGNEOUS SUITE (A) MARGINAL ARC SEPARATION INTRA-OCEANIC RESIDUAL ISLAND ARC ISLAND MARGINAL ARC BASIN

CONTINENTAL o CRUST SPACE DENOTES WIDE OCEAN (B) OCEAN BASIN CLOSURE NORMAL-TRAPPED MARGINAL BASIN OCEAN BASIN CONTINENTAL CD A / MARGIN . j.. .^. - *& i»t««i»».««»»

OCEANIC CRUST CONTINENTAL7' TRAPPED UJH CRUST OCEANIC CRUST

O.K (C) NORMAL POLARITY ARC REVERSED-TRAPPED CONTINENTAL MARGINAL BASIN OCEANIC BASIN MARGIN ISLAND ARC UJ t O or QJ OCEANIC CRUST CONTINENTAL CRUST TRAPPED OCEANIC CRUST (D) REVERSE POLARITY ARC ORIGINS OF MARGINAL BASINS

Figure 1'-Sketches to Illustrate alternate origins for oceanic marginal aeaa.

From Dickinson (1977).

3e Beginning sometime in the Triassic, scattered plutons were being emplaced in eastern California (Fig. 18) (Speed, 1978a,b). Simultaneously, ophiolite complexes were developing in northern California, signaling the beginning of major systems and batholithic intrusions that were to dominate the

Cordillera later in the Mesozoic.

Event 4: Cretaceous-Eocene Andean-Type Continental Margin

In the Jurassic-Cretaceous the continental margin evolved into a setting similar to that of the modern with eastward subduction beneath the con­ tinent (Fig. 20) (Hamilton, 1969, 1978; Allmendinger et al., 1987). The Cre­ taceous geology of northern and central California is dominated by three coeval complexes, now considered to be synchronous responses to subduction of the Pacific beneath the North American continent (Hamilton, 1978). In the east is the Sierran magmatic arc and batholiths (Fig. 19), in the center is the fore-arc (outer arc) basin into which the Great Valley sequence accumulated, and to the west in thrust contact beneath the Great

Valley sequence is the chaotic Franciscan melange (Fig. 20). East of the the Basin and Range Province was undergoing fluvial and lacustrine sedimentation and minor amounts of volcanic activity (Fig. 20).

This Andean-type subduction was responsible for numerous thrust faults which telescoped sedimentary fades throughout much of the Cordillera. These thrusts are especially well exposed in the Basin and Range Province. The

Sevier overthrust belt of Cretaceous to Eocene age was the largest of the Mesozoic thrust belts, and extended from southern Nevada northward into Canada (Fig. 4). Armstrong (1968) estimated about 100 km of eastward crustal short­ ening associated with the Sevier system. ORE6.

B o s i n o I Terrene

Ptovint Ml. Vol conic

,orc-!contintnt suture .* (Eorly Triottic)

-38'

Ponominl ^ *. Inyo MU.

Figure ig^Map shoving paleogeographle terranea of early Kesozole marine province o'f the was tern ' From Speed (1978 b). 4a Approximate limits of the Sierra Nevada batholith

Figure 19. Distribution of granitic rocks in the Siena Nevada J>atholith. (Source: Geological Society of America) 100 200 Kilometers

From Norris and Webb (1976).

4b "-ATE CRETACEOUS - TERT.ARV

EXTENSIONAL TECTONICS " FRANCISCAN BASIN AND RANGE PROVINCE . BLOCK FAULTING OLIGOCENE-RECENT

ALLUVIAL FANS LACUSTRINE SEDS ASH-FLOW TUFFS

PROTO SAN ANDREAS

PELONA OROCOPIA RIFTED-MARGIN BASIN

Figure 20. Paleogeographic map.

4c Event 5: Oligocene-Recent Continental Extension

Extensional tectonics has characterized the western United States since at least the mid-Oligocene (Fig. 21). During continental extension two dif­ ferent tectonic interactions occurred along the North American plate to the west (Zoback et al., 1981). The earlier extension occurred during eastward subduction, and revived arc volcanism. This extension is characterized by low-angle normal faults (Allmendinger, 1987). These faults may have been the result of gravitational collapse of a tectonically thickened crust (Coney and

Harms, 1984). In contrast, the typical basin and range morphology is charac­ terized by evenly spaced blocks, bounded by high-angle normal faults. These faults were produced during east-southeast extension that began 10 ma (Zoback et al., 1981). Several models exist to explain this later intracontinental extension (Fig. 22) (Allmendinger, 1987).

Continental extension allowed massive volumes of siliceous ash-flow tuffs

() to extrude and cover much of the Basin and Range Province to thicknesses up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) (Figs. 23,24,25) (Cook, 1965; Cook,

1968). These fractured, welded ash-flow tuffs (ignimbrites) form many of the hydrocarbon reservoirs in eastern Nevada (Bortz and Murray, 1979; Bortz, 1983,

1985).

During this same period of time large masses of marine graywacke, mudstones, and oceanic carbonate seamounts, that formed above a subduction zone, were being tectonically accreted on the western margin of northern

California (Fig. 20) (Tarduno et al., 1986). EXPLANATION! CONTINENTAL* AREAS

-30* Extensionoi foulf Strike-slip fault Arro#s indicate relative rnave - ment Dashed where inferred OCEAN AREAS

Spreading ridge Dotted where inferred

Trench or fracture zone Arrows indicate relative movement Dashed where inferred

300 MILES 20 300 KILOMETERS

120 110* t I Figure 21.Distribution of late Cenozoic extenslonal faults, najor strike-slip faults, «nd physiographic provinces In western North Aoerica and present-day lithospheric plate boundaries. From Stewart (1978). States: WA, Washington; OR, Oregon; CA, California; CO, Colorado; ID. Idaho; MT. tontana; VY. Wyoming; NV, Nevada; UT, Utah; A2, ; KM, few . Localities SRP, Snake River Plain: YE, Yellowstone.

From Stewart (1983).

5a Figure 22.Simplified models of Intracontinental extension. (A) Classic and model, (B) subhorizontal-decoupling- zone model, (C) anastomosing -zone or lenses model, and (D) crustal-penelrating shear-zone model

From Allmendinger et al (1987).

5b ^ ;t*iA*ts f^rte 4 l &~i£*t* A| ^ " 'i^g^ .. ^=4^ -. i

CALIFORNIA UTAH

. \ NEVADA I ARIZONA

100 kfh 43-34 m.y.

Figure 23. Distribution of 43- to 6-o.y.-old igneous rocks in Nevada, Utah, and parts of adjacent states. Proa Stewart and others (1*77).

From Stewart (1983).

5c N 1 / 1 / 1 1 1 V 1 I*)A *1 i .___J.__ -T 1 ____ -r 1 1 PACIFIC f V V ' ,' X, | NORTHWEST V V 1 1 s \ ARC X, 1 V V VOLCANISM If V ; V ^ 1 PACIFIC Y ? 1 V V NORTHWEST^? r v v\ _ Apr. i te. ',

PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOREARC BASIN SOUTHWARD MIGRATING INTERMONTANE VOLCANISM COASTAL BELT SUBDUCTION ZONE

REMNANT OF GREAT VALLEY FOREARC BASIN

SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST SIERRA ARC ARC NEVADA « VOLCANISM 1ATNOUTN \ PRE-SAN VOLCANISM V V V v v FARALUON V LOCAL BASINS SUBDUCTION V ,' V V V ,v v v OF COMPLEX v» v v CONTINENTAL V V |v V V BORDERLAND

45 MYBP v v v " Paleotectonic and paleogeographic sketch map Paleotectonic and paleogeographic sketch map of the Cordllleran 45 mybp In the Eocene. of the Cordllleran region 30 mybp In the Ollgocene. i - -\ i ^ ^^ - r I . -- ^ ^V^ »1 O. ID ** 1 > o»V v^ ! IU 2 * ^^^fc.^% ?- m . o < 1i *-<£?z S gR *^ V ^ L_. 1 -W *N C Z 1I G<££ilSl . __ ^«i < «> i i ?zfcw^» ^ § ffi i ( w w ^ z u<(tb z -, _j 3 >co 1 X i 8 E< V1 V) 1 0 % 1 O CD i 1 ^* ' x< § .yx K « 1 1 x<> , -r-A^V, ^ L -^3...... L..^^5^

s U B D u C f

« u E O

fe .

UOOD

Figure 25. Paleotectonic and paleogeographic maps. From Dickinson (1979). DIXIE VALLEY PLAY

Play Description and Type

During Middle Triassic times the Dixie Valley area (lat. 40°N. and long.

117°45 f W.) was the site of 2,000 feet (1,200 m) of carbonate sedimentation within a back-arc basin (Figs. 26-28). These marine carbonates belong to the

Star Peak Group (Figs. 29-32), and manifest themselves as a shoaling-upward,

seaward-prograding (westerly) basin-plain to platform-margin complex (Fig. 33)

(Nicols and Silberling, 1977). The Star Peak Group contrasts sharply with the unconformably underlying Lower Triassic Koipato Group, which is composed of

siliciclastics and volcanics. Likewise, the Star Peak also is much different

than the overlying Upper Triassic Auld Lang Syne Group, a sequence of metapelitic sediments and siliciclastic rocks (Nicols and Silberling, 1977).

Reservoir Rocks

Potential reservoirs in the Triassic rocks (ex. Favret Formation) could consist of carbonate turbidites and/or debris flows. However, whether or not significant amounts of mass-flow carbonates with good reservoir characteris­ tics exist is not known at this time. Other potential reservoir rocks would be in the platform-margin facies and dolomitized shelf-lagoon facies (Figs.

32,33) (i.e., Home Station and Panther Canyon members of the Augusta Mountain

Formation). However, this is speculative as these facies have not been evaluated for their reservoir characteristics. Another type of potential reservoir would be in the overlying densely welded and extensively fractured, MT'OO1 41*00* -.I:-:-:-:-;-:*:-:--:-***' N^ | t.

r-f^I^/VS^K J^' > i \j! /V>XJ gx *> \ N / /^ l<;- 1

\| ?\ /$\*ir#AmiM / Vi/ , \a J /?y^/

40*00'

uroo' IIT^O*

Figure 2 6 lnd« niap showing location of Star Peak Group exposures (heavy stipple) in and near the Sonoma Range one-degree quadrangle (outlined by lightly stippled border). Locatioa of maps shown in Figure ^ jure indicated by labeled rectangles.

From Nicols and Silberling (1977).

6a Ida.

DIXIE VALLEY

100 km

Figure 27 .^P shoving paleogeographic terranes of early Mesozolc marine and younger volcanic and intrusive rocks of the vestern Great Basin. Dash-dot line is isotopic 0.706 line. Speed (1983).

6b EARLY MESOZOIC

CARBONATE PLATFORM

100 KM

Figure 28. Paleogeographic map showing interpreted depostional setting for the Dixie Valley Play. Potential reservoir facies carbonate turbidites, debris flows, overlying prograding platform rocks, and fractured ignimbrites NW SE AULD LANG SYNE GROUP

CANE SPRING FORMATION

«,? o. SMELSER PASS MEMBER 3 II o PANTHER CANYON MEMBER

HOME STATION KOIPATO GROUP MEMBER UJ AND 0. HAVALLAN SEQUENCE H§

10 milts

10 kifomttrts

Figurc29 Diagrammatic cross section of the Star Peak Group trending southeasterly from the northern Humboldt Range through the soutben Tobin Range to the Augusta Mountain*. From Nicols and Silberling (1977).

6d EXPLANATION

ALLUVIUM ond GRAVEL

VOLCANIC ROCKS CENOZOIC

GRASS VALLEY FORMATION or Ul Z 0. < 0. J^ 3 CANE SPRING FORMATION $ 1" "^-low * »- HOS | SMELSER PASS MEMBER g Kot* VOLCANIC HOCKS *CC X -Hop T«pu 5 * PANTHER CANYON MEMBER 1 0 L 3 5 ? CONGRESS CANYON fe HOME STATION M (EMBER o D UPPE R ME MBER FORMATI °N 8 Ul 0 " O < 2 9 Q 55 M (A < O CO (ml I I E n L_J p n W liJ FOSSIL HILL £ c e Ipf 2 5 2 FORMATION | FOSS(L H(LL MEMBER § > * £ f~ 71 i W 1"*! FOSS.LH.LL MEMBER f LOWER^MBER

1 1

^ MIM DIXIE VALLEY Tkpl FORMATION z 1 1 ^ K H t Ul LOWER MEMBER TOBIN FORMATION 2 L. (O . rn 3

^P" CHINA MOUNTAIN FORMATION ! KOIPATO GROUP PALEOZOIC § .undifftrtntioUd

PALEOZOIC ROCKS undifftrtnlioMtf

STRATIGRAPWC « FAULT I SCCONtfcRY DOLOMITE CONTACT on Figure JW(facIng pages). Geologic maps of selected exposures of the Star Peak Group In A, southern Humboldt Range; B, northern East Range; C, northern Stillwater Range; D, western (other half of Figure 30 on next page) From Nlcols and Silberling (1977).

6e -40"I7'00"N

I 2000 tot II8'06'00"W lOOOfMf II7'50'00"W B «- SOO MOffM tMlMtTM

II7»27'30'W

40»36'00"N- - 40*IO'00MN

SOOmtHM

117'12' 30* W 4-

40-22'30"N - '(W ^ ^^:tf \ r^-^--^^ IA* J^**ORap VjR1 K y^ ^a^VTwy' V^ll ^(fc-N /rv **A-V3 v- <^ Ho. £^T^. ^ *V»A«^. « -40»02'50'N i-k/ KOOfMf

900 MOfrw SOOMtrt* 31. CWna Mountain; E, northern Augusta Mountains; F, northern Fish Creek Mountains. Sec - - . for locations. Arrow on map B delineates rocks included in the "Natchex Pass FormatJoa" of Ferguson and others (I95Ia). "

(other half of Figure 31 on previous page) From Nicols and Silberling (1977). 6f 32 Figure Time-stratigraphk correlation chart of the Star Peak Group at localities significant for stratigraphic nomenclature. Small circles represent occurrences of age-diagnostic fossils; stippled pattern indicates secondary dolomite; vertical ruling indicates stratigraphk hiatus, and diagonal ruling Indicates lack of data. From Nicols and Silberling (1977).

w»

BM0

Wmiig LATE ANIStAN EARLY LADINIAN MID LAWMAN

0 LATE LAWNtAN EARLY KARNIAN KARNIAN SUPRATIOAL V» VOLCANIC ROCKS

TERRIGENOUS UPLIFT AND CLASTIC ROCKS EROSION CARBONATE ENVIRONMENTS Figure^^ PaJeogeographk maps of the Star Peak Group at different times during its deposition. Set Figure 5 for series assignment of Triassic stages. Area of maps is approximatley that in Figure 1; L, Lovelock; W, Winnemucca; BM, Battle Mountain. The map patterns correspond to those on the conventional model of near-short carbonate environments shown beneath the tape. From Nicols and Silberling (1977). Art welded ash-flow tuffs (ignimbrites) of Tertiary age. The ignirabrites that occur in the mountain ranges surrounding Dixie Valley probably underly Dixie

Valley, and could be suitable as reservoir rocks. These same types of rocks form reservoirs in the oil fields of Railroad Valley in eastern Nevada (Bortz and Murray, 1979).

Traps and Seals

Both structural and stratigraphic traps could be expected if the Dixie

Valley Basin has undergone similar Cenozoic structural modifications as in other parts of the Basin and Range Province. In this respect, one would be employing an Eagle Springs oil-field model (i.e., the first oil field dis­ covered in Nevada), which utilizes both structural and stratigraphic traps

(Fig. 34).

A seismic profile across the Carson Sink Valley (Fallen Basin), ten miles

(16 km) west of Dixie Valley reveals an overall structural pattern similar to that in Railroad Valley (Figs. 35,37). It is quite probable that the struc­ ture of Dixie Valley would be similar to that of Carson Sink Valley (Fallen

Basin).

Source Rocks

The petroleum industry is attracted to this area because the Triassic basinal sediments may be potential source rocks (Bortz, 1983, 1985). The Fos­ sil Hill member of the Middle Triassic Favret Formation is a 600-foot-thick sequence (180 m) of dark-gray calcareous shale and lime mudstone which crops out in the mountain ranges flanking the northern part of Dixie Valley WEST EAST

j TRAP SPRING FIELD j I EAGLE SPRINGS RELD I

ShellEsgto Springs Unit 2

*yi 'i. ' f "F""""'T7 -* - -^, J i , J ^, T i *! ' hj ^ j . J , i ""j ~» \/ ! -J-gqa; -} Sea- level f-^4=^ P ^^s.'.»L.-,_J ' * '. j^r~T~^ -t, j- ^ -_V-,-' ^ ' _'1 -,' * -1.J -'.'- v-<^ 'J -\^50QO-. * '_- £ _.*'- .. *. - v» > .i 'i \ '.- .'N- ] i ^^' ^^? J '* .-.--I ' . '-T ' --J '' ' '-.!_ Gi 1 . r'.V'ES ~,- ; I . J-' \^ ^SAMfXTOMf UMES1 I >. I V 1 ; J-: i \ i ^sss 1 ' T 'I I , : I , T~

CM ROCKS Piodurt* r VR Vnitnlc nAcctcnct «ah«t * Of Moom. Scon. »nd LumwUn. 196S 1 Of Ml*iUilppl*n lo r«rmUn *ft

Figure 3A. Generalized crou section of Railroad Valley showing rock units and vitrinite reflectance values obtained on cores froa tvo veils*

» From Poole et al (1983).

7a Flgur* 3SGenerallzed geologic map of the Fallon basin compiled from Page (1965), Wlltden & Speed (1974), and unpublished geologic maps from the Southern Pacific Company.

From Hastings (1979). 7b CONTOUR INTERVAL 2000 FT. (610M) CONTOUR DATUM IS 3850FT. 11173 M) ABOVE SEA LEVEL

Figure -Subsurface structure conlour map of the northern Fallon basin drawn on the base of the Tertiary from reconnaissance Mlsmlc and gravity data.

From Hastings (1979). 7c STANDARD - AMOCO SEISMIC LINE 3 f LAND CO NO I KC U. Tf4N.H»« NC-73-2 1924 MI IlXV VK>0 U

SU L£WCL

£>^.-": 's;?1J^*/!**/??|-- "*' " -.

Figure -Seismic line NC-73-2. A. Is amplitude anomaly, B. the 'capping * event, and C. the base of the Tertiary as Inter­ preted from discontinuous setsmic events and gravity modeling.

From Hastings (1979).

7d (Figs. 30,31,38). This sequence contains ammonoids which, when broken open, commonly yield hydrocarbons (Figs. 39,40) (Nicols and Silberling, 1977, p. 21). If the Favret Formation is a good source rock for hydrocarbons, its presence beneath the Cenozoic fill in Dixie Valley is highly probable.

Cenozoic lacustrine sediments are also a type of potential source rock in the Basin and Range Province (Fouch, 1979; Fouch et al., 1979; Poole et al.,

1983; Poole and Claypool, 1984; Sandberg, 1983). In the Carson Sink Valley

(Figs. 38,41) 5,000 feet (1,525 m) of silts and clays have excellent source- rock potential, but temperatures and depth of burial suggest that only modest amounts of oil have been generated from these rocks (Hastings, 1979).

Potential source rocks in the Paleozoic have been analyzed for their thermal maturity. Data based on conodont alteration index (CAI) values suggest that the Paleozoic sediments in western Nevada have been intensely baked and have CAI values 4.5 (Fig. 42) (Epstein et al., 1977).

Depth of Occurrence

The depth of the reservoir targets are uncertain, but may be on the order of 5,000-10,000 feet (1,500-3,000 m) for Tertiary ignimbrites, and 10,GOO-

15,000 feet (3,000-4,500 m) for Mesozoic carbonates.

Exploration Status

At least a dozen geothermal wells have been drilled in Dixie Valley which range in depth from 3,000-12,000 feet (900-3,750 m) (Fig. 38) (Bortz, 1985).

The only well drilled as an oil and gas exploratory well is the Standard-Amoco No. 1 S.P. Land Co. (Sec. 33, T. 24 N., R. 33 E.). This is located in the T" /Dixie Valley Area Geologic Map 0 5 10

Figure ' Dixie Valley erea. Qs - Quaternary alluvial and playa deposits; Qb - Qua­ ternary ; TV - Tertiary volcanics; J*s - Upper Triassic and Lover Jurassic sediments and volcanic rocks; 1»c - Lower, Middle, and Upper Triassic (Tobln, Dixie Valley, Favret and Augusta Mtns. fos.); *k - Lower Triassic Koipato volcanic and clastic rocks; Tji, Ki, Ji, »i - Intrusives; © - Ceo- thenna1 well or test;A ~ Minor oil show; A - Minor gas show; A ~ Surface oil show. From Bortz (1983).

Figure * ' Concretion of calcareous mid stone ' Figure 40 Outcrop of the Fossil Bill aeaber from Triassic Favret formation in * of the Favret formation in the the August Mountains - chambers of Augusta Mountains. this ammonite contained liquid hydrocarbons.

From Bortz (1983). From Bortz (1983)

8a STANDARD-AMOCO S.P LAND CO. NO. I

WT ft ft WT ft ft C-L06 UTH TA1 Oftt. C ALGMTE C-LOG UTM TA1 0*6. C ALGMTC

« - * »S 3 0 I t 3 4 S O 80 CO t 15 5 Oil 4 ft o so eo

v 60000*

v vv

WOO1 METERS r 0 v

7.000' XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX X

V

8,000' xxx1 XX xxx xxx xxx 500 v MX*)' V VJLy v~, It v~ V XXX)'

V* ' - V V- ~vv V

0.000=; V V tOOO V V V SjOOO' - v_y V KXX1 XX V XXX V V V V IUXX)' » -*'"

v u on a«r V V »*»*LT

-Clectrlc log and llthotogic log of Standard-Amoco S.P. Land Co. *1. Thermal alteration Index values are from ditch samples, and weight percent organic carbon and percent alglnlte component values from sldewall samples.

From Bortz (1983). 8b THERMAL MATURITY BASED ON CONODONT ALTERATION INDEX VALUES (CAD

COLCONDA ROBERTS MTNS.

BAKED PALEOZOIC) SOURCE RX I CEOTHERMAL \ GRADCNTS \ OF~3HFU f-90" C/KM) WIDESPREAD V 3EOTHERMAL HEATING\

OK. GENERATION UMfT Of Ot PRESERVATION __ .CONDENSATE/WET 6A6 PRESERVATION LMfT NEC. as

Figure 42. Map showing thermal maturity of Paleozoic source rocks in Nevada. In general these rocks are supermature in western Nevada and submature-to-mature in eastern Nevada. Based on data in Epstein et al (1977) and Poole and Claypool (1984). 8c adjacent Carson Sink Valley (Fallon Basin) (Fig. 38). This well penetrated 11,000 feet (3,300 m) of Tertiary playa sediments and volcanics (Fig. 41). Oil and gas shows, including free oil in vugs at the top of a basalt core at 8,168 feet (2,490 m) were present in the well. Results of formation tests of selected intervals showed that reservoir rocks were absent (Hastings, 1979).

As discussed above, potential lacustrine source rocks are available, but they have not been subjected to sufficiently high temperatures to generate large quantities of hydrocarbons.

SELECTED REFERENCES

*

Allmendinger, R. W., Hauge, T. A., Hauser, E. C., Potter, C. J. Kleraperer, S. L., Nelson, K. D., Knuepfer, P., and Oliver, J., 1987,

Overview of the COCORP 40°N Transect, western United States: The fabric

of an orogenic belt: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 98, p.

308-319. Armstrong, R. L., 1968, Sevier orogenic belt in Nevada and Utah: Geological

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Bond, G. C., and Kominz, M. A., 1984, Construction of tectonic subsidence curves for the early Paleozoic miogeocline: Implications for subsidence

mechanisms, age of breakup, and crustal thinning: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 95, p. 155-173.

Bortz, L. C., 1983, Hydrocarbons in the northern Basin and Range, Nevada and

Utah, in The role of heat in the development of energy and mineral resources in the northern Basin and Range Province: Geothermal Resources Council Special Report No. 13, p. 179-197. Bortz, L. C., 1985, Hydrocarbons in the northern Basin and Range, Nevada and Utah: Oil and Gas Journal, p. 117-122.

Bortz, L. C., and Murray, D. K., 1979, Eagle Springs oil field, Nye County, Nevada, in Newroan, G. W., and Goode, H. D* eds., Basin and Range Sympo­ sium: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and Utah Geological

Association, p. 441-453. Churkin, Michael, Jr., 1974, Paleozoic marginal ocean basin-volcanic arc sys­ tems in the Cordilleran foldbelt, in_ Dott, R. H., Jr., and Shaver, R. H.,

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Cook, H. E., 1968, Ignirabrite flows, plugs, and dikes in the southern part of the Hot Creek Range, Nye County, Nevada, in Studies of volcanology:

Geological Society of America Memoir 116, p. 107-152. Cook, H. E., and Taylor, M. E., 1975, Early Paleozoic continental margin

sedimentation, trilobite biofacies, and the thermocline, western United States: Geology, v. 3, p. 559-562.

Cook, H. E., and Taylor, Michael E., 1977, Comparison of continental slope and

shelf environments in the Upper Cambrian and Lowest Ordovician of Nevada,

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10 Cook, H. E, and Egbert, R. M., 1981, Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician continen­ tal margin sedimentation, in M. E. Taylor, Short papers for the Second

International Symposium on the Cambrian system: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-743, p. 50-56. Cook, H. E., and Taylor, M. E., 1983, Paleozoic carbonate continental mar­

gin: Facies transitions, depositional processes and exploration models the Basin and Range Province: American Association of Petroleum Geolo­

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11 Epstein, A. G., Epstein, J. B., and Harris, L. D., 1977, Conodont color alteration an index to organic metamorphism: U.S. Geological Survey

Professional Paper 995, 27 p. Farmer, G. L., and DePaolo, D. J., 1983, Origin of Mesozoic and Tertiary granite in the western United States and implications for pre-Nesozoic

crustal structure, 1. Nd and Sr isotopic studies in the geocline of the

northern Great Basin: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 88,

p. 3379-3401. Fouch, T. D., 1979, Character and paleogeographic distribution of upper Creta­ ceous (?) and Paleogene nonmarine sedimentary rocks in east-central * Nevada, in Armentrout, J. M., Cole, M. R., and Terbest, H., Jr., eds., Cenozoic paleogeography of the western United States, Pacific Coast

Paleogeography Symposium 3: The Pacific Section of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, p. 97-111. Fouch, T. D., Hanley, J. H., and Forester, R. M., 1979, Preliminary correla­

tion of Cretaceous and Paleogene lacustrine and related nonmarine sedi­ mentary and volcanic rocks in parts of the eastern Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, Jjn Newman, G. W., and Goode, H. D., eds, Basin and Range Sympo­

sium: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and Utah Geological Association, p. 305-312.

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12 Hastings, D. D., 1979, Results of exploratory drilling northern Fallon Basin, western Nevada, in Newman, G. W., and Goode, H. D., eds., Basin and Range

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tectonic map of North America: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper

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p. 179-230. Poole, F. G., Sandberg, C. A., and Boucot, A* J., 1977, Silurian and Devonian paleogeography of the western United States, in Stewart, J. H., Stevens,

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16