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1963 Cenozoic Cyclic Deposition in the Subsurface of Central Louisiana. Louis H. Dixon Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Recommended Citation Dixon, Louis H., "Cenozoic Cyclic Deposition in the Subsurface of Central Louisiana." (1963). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 877. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/877
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DIXON, Louis H., 1912- CENOZOIC CYCLIC DEPOSITION IN THE SUBSURFACE OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA.
Louisiana State University, Ph.D., 1963 G eology
University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan CENOZOIC CYCLIC DEPOSITION IN THE SUBSURFACE
OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA
A Dissertation
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in
The Department of Geology
by Louis H. Dixon M.A., University of Texas, 19^1 August, 1953 ARKANSAS _ LOUISIANA I y * JACKSON Lr POSIMENT
S A B IN E % POSIMENT EXPLANATION SALT DOMES r*¥W»W / V© ® . m IB t " V / V ^ T „ \° 5;¥:SSsii 0 PROVEN m >1 LA SALLE -6- INFERRED i \ PCpMENT ,vi ^ ^ l-.
AREA OF THIS REPORT
CHENEYVtLLEX M S S I S SI PPI
EOLA
PINE ^V/LLE ^ S \S S IP P I PRAIRIE ® PLATTE. //////> PALEOGENE pcwr AKROTZy/Ly^ I ’ A/% - \ s p r IU g s ' ^ ^ >0^ .v
L g u l f w a r d 0
SHIFTING v<5 % W \\% 1 ^ neogevneo Nt£;
SCALE - MILES 0 10 2 0 3 0 4 0 S©
depocenters
SOME MAJOR FEATURES OF BASIN CONFIGURATION RELATED TO CYCLES OF DEPOSITION
FIGURE I ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Dr. C. O. Durham, Jr., Department of Geology, Louisiana State
University and Director of Research at the Louisiana Geological Survey, serving as Chairman of the Graduate Committee, directed this study.
Many of the ideas concerning interpretations of the data, herein pre sented, were developed during discussions with him. Other members of the Faculty who read this report and gave constructive criticism in clude Drs. H. V. Andersen, A. H. Cheetham, J. C„ Ferm, E. V. Howe,
J. P. Morgan and W. A. van den Bold. Dr. A. E. Sandberg gave assist ance in editing. Me*. E. G. Anderson gave freely of his time and as sistance throughout the entire project.
The Louisiana State Geological Survey, under the direction of
Mr. Leo W. Hough, furnished financial aid, electric logs, supplies, and technical assistance. Mr. Gerard 0. Coignet was particularly help ful in editing, and in supervising the drafting. Mrs. W. E. Stanfield and Mr. John D. Raybom, Jr., drafted the illustrations. Miss Frances
M. Mollere and Mrs. Floyd Brister assisted in typing and proof reading.
Messrs. William A. Falconer, Ralph J. Dobbins and John B. Thigpen made calculations for percent actual sand. Members of the Louisiana Depart ment of Conservation at Baton Rouge, Monroe and Lafayette gave access to their files.
Many geologists in the oil industry were free in their discussions and where company policy permitted, opened their files of electric logs reports, and maps, and supplied descriptive paleontological and litho- logical data. Mrs. Lorna S* Proctor assisted in plotting data and in typing. Messrs. Roman J. Matranga and John B. Echols participated in many discussions throughout the work program. The interest of Dr. and
Mrs. B. N. Sewell was largely responsible for the selection of the Gulf
Coast as a site for graduate geological research. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgment------iii
Abstract------— ------l
Introduction------if
Investigations of cyclic deposition------4
Geographic location and extent of mapped region------9
Procedure ------9
Location in the Gulf Coast geosyncline------15
Cycles of deposition------l8
Facies and environments------18
General relationships------18
Arenaceous facies------20
Marine Invasions------2 k
Shaly facies----- •------— ---- 32
Stratigraphic relationships------38
Basin configuration and adjustment------Mf
Basin subsidence------•------Mi-
General------Mi-
Major depocenters------k6
Cyclic rate of subsidence------M3
Basin adjustments of individual cycles------50
Growth of salt domes------5k
Structure------57
Interpretations------57
v Page
Conclusions and recommendations------60
References cited------6l
Vita------67
vi ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
Figure 1.— Map of Louisiana, showing some major features of basin configuration related to cycles of deposition------Frontispiece
2.--Depositional provinces of Gulf of Mexico and surface geology of northwestern Gulf Coastal Plain (after Lowman, 19^9)------5
3.--North-south cross-section showing facies in the Sparta and Cockfield (Yegua) cycles (after Lowman, 19^9)------7
— Generalized distribution and thickness of the Sparta arenaceous facies------8
5.--Generalized distribution and thickness of the Wilcox arenaceous facies ------12
6.--Generalized distribution and thickness of the Cockfield arenaceous facies------lh
7.— Creole Bluff near Montgomery, Grant Parish, (modified after Stenzel, 1939)------30
Where found
Plate I.--Central Louisiana Cenozoic cycles of deposition] composite log and strati- graphic column------In envelope
II.--Axes of posiraents and negaments during successive Cenozoic cycles of deposition in Central Louisiana, and comparison of trends of isopachous contours of cycles on the southeast flank of the Sabine posiment " "
III.— Isopachous map of the Sparta cycle of deposition, also showing percent are naceous facies " "
IV.--Comparison of the generalized isopachous map of the arenaceous facies, with percent sand of the Sparta cycle of deposition " "
vii Where found
Plate V.— Generalized distribution and thickness of the upper and lower shaly facies of the Sparta cycle of deposition------In envelope
VI.— Generalized distribution and thickness of the upper and lower shaly facies of the Cockfield cycle of deposition ------" "
VII.— Structure map of Central Louisiana contoured on the Cane River marl------" "
VIII.--Structure map of Central Louisiana contoured on the basal Vicksburg marl------" "
IX.— North-south stratigraphic section from La Salle posiment to Opelousas gas field -- " "
X.— North-south stratigraphic section east of the La Salle arch, showing lithoiogic gradations within Wilcox cycle of deposition------11' 11
XI.— East-west structural section from Sabine uplift across La Salle arch------
XII.— East-west stratigraphic section, showing thinning in the Cane River Formation over the southern end of the La Salle arch------"
XIII.— East-west stratigraphic sections on east flank of La Salle posiment, showing basal Catahoula arenaceous facies replacing Vicksburg marl and shale — "
XIV.— North-south stratigraphic section showing equivalency of basal Catahoula arenaceous „ facies and Vicksburg calcareous and shaly facies— — ------
XV.— Stratigraphic section at Port Barre salt dome, St. Landry Parish, indicating inferred fringing reef in Cook Mountain marl
v i i i ABSTRACT
Cenozoic sediments on the northwestern margin of the Gulf Coast
geosyncline characteristically comprise thick clastic deposits that range from an inland continental arenaceous facies, through a transi tional shoreline facies, into shallow marine shale offshore# They
are separated in cyclic repetition over regions of varying extent by thin marine calcareous beds#
In this study, made primarily by the use of electric logs, five major cyclic units that comprise essentially the sub-surface Paleogene
across Central Louisiana were investigated. The base of the oldest cycle is established at the top of the undifferentiated uppermost
Cretaceous-lowermost Paleocene calcareous sequence. In ascending order they are herein named the Paleocene-lower Eocene Wilcox cycle, which was terminated by deposition of the Cane River marl; the mid-Eoeene
Sparta cycle, terminated by deposition of the Cook Mountain marl; the mid-Eocene Cockfield cycle, terminated by deposition of the Moodys
Branch marl; the upper Eocene-Oligocene Forest Hill cycle, terminated by deposition of the Vicksburg marl and limestone; and the Catahoula cycle, terminated by the Anahuac Formation. This latest cycle extends into the Neogene, and cannot be separated readily from subsequent deposits within the study region.
Maximum thicknesses of the individual cycles range from over 7*000 feet in the Wilcox cycle to slightly over 1,000 feet in the Forest Hill cycle. The Sparta cycle and Cockfield cycle each comprises slightly
1 2
less than 2,000 feet; and the Catahoula cycle, though not studied in
its entirety, attains around 3,000 feet. The overlying younger Neogene
sequence in the mapped region exceeds the maximum figure above, and
dwarfs these figures by reaching over 30,000 feet thickness in South
Louisiana and offshore.
The shaly facies, which accumulated to maximum thicknesses in the offshore depocenters, is normally the thickest lithologic unit
of a cycle. Inland, high energy zones of more stable parts of the
shelf were generally covered by a thinner blanket deposit of the are naceous facies. This is evidence that maximum accumulation and subsi dence did not occur in individual "deltas" at the river mouths.
Interpretations, based on thickness of the individual cycles and
of the facies of these units, indicate that even though the basin under went appreciable changes from one cycle to the next, the Paleogene ex tensions of the major depocenters maintained their general position in the southern part of the mapped region, except that they progressively withdrew westward. As they withdrew, stability of the southeast Mis
sissippi posiment took their place, and by the end of the Eocene had entered into the southeastern part of the mapped region. Later, during the Neogene, this area and other parts of the study region became part of the depositional slopes that led gulfward to newly formed major depocenters.
Local adjustments during deposition centered around a few salt domes and domal structures in the south; and over structures that entered into the mapped region from the north, the Sabine uplift, the La Salle arch, and the Mississippi embayment.
Post-depositional Neogene adjustments, which accompanied major subsidence and deposition to the south and epeirogenic uplift inland, 3 comprise regional flexing to above sea level and non-growth faulting.
These resulted in a monoclinal dip to the south, the northern limit of -which is represented by the Angelina-Caldwell flexure and faults that extend across the northwestern corner of the study region on the south flank of the Sabine uplift.
Results of this study support the concept that sedimentation influences subsidence, but do not necessarily eliminate independently controlled crustal adjustments as a contributory factor. They also support the concept that major cycles of deposition represent the natural divisions of the Cenozoic on the northwestern margin of the basin. INTRODUCTION
INVESTIGATIONS OF CYCLIC DEPOSITION.— The accumulation of the large number of electric logs in the past 25 years from the numerous, wide
spread wells that have been drilled on the northern margins of the Gulf basin, affords an approach for making geologic interpretations that has been universally used in the petroleum industry, and to some ex-bent by
other workers. The use of these logs is advantageous, because they
graphically portray the cyclic reoccurrence of the basic lithologies of
thick sequences of sand and shale, and much thinner calcareous facies, which is characteristic of the Cenozoic subsurface sedimentary column
in Central Louisiana and adjacent regions.
Before the numerous wells were drilled and these logs and other techniques were introduced, geologic studies of the earlier workers in the Gulf basin, extending back into the past century, were primarily
concemed with defining the stratigraphic sequence and assigning age determinations. Much of this research was restricted to the incomplete
and limited sequences of the surface outcrops, particularly in the fos-
siliferous calcareous-argillaceous facies on the northeastern margin of the Gulf basin, where similar deposition persists today (fig. 2).
A large part of the current stratigraphic terminology was derived from these types of investigations.
Owing to unconformities and thinning in these updip localities, numerous problems have arisen in making regional correlations and in applying the stratigraphic nomenclature. Now, it is being appreciated that the results of earlier workers may be placed in perspective by pro- 5
f i i s a s
Figure 2.— Depositional provinces of Gulf of Mexico, and surface geology of northwestern Gulf Coastal Plain (after Lowman, 19^9)* jection into the three-dimensional regional subsurface patterns of the
Cenozoic sedimentary cycles. However, this realization is arriving slowly, and as yet revisions have not been made in the current geologic terminology to give proper emphasis to the cyclic sedimentation.
The cyclic nature of the Cenozoic deposits in the Gulf basin has 6 long been recognized, first by surface workers and then by the earlier workers in the subsurface. Therefore, many writers have made contri butions to this subject, soes of the more recent of which include Born- hauser (19^7) > Lowman (19^9) > Stenzel (1952A, 1952B, and 1952c), and
Murray (1952A, and 1961).
Lowman (l9b9t pp. 1971-1975) divided the Cenozoic of the Gulf basin into cyclic units, and discussed the facies and environments of each. One of his diagrams (fig. 3 of this present report) aptly il lustrates that in the middle and upper Eocene sequences, each thick clastic deposit ranged from a continental arenaceous facies, through a transitional shoreline facies, into shallow water marine shale. These clastic deposits are separated over regions of varying extent by thin calcareous beds in cyclic repetition.
Many geologists have also discussed thicknesses and volumes of the
Cenozoic sediments. Murray (1952B, and 1961) gave detailed descrip tions of these rocks, and made reference to publications of many other workers. In this present report isopachous maps of other workers are frequently cited; however, emphasis is placed on the thickness of in dividual cycles as delineated in this report, and of different facies within the individual cycles. Particular attention is drawn to the importance of selecting the boundaries of the cycles, which are placed in this study at the calcareous facies. Figure 3 clearly illustrates the utility of this choice.
This study investigates five such cycles that comprise principally
the Paleogene in Central Louisiana. However, the latest of these ex
tends into the Neogene and cannot be; separated readily from subsequent
deposits within the study region. In each case the cycles are herein
designated by the conventional name applied to the arenaceous facies 7
i3^ JACKSON sss:
YEGUA CONTINENTAL SEDIMENTS
Shallow water marine shale :
Figure 3.— North-south cross-section showing facies in the Sparta and Cockfield (Yegua) cycles (after Lowman, 19^9). they contain. The base of the oldest Cenozoic cycle is established at the top of the undifferentiated uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Paleocene calcareous sequence. In ascending order they are herein named Paleocene- lcwer Eocene Wilcox cycle, which was terminated by deposition of the Cane
River marl; the middle Eocene Sparta cycle, terminated by deposition of the Cook Mountain marl; the middle Eocene Cockfield cycle, terminated by deposition of the Moodys Branch marl; the upper Eocene-Oligocene Forest
Hill cycle, terminated by deposition of the Vicksburg marl and lime stone; and the Catahoula cycle. Plate I compares this scheme with cur rent stratigraphic nomenclature.
By utilizing the calcareous sequences to localize the top end bottom boundaries of these major cycles of deposition, a specific objective of this present study was to make the isopachous maps of the individual cycles, and separately of the shaly facies and of the arenaceous facies of these cycles. From these maps, interpretations were made about changes that occurred from one cycle to the next in such factors as the ARKANSAS i LOUISIANA
SHOWING GENERALIZED DISTRIBUTION AND THICKNESS
OF TH E SPARTA ARENACEOUS FACIES l"'W / 1 NATCHITOCHES t ISOPACH INTERVAL IN FEET •* ? L A s a l l e : X SABINE j v GRANT AREA OF THIS REPORT SPARTA OUTCROP
VERNON | RAPID ES
5 0 0 AVOYELLES / MISS IS SI PP
EVANGELINE 3 0 0 - A L L E N ST. LANDRY BEAUREGARD
, J " L L j-----
SCALE * MILES 0 10 20 30 AC 50
FIGURE 4 9 basin configuration, inter-relationships between it and distribution of the facies, environments under which the different facies were de posited, and direction from which the elastics were derived. Limited information that was available about subsidiary features that occur within the sediments, such as fossils, glauconite, lignite, dissemi nated carbonaceous matter, burrows, cross-bedding, and so on, was used to support environmental interpretations made from maps and cross- sections . From the results of these procedures it is possible to demon strate that the cycles of deposition, as herein defined, represent the major natural divisions of Cenozoic deposition in Central Louisiana.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AM) EXTENT OF MAPPED REGION.— This regional sub surface study was restricted across the breadth of Central Louisiana to a belt which comprises the area from Township 6 North to 6 South
(fig. 1; and pi. II). Thus the region, which extends about 72 miles from north to south and is over 135 miles in width, comprises over
9 ,0 0 0 square miles.
Parishes within the mapped region include Vernon, Rapides,
Avoyelles; the southern part of Sabine, Natchitoches, Grant, La Salle,
Catahoula, Concordia; and large parts of Beauregard, Allen,Evangeline,
St. Landry, and Pointe Coupee.
PROCEDURE.— The top and bottom boundaries of each cycle were placed within the calcareous facies at the most persistent marker determined from electric log correlations, rather than necessarily at either the base or top of this facies.
In dealing with the detritals, that portion of the clastic facies of a cycle that is essentially free of sand is designated the shaly facies (pi. I). The portion of the cycle that contains any well- 10 developed sand is designated the arenaceous facies. According to this usage, the term "arenaceous" is employed as an adjective to refer to
"rocks that contain sand", as defined by the American Geological In stitute (1957, p. 15). As used herein, the arenaceous facies generally contains both sand and shale, but any well-developed sand is absent in the shaly facies.
Per cent arenaceous facies of a cycle (pi. Ill) expresses the ratio of the thickness of this facies to the overall thickness of the cycle, as derived for each electric log. For example, at each locality the overall thickness of the Wilcox arenaceous facies represents a certain percentage of the entire thickness of the first cycle of deposition, and the Sparta arenaceous facies represents a certain percentage of the thickness of the entire second cycle of deposition, and so on.
Calculations were made to determine the actual amount of sand within the Sparta cycle, because all of the sediments within an are naceous facies are not sand. From these data a map of the Sparta cycle depicting percent actual sand (pi. IV) was drawn and used as a criterion to demonstrate the usefulness of the more readily obtainable map of the percent arenaceous facies of the Sparta and other cycles. Percent sand as shown on this map expresses the ratio of the total thickness of the
individual sand beds in the Sparta cycle to the thickness of the cycle, as derived for each electric log. Calculations of the percent actual
sand within the interval of just the arenaceous facies, instead of within the entire interval of the cycle, were not made for this regional
study, but they may be useful in some studies of local areas.
In determining percent actual sand, a datum of 7-3/4 millivolts
(negative) beyond the shale base line on the self-potential curve of the electric logs was arbitrarily set at the lower limit of a curve IX expressive of sand. Inflection points on this curve were picked at the top and bottom of each individual "kick" that registered above this limit in order to measure thickness.
Isopachous and percent arenaceous facies maps were made of each cycle, where complete, but in this study the Sparta cycle is used to represent a cycle of deposition of Central Louisiana and to illustrate the procedures that were used. Consequently, in this report more com plete maps of the Sparta cycle are enclosed, including an isopachous and percent arenaceous facies map (pi. Ill); a comparison of the gener alized isopachous map of the Sparta arenaceous facies with percent sand in this cycle (pi. TV); and generalized map of the upper and lower shaly facies (pi. V). However, generalized isopachous maps of the Wilcox and
Cockfield arenaceous facies (figs. 5 and 6 ) and for comparison with these, a generalized distribution and thickness of the Sparta arenaceous facies (fig. h), as well as a generalized isopachous map of the lower and upper shaly facies of the Cockfield cycle (pi. VI) in the mapped region are enclosed. Also, maps of other workers are included in order to demonstrate the broad regional relationships (figs. 2 , 3 , and 7 ).
Local and regional stratigraphic relationships are shown by means of cross-sections (pis. IX and X, and XII-XV). The regional structure is depicted on plates VII, VIII and XI.
From these data^ interpretations permit the identification of struc tural elements in the basin from one cycle to the next (pi. II). These features, as defined by Murray (1 9 6 1, p. 4), include negaments (negative elements, such as depocenters or their axes, depoaxes) that are identi fied by relatively thick sedimentary sequences; and posiments (posi tive elements, such as the La Salle uplift) that are identified by relatively thin sedimentary sequences. ARKANSAS LOUISIANA
SHOWING GENERALIZED DISTRIBUTION AND THICKNESS OF THE
') WILCOX ARENACEOUS FACIES r W 1 NATCHITOCHES f I f ISOPACH INTERVAL IN FEET 1 t ?LA SALLE S A B IN E J {. SKANT AREA OF THIS REPORT WILCOX OUTCROP 2
VERNON 4 0 0 0 RAPIDES
, AVOYELLES MISS ISSIPPI \ ft-* % c a -.\ < a ■x. I V Tfl \ 4 0 0 0 \ EVANGELINE 4707' ALLEN J ST LANDRY > f ^ BEAUREGARD o 4lfil
SCALE - MILES 0 10 20
^ '—•Probable lim it of unconformity at top of undifferentiated Tertiary-Cetaceous calcareous sequence on flanks of posiments, as inferred from electric log picks. ^
FIGURE 5 13
Cores and cuttings of "the limited number of wells available in the Louisiana Geological Survey sample collection were examined under the binocular microscope and correlated with the electric logs in picking tops and studying relationships between beds* Also, some descriptive lithologic and paleontologic data were donated by com panies in the petroleum industry, and many of the electric logs include these types of data*
As these correlations were made for a regional study and plotted
on a base map to scale of one inch equals 8 ,0 0 0 feet, commonly only the single deepest wildcat well in a section was examined* In oil and
gas fields usually only two to four of the deepest wells per section were used. After the maps were drawn, a list of 7^3 selected wells was compiled, usually including two wells per township for each map.
The serial number of these wells, and their sub-sea elevations of the
electric log picks of key horizons are shown on the maps, where appli
cable (pis. II, 111, VII, and VIII). On these same maps, commercial
oil and gas fields are indicated by shaded areas.
The electric log file of the Louisiana Geological Survey was re-
checked for the last time in December 19&2 to search for logs to fill
vacancies on the maps accompanying this report. Logs that have arrived
at this file since that date were not examined for this study.
Data included in this report and other material now in manuscra.pt will be presented to the Louisiana Geological Survey for publication.
The control data that was used is on open file at that agency. ARKANSAS
\ \ i j \ f I i LOUISIANA •i f, ! i_. j_ ._ f . ! i.-, \ ! 1 j " i SHOWING \ ! F- — A L ! _ __ J ' i GENERALIZED 1 . 1— r - L i ~ J I ,, V . > j i 1 DISTRIBUTION AND THICKNESS OF THE COCKFIELD ARENACEOUS FACIES
1 NATCHITOCHES f I ( ISOPACH INTERVAL IN FEET ] t--- ' ?LA SALLE SABINE : : i : ; GRANT AREA OF TH IS REPORT
COCKFIELD OUTCROP
VERNON R A P lfiF P
AVOYELLES J MISSISSIPPI
i i
, l o. R E G A R D ''fiV \;'R '/lA ndhT I C X s C 'D
3C^ ^
I j V A I \ A * b ' N 1 L
ic/^v K !AArA
SCALE * MILES
10 0 10 20 30 40 50
FIGURE 6 LOCATION IN THE GULF COAST GEQSYNCLINE
Central Louisiana constitutes a part of tlie Gulf Coastal Plain on the emerged northwestern margin of the Gulf basin (Map of Louisiana,, fig. 1 ; and fig. 2 ).
It is restricted by the Mississippi River on the east and the
Sabine River on the west. These and other rivers, which presently empty their sediment-laden waters into the northern margin of the Gulf of Mexico, comprise an extensive system that drains a large part of
North America.
The accumulation of a thickness of *4-0,000 to 50,000 feet, or more, of elastics on the northwestern margin of this basin, as shown by
Williamson (1959* fig. 1*+) and Hardin (1 9 6 2, fig. l), indicates that it was a major site of deposition during the Cenozoic. Earlier, Howe and Moresi (1931* PP« 86-92) stressed the tremendous thickness of these
sediments, and Barton, Ritz, and Hickey (1933®,PPo l*4-*46-1 *4-5 8 ) identi fied the area as a geosyncline. These early workers, and many others at that period, including Barton (1930); Howe, Russell, and McGuirt
(1935* p. 3*0; Howe (1 9 3 6; and 19*4-0); Russell (1936); and Fisk (1938, pp. 7 6 -8I; and 19*4-0, pp. 117-127), recognized the deltaic nature of
sediments on the northwestern margin of this basin.
Others, such as King (1959* P« 8l), more recently noted that this
is a particular type of geosyncline that receives its main source of
sediments from rivers that flow frcrn the continental side, and not frcm tectonic lands offshore, as was the case in the Appalachian geosyncline.
15 16
He also mentioned that the Gulf Coastal Plain is not especially mobile, and that in this region where the dominant crustal activity is slow subsidence, there are no significant earthquakes, and mountains have not developed from the geosyncline.
During the Cenozoic, the drainage basins of rivers discharging into the Gulf basin have comprised several major provinces of North America
(Murray, 1961, pp. 6-20). Uplifts at various times in these widespread source regions furnished varying quantities of elastics. Events, such as the Laramide orogeny in the Hocky Mountain region during the earliest part of the Cenozoic, and the widespread epeirogenic uplift during the
Neogene, are of major importance. It is obvious that the timing and geographic position of clastic deposition along the margin of the Gulf basin reflect on events in the source area. Although this is a pertinent matter that has been treated by other authors (Storm, 19^5> P« 1308;
Murray, 1955, P» 672; aacL 196l, PP» 6-20; and Todd and Polk, 1957j pp. 2560 -2562 ), the present study is more concerned with the relation ships between the cyclic influx of elastics and the basin of deposition itself.
The mapped region is strategically located on the northwestern margin of the Gulf basin to include extensions of the major depocenters of each of the Paleogene cycles along its southern limits (fig. l).
At various times during this period several structural elements extended from the north into the northern part of this study region with various degress of activity (pi. II; and fig, l). From east to west these in clude an axis of the Mississippi embayment, the La Salle arch, and the
Sabine uplift. The partial development of these structures is reflected in maps that are enclosed in this report. Although, the Sabine uplift is represented in the mapped region by just its southernmost extension, 17
it has a surface expression today in the Tertiary outcrops that pass through the northwest corner of the study region, therefore subsurface
studies in this report are naturally restricted to its southeast flank
downdip from the surface exposures.
During the late Eocene and Oligocene, stability associated with the southeast Mississippi posiment (plateau of Bornhauser, I9U7 ) ex tended into the southeastern part of the study region, which had previous
ly "been occupied by depocenters, Subsequently in the Eeogene the major
depocenters were concentrated basinward from the study area in south
Louisiana and offshore. The Angelina-Caldwell flexure, which marks the
inner limit of gulfward dip toward these features, extends through the northwest part of the study region (pis. VTI and VIII).
The area of this study comprises largely a domeless region that
lies between the northern belt of interior salt domes and the belt of coastal salt structures (fig. l). However, a few domes occur in the area of the depocenters in the southeastern part of this region. CYCLES OF DEPOSITION
FACIES AND ENVIRONMENTS
General relationships.— Stratigraphie patterns of the major facies of sand, shale, and limestone or marl Eire alone sufficient to portray the cyclic shift of environments of deposition on the northwestern margin of the Gulf basin during the Cenozoic (figs. 3* pis. II - VI, and IX - XIV). These indicate that environments, ranging from non marine to the north, through deltaic and marginal, into shallow marine to the south, moved intermittently back and forth, so that all environ ments were repeated in cyclic sequence within the mapped region.
The sequence of major lithofacies is best depicted along the margin of the basin, where the contrasts between maximum inundation and maximum regression are most pronounced. For this reason the Central
Louisiana region is ideal for the present detailed study of these varia tions. The major transgressions extended northward beyond this mapped region, which was repeatedly covered by epineritic environments, typi fied during the cyclic inundations by deposition of the calcareous facies. During major regressions clastic deposition ensued. This was characterized by a shaly facies offshore, and an arenaceous facies where continental and marginal environments extended. Although the arenaceous facies may comprise the entire clastic sequence of a cycle in inland areas, primarily north of the mapped region, intermediate areas are characterized by shaly facies separating the arenaceous facies from the calcareous facies. In this manner, in the intermediate regions one cycle contains two tongues of shale, and only one arenaceous and one
18 19 calcareous unit. In many places the contact between the shaly facies and the arenaceous facies is gradational and comprises a highly silty sequence that x’eaches maximum thickness of several hundred feet, parti cularly at the top of the lower regressive shaly facies.
According to this description, a repetitious sequence of four basic lithofacies comprises each complete sedimentary cycle in the intermediate marginal areas of the basin, as follows;
1 -Calcareous facies, inundation, slow deposition. A Upper shaly facies, transgression, waning supply of elastics.
3-Arenaceous facies, . . _ Cycle II regression, waxing supply o t ~ * i „ of elastics. 2-Lower shaly facies,
------1 -Calcareous facies, inundation, slow deposition.
^-Upper shaly facies, transgression, waning supply of elastics.
3-Arenaceous facies, Cycle I regression, waxing supply 2-Lowero t shaly n .r.facies, of elastics. V 1-Calcareous facies, inundation, slow deposition.
For utility in making regional correlations in this study, this four-fold division is not strictly applied. Instead, the cycles are divided within the inundatory phase by an arbitrarily chosen persistent calcareous marker. Thus the lower part of the inundatory calcareous facies is assigned to the preceding cycle, and the upper part to the succeeding cycle. Actually, because the calcareous facies within the study area is usually so thin, no purpose is served in preparing an individual isopachous map of this facies for a regional study. Instead, the limits of the interval assigned to the subjacent and superjacent shaly facies have been extended to the persistent markers that we__ arbitrarily chosen to separate the cycles. Inclusion of portions of 20 the calcareous facies with each shaly facies has not materially altered the pattern of their isopachous maps. This procedure effectively pro duces a three-fold subdivision of each cycle, namely: the lower shaly facies, which comprises the interval from the lower calcareous marker to the base of the arenaceous facies; the arenaceous facies; and the upper shaly facies, which comprises the interval from the top of the arenaceous facies to the upper calcareous marker.
Obviously, such a scheme is not desirable in areas where the cal careous facies attains considerable thickness. Such is the case in the southeastern part of the mapped region where there is an appreciable thickening of the Vicksburg marl and lime above the basal marker of the
Vicksburg marl that was used to define the base of the Catahoula cycle.
This calcareous facies can readily be mapped separately from the lower shaly facies of the Catahoula cycle to which it otherwise would be assigned.
Although the generalized pattern of all cycles is somewhat similar, variations naturally exist in such matters as thickness and extent of the lithofacies each contains. No single cycle in the Central Loui siana region displays all of the characteristics of an ideal cycle, but detailed analyses of each of several cycles allow their general charac teristics to be reconstructed.
Arenaceous facies.— The arenaceous facies extended very markedly basinward from the north during the cyclic regressions. However, there is considerable variation in their thickness and extent. The earliest
(Wilcox) (fig. 5) has a maximum thickness of over 4,000 feet, and inter fingers basinward with the shaly facies along the southern limit of the study area. The relatively thin Sparta arenaceous facies, less than
1,000 feet maximum thickness, and Cockfield arenaceous facies, about 2 1
1 ,2 0 0 feet maximum, terminate basinward in places within the study region (figs. ^ and 6; pis. Ill and XV ). That of the Forest Hill cycle does not even extend basinward into this region, except In its north western corner in and near the outcrop area. The combined thickness of the Catahoula arenaceous facies and subsequent beds amounts to over
1 0 ,0 0 0 feet in the mapped region.
The main area of sand deposition in a cycle was situated shoreward from the depocenters, which were sites of thickest accumulation, prima rily of the shaly facies. This interpretation of the distribution of the clastic facies in a cycle is supported by the earlier observations of Fisk (19*^ p. 6 l) concerning the Wilcox cycle, as follow:
"The lithologic uniformity of the Midway sediments and the fact that these deposits reach their greatest thickness just seaward of the thick centers of Wilcox sediments strongly indicate that the Midway beds represent 'pro-delta1 clays of the Wilcox delta. Upper Midway fossils have recently been discovered in Louisiana in beds long considered to be lower Wilcox. . . 11
Marked interfingering of sand and shale and gradations between the base of the Wilcox arenaceous facies and the Porters Creek shaly facies on the east flank of the La Salle arch in an extension of the Missisippi embayment are shown on plate X.
The outcrops of the Wilcox arenaceous facies in Sabine Parish on the southern flank of the Sabine uplift have been investigated repeat edly;' most recently by Andersen (i9 6 0). A few glauconitic fossiliferous marine units have been recognized within its deltaic sequence. Based on faunal evidence, Harris (1 8 9 9) correlated these with marine deposits similarly interbedded in the type Wilcox of Alabama. The Ostrea thirsae and Ostrae multilirata zone withon one of these marine units was used by Murray (1955> PP* 6 8 6-6 8 8) to mark the contact between the Sabine
Stage and underlying Midway Stage. 22
The faunal correlation of these marine beds between Louisiana and
Alabama suggests a widespread cyclic pattern of transgression and re gression during deposition of the Wilcox arenaceous facies. However, no supporting stratigraphie pattern was recognised on the electric logs. In fact, during the early stages of this present investigation considerable time was spent attempting regional lithologic correlations within the Wilcox arenaceous facies. This approach was abandoned when even such distinct subsurface units as the Big shale and Baker shale members could not be traced laterally over regional extent. Such a variable lithologic pattern suggests local marginal marine transgres sions, as the site of deltaic out-building shifted from place to place, much as now occurs in the Mississippi delta.
The pattern of the Sparta and Cockfield arenaceous facies pinching out basinward is clearly shown on the illustrations enclosed in this report (figs. 3, and 6 ). The isopachous map of the entire Sparta cycle, and the percentage of this total thickness represented by the arenaceous facies, are depicted on plate III. A generalized isopachous map of the Sparta arenaceous facies alone, together with the percentage of the thickness of the Sparta cycle represented by actual sand, are shown on plate IV. Although similar data were compiled for .the entire thickness and for the percent arenaceous facies of the Cockfield cycle,
only the generalized distribution and thickness of the Cockfield are naceous facies is represented here (fig. 6 ).
The arenaceous facies of the Catahoula cycle and younger sequence combined greatly exceeds the Wilcox in its thickness. Furthermore, be cause regression was more pronounced, the strand retreated basinward from the northern part of the mapped region, and has not returned. Basinward migration of the area of sand deposition accompanied the regression, 23 and has continued intermittently to the present. During this time a shallow marine transgression returned only once to the southernmost part of the mapped region, as evidenced by the occurrence of marine fossils in the Anahuac Formation, which constitutes the top of the
Catahoula cycle. These fossiliferous beds overlie Frio deposits, which represent the basinward equivalents of the Catahoula arenaceous facies.
In South Louisiana and offshore, thicknesses of the post Cata houla elastics are extreme, estimated to exceed 30*000 feet (William son, 1 9 5 9* fig- 13), and are frequently localized along flexure lines and growth faults. A known drilled thickness in this sequence of over 22,500 feet has been recorded (Butler, i9 6 0). A study of these relationships is beyond the scope of this paper, and is in itself a tremendous undertaking (Grigg, 1 9 5 6 Hardin and Hardin, 1961; Ocamb,
1961; and Paine, 1 9 6 2).
While these events transpired in South Louisiana along the re treating margin of the basin, offlap, associated with Neogene regional uplift, occurred in the study region. Even so, during the early phase of its deposition a maximum thickness of over 31,000 feet of elastics accumulated along the southern margin of the study region, the lower
3,000 feet, more or less, comprise the Catahoula cycle.
It is difficult to determine whether inland uplift, as conceived by Howe (1936, p. J+ll) is a characteristic feature of the regressive phase of all cycles, or whether it has occurred to a pronounced degree associated only with the Catahoula cycle and younger sequence, because of continent-wide epeirogenic activity during the Neogene. Stenzel
(1951, P P * 1820-1828) cited evidence in East Texas for topographic relief on Wilcox terrain, which was subsequently buried by Carrizo alluvial deposits. However, similar evidence of this uplift does not 2k extend basinward into the study region, where the Carrizo equivalents are considered to represent the undifferentiated upper portion of the
Wilcox arenaceous facies of this report.
Marine invasions.— Calcareous deposits that are associated with
.the periodic marine invasions in Central Louisiana are relatively thin
in contrast to the thick clastic sequences that separate them. Conse
quently, it is possible to observe a fairly precise pattern reflected
in the stratigraphic sequence of transgression, inundation, and re
gression produced by each marine invasion.
This is not the case in this region in the underlying Upper Cre taceous sequence. Although cyclic clastic influx was characteristic
of these beds farther northward in Worth Louisiana and South Arkansas,
it generally did not extend across the Central Louisiana study region, where instead, offshore calcareous-argillaceous deposition occurred.
In particular, the last Upper Cretaceous clastic influx, characterized by deposition of the Nacatoch sand, passed basinward into Selma chalk
and marl equivalents north of the mapped region (Kelly, 1961, pp. 15
and 19-2 1 ).
The lowermost Cenozoic Clayton (Kincaid) calcareous deposits are reported to overlie similar lithology of the Upper Cretaceous and to underlie the Porters Creek (Midway) shaly facies that represents the
outset of the first Cenozoic clastic infilling in and adjacent to
Central Louisiana (Murray, 19^8, p. 9l)> It is difficult to separate them in subsurface studies using electric logs, because uppermost Cre taceous and lowermost Cenozoic beds beneath the Porters Creek shale are lithologically similar, and generally the requisite micropaleon- tologic evidence is lacking (Andersen, i960, p. 51). However, the contact between these undifferentiated calcareous beds and the over- 25 lying Porters Creek shaly facies is readily identified and necessarily used in this regional study as the base of the Wilcox cycle.
There is evidence for considerable truncation of the calcareous sequence beneath the Porters Creek shaly facies on the southeastern flank of the Sabine uplift in the northwestern margin of the study region (Granata, 1982, p. 119)• Up to 200 feet of truncation were recorded in the present study. Similarly, less than 50 feet of the uppermost limy beds are also missing over a small area of the La Salle arch in the northernmost part of the mapped region. Figure 5 depicts the areas where this truncation can be demonstrated. Its presence and degree were estimated by comparison with electric logs from the wide spread areas to the south, where a more complete limy section is present beneath the shale.
In at least parts of the area of truncation, Porters Creek shale rests directly on Cretaceous limestone, and Clayton limy beds are mis sing. This is evidenced by the reported occurrence in the uppermost limes at 8 ,17k feet drilled depth of Globotruncana area, which is diag nostic of the uppermost Cretaceous Navarro Group, in the Magnolia Petro leum Company, Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Company No. 1, sec. 15, T. k N.,
R. 9 W., Vernon Parish. (Oral communication with, and letter of December
11, 1962 from, staff members of Mobil Oil Company.) Basinward, where additional lime beds occur beneath the shale, this diagnostic microfos sil, together with Clavulinoides cf. trilatera, and Robulus navarroensis, were first encountered at 1 8 ,2 5 0 feet drilled depth, which is 157 feet below the top of the hard, dense crystalline limestone sequence begin ning at 18,093 feet drilled depth, in the Magnolia Petroleum Company,
Ragley Lumber Company No. D-l, sec. 2 9, T. 5 S., R. 7 W », Allen Parish.
However, identification of this uppermost lime as Clayton is not verified. 26
An opposite interpretation of truncation is to assume replacement of lime by an earlier influx of shale in the more northerly areas.
However, still farther north in the direction of the presumed source of the shale, Clayton limes have been reported -widely in the North
Louisiana subsurface. Furthermore, no significant evidence of inter fingering between the limes and Porters Creek shale was detected on the electric logs in this region, and a disconformity between the
Cretaceous and Tertiary beds has been widely reported from surface exposures. Consequently, truncation over the Sabine and La Salle posi- ments seems a more reasonable interpretation. It is also logical to conclude that the Clayton was deposited only on the flanks of the areas of maximum truncation and was overlapped subsequently by Porters Creek shale. Conclusive evidence of these interpretations must await a de tailed regional study of this particular sequence.
Following the initial Wilcox clastic influx during the early Ceno zoic, the Cane River Formation represents the first major marine in vasion. Without relating this formation to cyclic deposition, Hussey
(19*4-9j pp. 111-113), from an examination of cores from Grant Parish north of the mapped region, recognized the natural threefold division of the Cane River Formation, as well as the transition zones at its top and bottom. His divisions comprise the following generalized units:
-Transition zone -Upper chocolate-brcwn to gray-brcwn lignitic shale -Middle glauconitic marl, that grades downward into: -Lower glauconite and quartz sand with thin shale partings -Transition zone.
He also gave a more detailed description of the continuous set of cores of the Cane River from the C. M. Bowers et al, Morrison No. 1, l,*4-36 feet to 1,656 feet, sec. 2*f, T. 9 N., R. 1 W., Grant Parish, as follows with youngest at the top: 27
Feet, approx. -Transition zone------10 to over 100 Lignitic sand and shale, very sparingly fossiliferous.
-Shale— 2 k Lignitic, silty, grey-brown to chocolate brown, glauconitic content increasing with depth, very fossili- /Regression/" ferous, characterized by Cyclaxnmina caneriverensis.
-Shale------10 Gray-green to dark green, pockets of greensand, very fossiliferous, Lamarckina claiborensis.
-Greensand marl ------31 /inundat ion/ Siltstone and shale partings, becoming more sandy with depth, very fossili ferous, Discocyclina advena. (Ostrea lisbonensis and Siphonine11a parva are reported from the surface"/)
-"Salt sind pepper sand"------29 With well-developed green shale partings and thin gray-green silt- stone beds; considerable pyrite in lower part, becoming more quartzose with depth, fossiliferous; Bifarina turriformis in upper part, Asteri- gerina texana prolific in lower few feet.
-Transition zone 80 /Transgression/ Sand, quartz, non-fossiliferous, lignitic, slightly glauconitic, considerable pyrite and mica 7 feet. Shale, fossiliferous, gray-brown, some sand and glauconite; fauna similar to that in upper shale member of formation 3 " Sand, non-fossiliferous, lignitic, pyrite, micaceous; very little shale 2 " Shale, fossiliferous, gray-brown, lignitic, some glauconite and quartz sand------’k " Gumbo-shale, tough, seme glau conite, quartz sand, lignite, and mica; cuttings from here to bottom of well------— 6 k " 28
He noted (p. 113) that the same foraminiferal species that occur in the upper chocolate-brown clay and in the lower clay (in the upper part of the lower transition zone) do not occur in the marl and green sand. These species probably favored the turbid waters during the transgression near the end of the Wilcox cycle and again during the regression near the beginning of the Sparta cycle, but were not present in the clearer waters of the inundation in which the glauconitic cal careous facies was deposited. According to the procedures of this report, the boundary between the Wilcox cycle and the overlying Sparta cycle would be placed within this calcareous facies.
In similar fashion, deposition resulting from the next succeeding marine invasion, the Cook Mountain Formation, has been subdivided into the following significant members by Huner (1939> pi* 3) from Winn
Parish surface outcrops north of the study area:
Thickness, feet Cockfield Lower part Alternating shale and Formation sand, non-fossiliferous-— incomplete
Little Alternating shale and Natchez some sand, sparingly fossiliferous------50-70
Saline Glauconitic, fossili Cook Bayou ferous shale, contain Mountain member ing ironstone------20-35 Formation Milams Glauconitic, fossili member ferous marl and clay--- - 25-55
Dodson Glauconitic, fossili member ferous sand------— l*-25+
Sparta Upper part Chocolate brown ligni- Formation tic shale and some sand— Incomplete
The Milams member represents the inundatory phase of the Cook Moun tain marine Invasion, and would consequently provide the boundary be tween the underlying Sparta cycle and the overlying Cockfield cycle, as 29 delineated in this report.
Surface exposures of the next succeeding marine invasion, the
Jackson, are best displayed at Montgomery Landing on the Red River in Grant Parish about six miles airline north of the study area.
Here Stenzel (1939, PP* 88l and 903i and fig. 7 of this report) named the partially glauconitic silty and sandy clay beds of the upper Cock field Formation the "Creoia member", and noted that they were overlain disconformably by the Moodys j/Branch/r marl. He considered this dis- conformity to have regional extent and significance, and to have been produced by the scouring action of the surf associated with the trans gression of the Jackson sea (pp. 86 1-8 8 3). The over3.ying Moodys jBvaxich/ marl is only about five feet thick and grades from a con glomeratic fossiliferous marl at its base to a thin limestone bed at its top. It is overlain by the Yazoo clay lithology with a few inter- bedded thin limestone beds (Tullos member of Fisk, 19 3 8, pp. 98 and
99)* Because the inundatory limestone at the top of the Moodys Branch marl is separated from the marine disconformity at its base by only a few feet, rapid marine transgression and inundation are suggested.
This seems to be the pattern in all of the Cenozoic marine cycles that were studied.
There has been much discussion concerning the stratigraphic signi ficance of such transgressive disconformities, as the one at the base of the Moodys Branch marl. (See review of this subject by Durham and
White, i96 0, pp. 107, 123 and 12h.) Treadwell (195*0, who studied this contact farther west in Sabine Parish concluded:
'Limnic deltaic Cockfield deposits directly underlie Moodys Branch sands throughout most of the parish and are in places penetrated by borings filled with Moodys Branch material. However, marine and marginal- LIMESTONE
LIMESTONE
Y A Z O O C L A Y CTULLOS MEMBER) LIMESTONE
to m
LIMESTONE BENCH MOODYS MARL REGIONAL DISCONFORM1TY ( D I k 3 T E M ) BASAL CONGLOMERATE
GLAUCONITE
CREQIA MHiBER
( 3 ? feet thick)
YEGUA FORMATION
CANNON BALL CONCRETIONS
• '._L v <•••••- - .1 '•'/ 'LA ' - :>\ ••
“ _ - ~ - ~
EUCOIDS
LIGNITE
Figure 7 .— Creola Bluff near Montgomeryf Grant Parish (modified after Stenzel, 1939)* 31
marine Creola beds are prominent directly below the Moodys Branch in the southwest part of the parish*.. There, the Creola is a light gray marl containing microfossils and a few shell fragments. Pockets of glauconitic, fossiliferous sand occur in the upper few inches (p. 2 3 1 3 )...
The Moodys Branch-Cockfield contact exhibits several variations in Sabine Parish. Nevertheless, available evidence suggests there was a break in most places between deposition of these two formations. This interruption was small and in Sabine Parish should be considered diastemic (p. 2 3 2 0 )...
Slabs of Cockfield material, pebbles, boulders, and reworked shells...form basal concentrates here and there /in the basal Moodys Branch/...In connection with these are noted the first similarity between certain Recent deposits and the basal Jacksonian. The St. Bernard sub-delta of the Mississippi River is situated north of the present area of active deltaic sedimentation...As it is no longer receiving sediments, and is subsiding, it is rapidly being destroyed by waters of the Gulf of Mexico...
The Chandeleur Islands are a series of beach ridges moving landward over the remnants of this sub-delta. On these islands unindurated slabs of delta silt are commonly found with sand and shell. In addition many irregular well-indurated sandstone and limestone boulders are present. These slabs contain shells, shell fragments, wood, and other organic remains (p. 2317)...
Similar conclusions were reached by Stenzel, et al., (1957) con cerning the relationships of glauconitic fossiliferous beds (Stone City or Dodson) within the upper Sparta cycle to the overlying inundatory
Milams Cwheelock) marl of the Cook Mountain invasion. Thus, it seems that lagoonal, brackish or marine embayment facies are a normal occur rence in the transgressive sequence of a cycle of deposition, prior to the invasion of the open sea. The transgressive marine disconformity underlying the deposits of the inundatory phase may thus rest on these earlier marine beds of the embayment or else directly on a non marine deltaic complex.
The latest major cyclic inundation of the mapped region Is evi- 32 denced by the occurrence of the Vicksburg marl. It is generally thin, less than 50 feet thick, in the northern part of the study region. Locally in that area, it is replaced by basal beds of the
Catahoula arenaceous facies on the flanks of the La Salle arch
(pis. XIII and XIV). In the northwestern part of the mapped region where the Vicksburg crops out on the southeastern flank of the Sabine uplift, the calcareous facies is also replaced by shale and sand.
Contrary to the calcareous facies of the earlier cycles, which present general patterns of basinward thinning and lose their identity in the calcareous-argillaceous sequences, the Vicksburg marl attained appreciable thickness, maximum of 620 feet, in the southern part of the mapped region. However, because the thickening occurs in the upper part of the calcareous facies, the persistent basal marker that was used as the base of the Catahoula cycle can be correlated in this area. Even though marked gradations and interfingering occur between the calcareous facies and the overlying shaly facies on the margins of the thickest lime and marl deposits, this calcareous facies can be mapped separately and is not assignable to the shaly facies in this particular area.
The shaly facies.— During clastic infilling in each cycle, coin cident with winnowing in the high energy zones of the stable shelves, the finer detritals, which comprise the shaly facies, were continually transported basinward and accumulated to maximum thicknesses in the more rapidly subsiding offshore depocenters. In these depocenters the shaly facies reached maximum thickness for the entire cycle. In some instances the arenaceous facies extended basinward into these depo centers, usually during the later stages of clastic Influx, but most, and frequently all, of the clastic deposits of the depocenter consist 33 of the shaly facies.
Simultaneously, maximum thickness of the arenaceous facies ac cumulated in deltaic and inland areas. Although in many places it exceeds 1 ,0 0 0 feet in thickness, nevertheless, it is characteristi cally thinner than the corresponding offshore shaly facies. That is to say, maximum thicknesses of the entire cycle did not develop at individual "deltas" at the river mouths, but instead accumulated in offshore depocenters that received primarily the shaly facies from the mouths of many rivers and from reworking by marine agents of many diverse deltaic deposits.
Even during the cyclic inundations, deposition of the finer elastics seems to have continued in the offshore depocenters, although probably at a slower rate. This is evidenced by the calcareous mar kers becoming disguised in the argillaceous-calcareous sequences that are characteristic of the depocenters in the southern part of the mapped region, Because a shoreward source of this argillaceous material during successive inundations seems unlikely, it is inferred to have originated in distant regions to the west, where cyclic de position was not in rhythm with that in Central Louisiana. In the absence of well-defined calcareous facies intercalated in the shaly facies, precise cyclic boundaries cannot be established. Because this situation normally occurs basinward from the area of arenaceous deposi tion, a continuous shale sequence embracing several cycles results.
Marked variations in thickness in the shaly facies occur within a cycle, and among the various cycles. Variations In thickness within the shaly facies of a cycle are particularly obvious in the Forest
Hill cycle, which has also been noted to be unique, because its are naceous facies did not generally extend into the mapped region. In 3^ this cycle a maximum thickness of the shaly facies (over 1 ,0 0 0 feet) occurs in its depocenter in the southwestern corner of the mapped region in Beauregard Parish (pi. II). To the east it gradually thins to less than 10 feet thick in the southeastern part of the study region near the "boundary between St. Landry and Evangeline Parishes.
This thinning may be demonstrated by east-west subsurface, traverses by use of the electric logs across the southern part of the mapped region, and it also shows on north-south traverses (pi. XIV).
Variations in thickness also exist between the thicker lower (re gressive) and thinner upper (transgressive) shaly facies in inter mediate regions of the basin margin, where arenaceous facies separate these units. An extreme example of this variation is represented by the Wilcox cycle in the Magnolia Petroleum Company, Ragley Lumber
Company No. D-l, in western Allen Parish. There, the lower shaly facies comprises 2 ,7^0 feet drilled thickness, a maximum thickness in the study region; whereas, the upper shaly facies is only 175 feet thick. This well is on the inferred northern margin of the depo center of the Wilcox cycle, and the arenaceous facies (comprising
U,351 feet) is thicker than the shaly facies. Because of depth of burial, complete detailed well control is not available. However, electric logs of wells in adjacent Beauregard Parish indicate that the Wilcox arenaceous facies in this region rapidly grades basinward to shale. A very short distance to the south the shaly facies should exceed the arenaceous facies in thickness, or else replace it com pletely.
Variations in thickness between the lower and upper shaly facies of the Sparta cycle and of the Cockfield cycle are depicted on plates
V and VI. On these maps the broad, rather smooth isopachous contour 35 lines of the lower regressive shaly facies shew a gradual thickening from less than 100 feet in the northern part of the mapped region to over 800 feet in the Sparta cycle and over 1,100 feet in the Cockfield cycle in the southern part. Thus, a much thinner accumulation of re gressive shale after inundation was required to produce sufficient shoaling to support sand deposition inland near the source of clastic supply than basinward. This may reflect on a more rapid rate of sub sidence basinward, as well as the greater length of time that ensued prior to the extension of the arenaceous facies into these basinward areas.
The upper transgressive shaly facies in a cycle, as herein inter preted, is thought to have been deposited after maximum outpouring of detritals and infilling of the basin, and at the beginning of a major advance of the sea back over previously exposed surfaces. Isopachous contours of this facies show a regional pattern of alternating thin and thicker tongues extending here and there almost across the entire mapped region. This pattern of the Cockfield cycle extends farther to the south than does that of the Sparta cycle. Each suggests that near the end of a cycle, deltaic and other marginal deposits had ex tended nearly across the mapped region, and that a mosaic of braided distributaries and interdistributary basins was present. Sand de position persisted longest in association with the active distribu taries, while thicker shale tongues accumulated in the interdistributary basins.
In local areas the shaly facies tends to thin or.be missing over posiments, apparently due to concentrated winnowing, and the calcareous facies also thins or disappears locally (pis. IX, XI, and XII). In such areas, the arenaceous facies of one cycle tends to pass directly 36 into the arenaceous facies of the next cycle. For example, in the subsurface at the Big Island oil field, Rapides Parish, expressions of the thinned Cane River calcareous and shaly facies between the
Wilcox arenaceous facies and the Sparta arenaceous facies are less conspicuous on the electric logs than shaly intervals stratigraphi- cally lower within the Wilcox cycle in other areas.
Hussey (19^9* PP« 112 and 113) also noted that thinning occurs in the marl member of the Cane River and that the rest of the forma tion becomes more sandy from the subsurface in Grant and La Salle
Parishes to the outcrops to the north in Bienville Parish. That lithological change, he suggested, seems to indicate nearness of the old Cane River shoreline, landward of which the Cane River beds should not be different from the overlying Sparta or the underlying
Wilcox sand. Similarly, thinning in the Cane River calcareous and shaly facies on the east flank of the Sabine uplift, suggests that the contact between the Wilcox and Sparta arenaceous facies should be difficult to differentiate, where present, over this structure.
STRATIGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIPS.— Many authors have noted the potential value of Cenozoic cyclic sedimentation in stratigraphic classifica tion. Lawman (19^9* P- 1967) observed that the Tertiary cyclic units seem to represent the most basic generalization of Gulf Coast stra tigraphy, but that none of the named surface or subsurface units includes all of the members of a cyclic sedimentary unit. Murray
(1952 A, p. 7 3 ) presented the concept that:
"These cyclic sequences are believed to represent natural divisions of the Gulf Coast Tertiary and accordingly, should form the bases for differentia tion of the sediments into time-rock units...Stages so conceived are material time-stratigraphic units embracing all the rocks deposited during a major advance and retreat of the strand..." In spite of these observations, major Cenozoic stratigraphic subdivisions currently in use in the Gulf Coast province still do not coincide with the sedimentary cycles. Thus, the Wilcox cycle has been subdivided into the Midway and Sabine Stages, the boundary between these two generally being placed within the arenaceous facies; whereas, the next succeeding Claiborne Stage comprises two major sedi mentary cycles, the Sparta and the Cockfield. Each of the succeeding tvro major marine invasions is designated a separate stage or group, the Jackson and Vicksburg, respectively, so that there is closer agree ment between stratigraphic subdivision and cyclic sedimentation in these instances. The overlying ITeogene clastic sequence has been variously subdivided, frequently by attempting to utilize and emphasize the epoch boundaries between the Miocene and Pliocene or between the
Pliocene and Pleistocene, or else in basinward areas by utilizing cyclic subdivisions, such as Frio or Anahuac.
There has also been considerable variation in the choice of bounda ries between cycles. Stenzel (1952B) emphasized the importance of two major regional disconformities within each complete cycle, a non marine hiatus associated with maximum regression and inland emergence, and a disconformity that was produced by surf scour associated with marine transgression. Thus, each sedimentary cycle is divisible into half cyclothems. In practice, the boundaries of major stratigraphic subdivisions have usually been placed at one of these disconformities; although, there has been no uniformity in the choice.
Consequently, the Claiborne-Jackson contact is conventionally placed at the transgressive marine disconformity at the base of the
Moodys Branch marl. The base of the Claiborne, however, in Texas and
Louisiana has been placed at the base of the Carrizo sands by most 38
authors stressing the non-marine disconformity and at the top of the
Carrizo by others who stress the transgressive base of the marine in
undation (Murray and Thomas, 19^+5> PP» 66-6 7).
Advantages and disadvantages are associated with the use of each
type of disconformity. The non-marine hiatus is likely to represent
equivalent time throughout its extent, but it is usually overlain and
underlain by arenaceous facies that makes its recognition difficult.
In addition, it does not extend very far basinward before passing into
a continuous arenaceous sequence.
The transgressive marine disconformity is only a diastem, which
is progressively younger inland. It is easily identified, except where it is underlain by embayment marine beds. It also disappears basinward into transitional sediments.; although, it extends as far
as the outer limits of deltaic outbuilding, beyond which marine condi
tions prevail from one cycle to the next.
This present study separates the cycles at a persistent marker within the calcareous inundatory facies. This is advantageous, because
each represents a turning point between intermittent major periods of
clastic infilling. These occur in a continuous cyclic process of tec
tonic uplift and erosion of source areas, associated with subsidence
and deposition in the basin. These boundaries furnish a natural frame work in which the thickness of each individual cycle and its lithologic
facies may be analyzed and compared with those of other cycles. These
natural boundaries are especially useful, because they are readily re
cognizable on the surface and in the subsurface over broad, but never
theless, restricted regions.
Limitations and disadvantages in the use of these calcareous
boundaries are also present. It was previously noted that basinward 39 in the regions of the offshore depocenters, the calcareous facies thin and tend to lose their identity in a continuous argillaceous- calcareous facies. Inland they thin and are replaced by argillaceous and arenaceous facies. However, Stearns (1957* P« 1099) within the upper Mississippi embayment identified the inundatory "stillstand" preceding the Wilcox clastic influx by widespread glauconite and phosphatic material, associated with a slight rate of deposition.
The consideration of variations in tne cyclic sequences both in time and place is also pertinent. Minor cyclic patterns are super imposed on the major cycles already discussed. These are particularly noticeable in the thicker arenaceous facies. Tnus, there are several minor oscillations in the overall regressive pattern of the Weogene deposits, some of which are characterized by transgressive marine wedges. Of these, tne Anahuac Formation is the only one that extends
into tne mapped area, and Lowman (l9*+9, P* 197o) considered it to mark
one of tne major cycles, and it is utilized in this report to form the
upper boundary of the Catahoula cycle. However, it does not provide the distinct cycle boundary of the other inundatory facies, because
its calcareous facies does not extend northward into the study region.
Murray, et al, (19^5* P* 5^) emphasized the cyclic nature of the
smaller stratigraphic units within the Wilcox arenaceous facies. Al though, these are seemingly quite variable, the more prominent trans
gressive marine units correlate generally with those in Alabama, as discussed above (p. 21; and see Durham and Smith, 1958> PP» 5-8).
Actually, the intermediate Sparta, Cockfield, and Forest Hill
cycles are of lesser prominence than the initial Wilcox cycle and the
ultimate post-Catahoula sequence. Therefore, an alternate scheme to
a five cyclic subdivision consists in emphasizing a pattern of two 1*0 major cycles, in which the main ebb in clastic influx is placed in the
Jackson-Vicksburg sequence. In fact, to the east in Alabama the Wilcox
and upper Neogene are essentially the only major clastic sequences.
To a lesser extent this is true in the mapped region. The Forest Hill
arenaceous facies, which separates the underlying Jackson and overlying
Vicksburg marine beds in Central Mississippi is absent generally,
except along the outcrop belt where its thinned westward extension was
designated the "Sandel Formation" by Delaney (an unpublished manu
script, p. 1 3 )*
To the west in Texas, closer to major source areas, conversely
to conditions in Alabama, the Moodys Branch marl grades to sand (Sten-
zel, 1939j P» 86l), and the Vicksburg sequence is represented by an
arenaceous-argillaceous facies. Consequently, in that region sands
extend discontinuously from the Cockfield cycle through equivalents
of the Forest Hill cycle into the Catahoula cycle of this report.
The westward disappearance of the Vicksburg marl in the western
part of Central Louisiana occurs farther east than the similar change
of the Moodys Branch marl. Consequently, in the northern part of the
study region the separation of the arenaceous facies of the Forest
Hill cycle from that of the overlying Catahoula cycle is difficult.
For this reason, the Sandel sand is apt to be identified as the lower
most sand of the Catahoula arenaceous facies, and in effect the Cata
houla cycle is extended downward to embrace the Forest Hill cycle
in that area.
The Queen City Formation, a lower Claiborne arenaceous facies in
East Texas, presents a similar problem* It occurs below the Weches
Formation and overlies the Reklaw glauconitic clay, which separates
it from the underlying Carrizo and Wilcox sands. The Reklaw and Queen h i
City are not recognized in Central Louisiana, and consequently, their relationship to cycles of this study is not clear. However, if
Hussey's (19^9* P» 110) correlation of the Cane River marl with the
Weches greensand is correct, the Queen City represents an arenaceous facies that does not extend ’basinward into Central Louisiana. Con ceivably, it might be regarded as a separate major cycle in East
Texas, but in this study it is considered a generally undifferentiated portion of the upper part of the Wilcox cycle.
The preceding discussion indicates that the cyclic sequences, so clearly exhibited in Central Louisiana, do not extend throughout the
Gulf region, 'Furthermore, establishing boundaries within the inundatory calcareous facies, so advantageous in this particular study, has limi tations. To the east, where calcareous facies comprise the major part of the lithology, owing to eastward thinning or disappearance of the elastics, subdivision of these sequences along thin clastic beds or disconformities that separate the thicker marine calcareous formations is more logical.
Even where the stratigraphic pattern lends itself to subdivision within the inundatory phase, this procedure places the cycle bounda ries within well-established marine lithofacies and biofacies, such as the Cane River and Cook Mountain Formations. Thus, historical faunal zones are assigned in part to the terminal phase of a preceding cycle, and also to the initial phase of the succeeding cycle. In paleontological studies this would be an inconvenient handicap, which illustrates the fact that no single scheme of stratigraphic classifi cation seems adaptable for all purposes.
A more serious difficulty arises when faunal and electric log correlations are contradictory. In the southeastern part of the mapped k2 region such a problem exists in correlating contacts in the Jackson and Vicksburg sequences. As this area is approached from the north or west a gradual thinning is apparent in elastics of the Forest Hill cycle. This thinning occurs throughout this interval, rather than being localized at any one horizon. In parts of this area, as these elastics thin, the overlying calcareous facies thickens and reaches a maximum of over 600 feet, as noted above. This calcareous facies, which is recognized as the Vicksburg marl in other parts of the mapped region, comprises a continuous sequence that is readily correlated on the electric logs into the area of thinning in the underlying Forest Hill elastics. The basal part of the calcareous facies in which the Vicks burg marl marker is set, seems to remain stable, whereas the build-up of lime occurs in the upper beds. On the flanks of the areas of maxi mum lime thickness marked gradations occur between this facies and the lower shaly facies of the Catahoula cycle, which overlies and inter tongues with it.
In the southeastern part of the mapped region the lime contains
Bulimina jacksonensis, which is restricted to the underlying Forest
Hill cycle farther north. For example, in the Bates and Cornell,
Alfred Young Ho. 1, well in sec. 10, T. 5 S., R. 2 E., Evangeline
Parish, the lime occurs from 8,650 to 9*092 feet drilled depth, and
Bulimina jacksonensis is reported from cuttings at 9,027-9,057 feet, from 65 to 35 feet above the base of the lime. Therefore, some paleon tologists consider this lime to be Jackson, rather than Vicksburg.
This discrepancy in correlation continues farther to the east.
In the vicinity of Port Barre, St. Landry Parish in T. 6 S., R. 5 and 6 E., the underlying Jackson shaly facies of the Forest Hill cycle thins to less than 10 feet (pi. XV). The Vicksburg lime also ^3 thins eastward, mainly by facies change into the relatively thick over- lying shaly facies. This pattern can be traced into the adjacent Krotz
Springs area in T. 6 S., R, 6 and 7 E. There, the Vicksburg lime, as correlated on the electric logs, is only a few feet thick near the base of the 550 feet thick Jackson-Vicksburg shale. As a result only the basal few feet of the shale is considered to be Jackson by the writer, and the remainder is designated Vicksburg.
However, on a paleontological basis only a 100 foot interval in the upper part of this shaly sequence was assigned to the Vicksburg, from 9^500 to 9,600 feet drilled depth in the Gulf Refining Company,
Haas and Hirsch No. E-l A, sec. 21, T. 6 S., R. 7 E.} (Krotz Springs
Cycling Project, Krotz Springs Field, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, unpublished report of Gulf Refining Company, Humble Oil and Refining
Ccmpany, and the Texas Company, dated December, 1953)• Consequently, the structural contour on this Vicksburg marker on plate VIII in this present report is drawn about hOO feet below the base of the Vicksburg designated in the above mentioned well. BASIN CONFIGURATION AND ADJUSTMENT
BASIN SUBSIDENCE
General.— In discussing the formation of diapiric salt domes,,
Barton (1933A) postulated that active upward movement had a slight role in the development of these structures. Instead, the domes de veloped owing to the subsidence of the adjacent areas. Active pierce- ment by the salt also contributes to the formation of salt domes.
However, the concept of "downbuilding"' emphasizes differential sub sidence as a major factor in the formation of these and other posi tive structures in this subsiding basin.
In the present study, identification of local areas as negaments and posiments is made on the basis of differential thickness of sedi ments. The features that are designated posiments were usually, if not always, the site of deposition rather than erosion. Nevertheless, they are classified as positive structures, because their subsidence was slight relative to adjacent areas, rather than because they were the sites of marked uplift.
Although differential subsidence can be measured roughly by variations in the thickness of sediments, the relationships between subsidence and sedimentation is not clear. The question as to the cause of subsidence and accumulation of great thicknesses of sediments in particular parts of the basin has not yet been perfectly answered.
Does the basin subside under load of the sediments, or are the sedi ments attracted to rapidly subsiding tectonic elements? ^5
In reviewing this question, Russell (193°, pp. 1 8 7, 192 and 193) noted that sedimentary load on a yielding crust appears sufficient in itself for the development of a geosyncline„ His argument was con cisely stated under the thesis, advanced to him by Dr, H. V, Howe, that drainage patterns of today determine future trends of mountains. He concluded that it is necessary only to be concerned with the alluviation cycle to understand the structural and geomorphological forms of the
Gulf Coast.
Lawson (19^2) agreed that the Mississippi delta sank under its own load, but stressed that its growth and thickness must be in accord with the principle of isostasy. Because the sediments are less dense than the underlying crust which they are assumed to depress, he concluded that the accumulated sedimentary column must be thicker than the amount of subsidence produced. Consequently, he argued that initially deep water must exist in the basin in order for subsidence under sedimentary load to allow the accumulation of an abnormally thick sedimentary column.
According to his computations, to derive an estimated thickness of
^0 ,0 0 0 feet of sediments, four kilometers (1 3 ,1 2 0 feet) initial depth of water in the Gulf basin was a requisite.
Although this postulated depth is comparable with the depth of over
12,000 feet of the Sigsbee Deep of the Gulf today, some authors have argued that the earlier basin was shallower, and consequently, subsidence must be related to crustal deformation independent of sedimentation.
Recently, Kennedy (1959, P* 502) postulated a phase change from lower most crustal material Into denser subcrustal matter as subsidence pro ceeds to provide an additional shrinkage factor that brings subsidence in closer agreement with the sedimentary thickness required to produce it. b6
The present study does not provide answers to these various pro
positions, hut considerations derived from this and similar studies
are pertinent to these problems. Factors such as the changing pattern
of the depocenters and the shifting distribution of the lithofacies
and environments in response to the cyclic influx of clastic provide
some clues that bear discussion.
Major depocenters.— This study demonstrates that during each cycle
of great clastic infilling, the strand built out to the margin of the more rapidly subsiding offshore major depocenters. Each of these com
prises primarily the shaly facies of a cycle, which accumulated on the
outer margin of thinner deposits of the arenaceous facies. During the
Paleogene these depocenters were northwestward extensions on the
periphery of the Gulf basin from the South Texas region, where their
development was more pronounced (Williamson, 1959, figs. 5-10, and 12).
These in turn were merely northward extensions of forebasins that were
associated with uplifting and folding of orogenic belts on the western margin of the Gulf basin in Mexico.
Murray (1961, pp. l6 l and 162) summarized that these forebasins
cemprise a more or less continuous series of trough-like sedimentary
basins, the so-called foredeeps, which are situated north and east of
the Sierra Madra Oriental and Sierra de Chiapas from near the Rio
Grande to Guatemala; and that they contain variable thicknesses of
late Cretaceous and Tertiary arenaceous-argillaceous deposits. During
the Tertiary a gulfward progression of the basins of deposition occurred,
so that by late Reogene, depocenters were located near the modem shore.
Louisiana segments of the depoaxes extending northeastward from
South Texas did not migrate gulfward during the Paleogene. Instead,
they followed the same general east-west trend across the southern part of the study region (pi. II). However, there was a progressive with drawal from, their easternmost extension. The earliest, associated with
the Wilcox cycle, extended across the mapped region into Alabama, but because of progressive withdrawal, only the eastward tip of the Forest
Hill cycle entered from the west into the southwest corner of the mapped region.
In the Neogene a new pattern emerged with the deposition of the
Catahoula cycle, which resulted in Central Louisiana becoming part of
the depositional slopes over which great volumes of sediments moved in
transit to newly formed depocenters in South Louisiana and offshore.
At this time depocenters were developing along growth faults roughly
paralleling the Gulf margin through the Acadia Parish area of South
Louisiana (Paine, 1 9 6 2, pi. 1 3 ). These depoaxes shifted progressively
gulfward in Louisiana. In South Texas major depoaxes persisted through
deposition of the Anahuac Formation. Afterwards they lost their identity
and these sites also became part of depositional slopes extending gulf
ward, just as their extensions in and adjacent to the mapped region had
previously done.
From this pattern, the proponents of subsidence under load may
stress the association of the westward withdrawal of the later Paleo
gene depocenters from Louisiana during a marked decrease of clastic
influx into the area. In short, decreased deposition resulted in re
duced subsidence. Conversely, the proponents of tectonic control of
subsidence may cite the marked gulfward shift of Neogene depocenters
as evidence of the independence of subsidence from deposition control.
Actually, over 10,000 feet of sediments accumulated at this time farther
north in the mapped region over the site of the earlier Paleogene depo
centers. However, this imposing thickness is dwarfed by comparison ha with the much greater quantity of sediments that were transported across this area and accumulated hasinward in the new depocenters, perhaps because subsidence in the mapped region was insufficient to accommodate their accumulation locally.
Such shifts in the position of depocenters were considered by
Murray to be attributed to the inability of an elastic crust to sub side locally more than s, certain amount in a specific time. He sum marized that shifts in sedimentary loci occur after the accumulation of approximately 2,500 feet (1961* PP» 279 and 3 6 3) to 3*000 feet
(1952 B, p. 11 8 8), and that depocenters are not known to occur verti cally above immediately older ones.
However, results of this present study clearly indicate that the
Paleogene depocenters remained in the same general area of the southern part of the mapped region, except that their easternmost extensions pro gressively withdrew westward (pi. II). Maximum thicknesses of the in dividual cycles in this area range from 7*266 feet in the Wilcox cycle to less than 2,000 feet for the Sparta cycle and for the Cockfield cycle, and over 1,000 feet in the Forest Hill cycle (pi. l).
Cyclic rate of subsidence.— Cyclic stratigraphic patterns along the margin of the Gulf basin contribute information pertinent to dif ferential rates of subsidence, associated with, variations of clastic influx. The characteristic thinness of the transgressive upper shaly facies suggests rather rapid transgression and inundation when the clastic supply was reduced. The subsequent calcareous facies is generally thin, and lies characteristically only a few feet above the transgressive disconformity at the base of the marine sequence (fig. 7 ), also indicating rather rapid subsidence during transgression and ulti mate inundation. Broad expanses of the mapped region, including posi- h9 merits, were generally covered by these inundatory units.
Because the calcareous inundatory facies are generally thin, they
are considered of little effect in counteracting any basin deepening because of subsidence that may have occurred during the inundatory
phase of the cycle. The thickness of the overlying regressive lower
shaly facies is a possible measure of the resultant water depth at the
time clastic influx resumed, because essentially it filled the sea to
shoal water conditions, across which the arenaceous facies were de
posited.
The relative thinness of these regressive shales inland in the
Sparta, Cockfield and Catahoula cycles suggests fairly shallow water
conditions, even at the end of the inundatory phase. The shallow marine
character of the fauna, at least through the earlier cycles (Lowman,
19^9)> substantiates this interpretation. This is indirect evidence
of a slowing or cessation of subsidence during the inundatory phase.
As already described (p. 36), this shaly facies may be appreciably
thinned or absent over the posiments, where apparently even nominal
subsidence did not occur.
Basinward, the regressive lower shales thicken. This may in part
reflect -existing deeper water at the outset of the new clastic influx,
owing to more or less continuous subsidence near and within the depc-
centers. However, a considerable part of this greater thickness
probably represents the subsidence that ensued within the clastic phase
of deposition during accumulation of the lower shale itself, prior to
the arrival of the arenaceous facies at that area. The Porters Creek
regressive shale of the Wilcox cycle is characterized by considerable
thickness throughout the study region (maximum of over 2 ,7 0 0 feet) and
northward into Arkansas. This observation is supported by the evidence 50 of Steams (1957) that the inner margin of inundation was far to the north in this cycle.
From these observations it is logical to conclude that subsidence increased during clastic influx and decreased or ceased during times of little sedimentation. Apparently, sufficient lag existed after rapid clastic infilling, so that subsidence continued for a time after clastic influx ceased, thus accounting for rapid marine transgression.
These interpretations support the concept that sedimentation influenced subsidence, but do not necessarily eliminate independently controlled crustal adjustments as a contributory factor. It is possible that gradual subsidence was otherwise typical of the Gulf basin, but that this subsidence was so accelerated during times of clastic influx that it ceased altogether after clastic infilling of a cycle was completed.
BASIW ADJUSTMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL CYCLES.— Interpretations of basin ad justments within Central Louisiana from one stage of clastic deposi tion to the next, which were based on thicknesses of the individual cycles and their facies, are summarized on plate II. These adjustments were concentrated in the positive and negative elements, which include the extensions of the Paleogene major depocenters, inferred extensions of the southeast Mississippi posiment, an extension of the Mississippi embayment, the La Salle arch, and the Sabine uplift. From these data some information is also obtained concerning changes in the direction of the source of the elastics.
During the Wilcox cycle the La Salle posiment comprised two arches and a number of minor posiments. The latter are indicated by present day structural noses that are producing on and from the east flank of this posiment. The Mississippi embayment was represented by a major axis that trended north-south through Mississippi (Williamson, 1959, 51 figs. 5 and 8 ), and a minor axis that lay east of the La Salle posiment in the mapped region. East-west trending isopachous contour lines of the Wilcox cycle across the northwestern margin of the study region suggest that the Sabine uplift barely extended from the north, into the mapped region at that stage. To the south the extension of the Wilcox depocenter reached across the mapped region, through Mississippi, and
into Alabama.
By the beginning of the succeeding Sparta cycle a well-developed depoaxis, an inferred extension of the Mississippi embayment, had shift ed westward from its previous position in Mississippi and had located
in the mapped region east of the La Salle posiment (pi. III). Contour lines on the percent arenaceous facies of the Sparta cycle (pi. IU) and Bornhauser's interpretation (19^-7, fig* 3) indicate that the im mediate source in the mapped region of the Sparta elastics was in Mis
sissippi to the northeast. At that time the La Salle posiment was waning in activity and comprised only a single arch, indicating that its rate of subsidence at that time was not much less than that of adjacent areas. To the contrary, isopachous contours of the Sparta cycle that swing around the southeast flank of the Sabine uplift in dicate that this element was relatively active at that stage. To the south, the east-west extension of the major depocenter reached from the west across the southern part of the mapped region (pi. III).
Thickness of the Cockfield cycle indicates that the Mississippi embayment was not expressed in the study region at that time (pi. II), but Bomhauser (19^7, fig. ^-) showed that it was poorly developed to the northeast. Likewise the La Salle arch and the Sabine uplift are less well-developed than in the preceding cycle. To the south the ex tension of the major depocenter was best developed in the southwestern 52 part of the mapped region and progressively waned to the east. The configuration of this depocenter and the pattern of the Cockfield are naceous facies (fig. 6 ) indicate that the source of these elastics was from the west and northwest.
During the Forest Hill cycle the structures in the northeastern i part of the mapped region continued to wane, and the Sabine uplift, as far as it can be studied southeast of the present outcrop belt, was poorly developed (pi. II). The ma^or depocenter at that time was thickest west of Central Louisiana, and only its easternmost extensions reached into the southwestern corner of the mapped region. The con figuration of this depocenter indicates that the source of the shaly facies of this cycle was from the west or northwest. However, the arenaceous facies of this cycle that is known to occur in Texas did not reach into the study region. Likewise, coarse elastics of the Central
Mississippi Forest Hill wedge did not reach into the eastern margin of the mapped region. However, its partial equivalent, the Sandel
Formation, is reported to extend from its outcrops in the north to the southwest across the northwest corner of the study region (Delaney, unpublished manuscript", and Andersen, i960, pp. 100-103).
The thinning in this cycle in the southeastern part of the mapped region suggests that a posiment was beginning to develop in the area, that had been previously the site of depocenters in earlier cycles
(pi. II). This posiment, and also, an arch (pi. II), herein assumed to extend from this area of stability to the northwest across the site of the La Salle arch, are assumed to comprise extensions of Bornhauser's
(19^7 , pp. 708j 709 and 711) southeast Mississippi posiment. William son (l959j fig. 7) also indicated thinning in the Jackson in this area, and Howe (1962, p. 130) reported that the apparent truncation of the 53 upper Wilcox, Sparta, Cockfield, Jackson, and Vicksburg sequences beneath Miocene beds in adjacent southeastern Mississippi indicated that major uplift of the Hancock County high occurred some time prior to the early Miocene. Bornhauser considered this high, and adjacent
Wiggins anticline, as part of his still larger Southeast Mississippi posiment.
Thinning in this area is probably due not only to this inferred
stability in the mapped region and in other parts of the Southeast
Mississippi posiment, as suggested by Bornhauser, but also because
great distances to the source of supply of elastics, particularly to the west, resulted in a deficiency of elastics in this area.
Throughout the inundation at the end of the Forest Hill cycle and the beginning of the succeeding Catahoula cycle, maximum thickness of the Vicksburg marl was deposited in the area of inferred stability in the southeastern part of the mapped region. Stability in this region
occurred as late as the outset of the great Neogene structural adjust ments which culminated in maximum basin subsidence and deposition being concentrated in South Louisiana and offshore. GROWTH OF SALT DOMES
In localized areas on the margins of the Paleogene depocenters
in the southeastern part of the mapped region, salt domes and damal
structures that are inferred to have salt at depth, were growing
during deposition of the Cenozoic sediments (fig. l). The salt domes
include Cheneyville, Rapides Parish; Pine Prairie, Evangeline Parish;
and Port Barre, St. Landry Parish, The inferred salt domes comprise
Eola, Avoyelles Parish; Ville Platte, Evangeline Parish; Krotz Springs,
St. Landry Parish; and possibly others.
Activity in these domes started prior to the Wilcox, and cap
rock on the surface at Pine Prairie dome indicates that it continued
through the Catahoula cycle and later. Consequently, in these re
stricted areas there occurred marked changes in deposition, such as
thinning, hiatuses, and change of facies. None of these areas was
studied in detail, but in the regional study same changes were noted.
Over the Cheneyville salt dome and oil field, Rapides Parish,
thinning is apparent on the electric logs from the Cane River marl
through the Forest Hill clastic facies. In this, as in other areas,
no extensive correlations were attempted in the Wilcox, and Catahoula,
and younger arenaceous facies, which may or may not have indicated
thinning. At Pine Prairie salt dome and oil field, Evangeline Parish, marked thinning occurred in the Sparta, Cockfield, and Forest Hill
cycle. The Cook Mountain Formation also thins, and contains beds that
show strong self-potential curves and alternating strong and weak re
sistivity curves on the electric logs that are suspected of being local 55 calcareous reel's.
At Port Barre salt dome and oil Held, St. Landry Parish (pi. XV) the Cook Mountain Formation contains calcareous beds that show similar electric log characteristics. Lithological and paleontological descrip tions of the Sun Oil Company, Glassell, Canal Bank-Nesat well No. 1,
unit 1, sec. 2, S. 6 S M R, 5 E. (No. 715 on the list of selected wells) were furnished by the Sun Oil Company. According to side wall core descriptions, beds from drilled depth 1 1 ,3 6 0 feet to 1 2 ,1 1 3 feet, a total thickness of 753 feet, consist primarily of "hard compact cal careous shell fragments and shale cemented with ?..ime." According to their sample descriptions, they consist of "soft powdery lime; shale and soft lime; hard shale cemented with lime; fine powdery lime with shell fragments; hard shale and lime." The Sun Oil Company’s paleon tological report also described in this interval "lime and shale" that bear the following Foraminifera: Operculinoides, Lepldocyclina, Nodo- saria, Gyroidina, Bolivina, Uvigerina, Robulus, Textularia, Discorbis,
Nonion, Dentalia, Anomalina, Camerina, and Cycl^jnmina.
In the adjacent F. A. Callery, Inc., Methodist Church well No. 1, sec. 1, T. 6 S., R 0 5 E., St. Landry Parish (No. 71^- on the list of selected wells), total depth 1 2 ,5 9 0 feet, 6 7^ feet of beds with similar electric log expressions were penetrated from drilled depth of 1 1 ,9 1 6 feet to 1 2 ,5 9 0 feet, without reaching the basal beds of this feature.
In another well on the periphery of the Port Barre salt dome, the
Texas Company, Botany Bay Lumber Company, well No. 35, sec. 19, T. 6 S.,
R. 6 E., St. Landry Parish (No. 720 on the list of selected wells), beds with similar characteristics show on the electric log from 1 1 ,3 7 9 feet drill depth to the total depth of 1 1 ,7 0 3 feet; for an incomplete thick ness of 3 2 ^ feet. 56
These calcareous masses, with maximum known drilled thickness of over 750 feet, which are herein shown to lie on two sides of the Port
Barre salt dcrne, are inferred to represent a fringing reef, or a thick mass of chemically precipitated limestone and shale, that may circum scribe the dome.
In the F. A. Callery, Inc., Methodist Church well No. 1, the incom plete Catahoula cycle and younger sequence reached an unusual drilled thickness in this cycle for the mapped region (pi. XV). Inadequate electric log correlations of this and adjacent wells suggest that this increased thickness may occur in the first few thousand feet of the basal Catahoula arenaceous facies. In view of the location of this well, this anomalous thickness is inferred to have been local and re lated to growth of the Port Barre salt dome, and not to the late Ceno- zoic regional east-west trend growth faulting of the type that affects the same stratigraphic sequence farther south.
Over the Eola oil field, Avoyelles Psirish, thinning occurred in the lover Sparta and upper Cane River sequences, but thinning was not detect ed in the Forest Hill clastic facies. At Krotz Springs gas field, St.Lan dry Parish, thinning and lithologic changes are particularly marked in the
Cook Mountain Formation. Lawrence (1959, pp. 2 9, 3k and 3 7), concluded that at Krotz Springs, uplift was continuous, or nearly so, from time of deposition of the Moodys Branch marl through the Anahuac Formation.
At Ville Platte oil field, Evangeline Parish, two structural move ments are reported to have occurred during the Eocene (oral communica tion with staff members of the Continental Oil Company). According to this report a local unconformity occurs at the top of the Wilcox (are naceous facies). Faults with throws as much as 500 feet in the Wilcox and 50 feet in the Sparta are also reported. STRUCTURE
INTERPRETATIONS.— Structural configuration in the mapped region is portrayed by one structural section (pi. X I ), and by two structural maps, (pis. VII and VIII). Each structural map is generalized to eliminate entirely, or in part, the details of localized structures.
The Cane River marl, which is the boundary between the Wilcox and Sparta cycles, is the datum for plate VII. This is the oldest easily recognizable lithologic subsurface horizon that provides an adequate datum. Information on the next oldest persistent horizon, the undifferentiated-lower Tertiary (Clayton) calcareous sequence
Is too limited to be useful, because of Its depth. The youngest easily recognizable lithologic horizon In the sequence is the basal
Vicksburg marl and limestone, which forms t?ne boundary between the
Forest Hill and Catahoula cycles. Plate VIII depicts the structure on this marker.
Neither the Vicksburg nor the Cane River marl marker can be ex tended into the northwestern part of the mapped region, because they rise to the surface and crop out in that region. Further complica tions arise in respect to the Vicksburg marl, because it pinches out in the shallow subsurface basinward from these outcrops. However, in the central and eastern part of the study region, both horizons can be mapped. Because both of these key beds were deposited during the inun datory phase in marginal to epineritic seas, their topographic relief during deposition was probably minor, and the structural configuration they now display is due to post-depositional adjustments. The overall
57 58
similarity of the two maps indicates that relatively little struc
tural deformation occurred during the interval between deposition of
the Cane River marl and the basal Vicksburg marl, compared with sub
sequent deformation during the Catahoula cycle. The gulfward dip of
the Cane River horizon is roughly 22 feet per mile greater than the
dip of the Vicksburg horizon, owing to basinward subsidence in the
Sparta, Cockfield, and Forest Eill depocenters prior to Vicksburg
deposition. In addition, the contours of the Cane River marl show
slightly greater gulfward projections across the Sabine and La Salle
posiments, and indentations between these two posiments and over the
Mississippi embayment, because of diffex-ential subsidence of these
structures during the Eocene. The indentation of the contours of the
Cane River marl into the Mississippi embayment is subdued, because
the original weak expression of this minor axis has been further re
duced by the pronounced regional monoclinal dip that developed in
the Neogene. By the time of deposition of the Vicksburg marl, basin
irregularities of that area had been largely filled.
The Vicksburg structural map depicts monoclinal gulfward dip,
averaging about 130 feet per mile, that was also produced by gulf ward subsidence and inland uplift during the Neogene. The Angelina-
Caldvell flexure which forms the inner limit of the monocline, ex
tends across the northwestern corner of the mapped region. There,
the gulfward flexure is intensified along the southern margin of the
Sabine uplift to produce the Fisher fault zone (Andersen, i960,
p. UA; and Durham and White, i9 6 0, p. 8 5 ).
Similar post-depositional faults (Paine, 19 6 2; Durham and
Peeples, 1956) frame the inland periphery of the major depocenters
of the Neogene sediments in South Louisiana. The northernmost of these 59 faults, the Bancroft-Mamou system, (Murray, 1961, p. 188; and Wallace,
1962) extends east-west through the southern part of the study area as far north as the southern part of Township H South (pis. VII and
VIII).
The Vicksburg structural map also effectively depicts the present combined thickness of the Catahoula cycle and subsequent deposits. In the mapped region the addition of the elevation above sea level, which varies approximately between 20 and 300 feet, to the electric log picks on the structural map provides, the actual total thickness of the post-
Vicksburg sediments still preserved. However, an undetermined but pro bably minor part of the cycle has been removed by erosion associated with inland uplift and emergence.
Because these maps are generalized, the structural effects of the known and inferred salt domes are not depicted, and their locations, except as represented by the sites of oil and gas fields, are only indicated on figure 1 . CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Results of this study support the concept that major cycles of deposition are the natural divisions of the Cenozoic on the north western margin of the Gulf "basin. By placing the top and bottom boundaries of the cycles at the cyclically repeated generally thin
inundatory calcareous or equivalent facies, guide lines are provided
by which intervals representing the major stages of deposition may
be compared.
Because of time limitations, this study has been restricted to
the Cenozoic of Central Louisiana. However, the extension of the
study of each Cenozoic cycle of this and adjacent regions in a similar
fashion inland, and as far around the periphery of the basin as its
continuity is maintained, is desirable.
Calculating the total thickness of actual sand in a cycle is particularly time consuming. As a result, in this study this data has been compiled only for the Sparta cycle. Future studies should
compile this information for the other cycles, because it may be particularly useful in detecting the direction of source of the elas tics, and be pertinent in explaining and predicting the pattern of petroleum occurrence.
60 REFERENCES CITED
American Geological Institute 1957 Glossary of geology and related sciences, Washington, Do C., 325 pp.
Andersen, H. V. i960 Geology of Sabine Parish, La. Geol. Surv., Bull. No. 3k, 16U pp., (Map 1958).
Barton, D. C. 1930 Deltaic Coastal Plain of Southeastern Texas, Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. li-l, pp. 359-382.
1933A Mechanics of formation of salt domes with special reference to Gulf Coast salt domes of Texas and Louisiana, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 17, No. 9, pp. 1025-1083.
1933B (vith Ritz, C. H., and Hicky, M.) Gulf Coast geo- syncline, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 17, No. 12, pp. 1UA6 -IU5 8 .
Bornhauser, Max 19^+7 Marine sedimentary cycles of Tertiary in Mississippi embayment and central Gulf Coast area, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 31, pp. 6 9 8-7 1 2 .
Butler, E. A. i960 Paleontology of the L. L. & E., et al., well unit 1-L, No. 1, La. Geol. Surv., Folio Series No. 1.
Delaney, P. J. V. Stratigraphy of the Louisiana Vicksburg equivalent, La. Geol. Surv. unpublished manuscript, dated 1 9 5 8 .
Durham, C. 0., Jr. 1956 (with Peeples, E. M., Ill) Pleistocene fault zones in southeastern Louisiana, abstract, Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. 6 , pp. 65 and 6 6 .
1958 (with Smith, C. R.) Louisiana Midway-Wilcox correlation problems, La. Geol. Surv. Geological Pamphlet No. 5»
i960 (with White, W. S., Jr.) A guided geological tour through North and Central Louisiana; in Shreveport Geological Soc. Guidebook, i960 Spring Field Trip, pp. 83-lVf.
6l 62
Fisk, H. N. 1938 Geology of Grant and La Salle Parishes, La. Geol. Surv. Geol, Bull. No, 10, 2k6 pp.
19^0 Geology of Avoyelles and Rapides Parishes, La. Geol. Surv. Geol. Bull. No. 18, 21-0 pp.
19^ Geological investigations of the alluvial valley of lower Mississippi River, conducted for the Mississippi River Commission, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, 78 pp.
Folk, R. L. 1957 (See Todd, T. W.)
Granata, W. 1962 Cretaceous structural development of the Sabine uplift area (summary) Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. XII, pp. 117-119*
Grigg, R. P., Jr. 1956 Key to the Nodosaria embayment of South Louisiana, Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. 6, pp. 55-62.
Gulf Refining Company, Humble Oil and Refining Company, and the Texas Co. Krotz Springs Cycling Project, Krotz Springs Field, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, unpublished report dated December 1953.
Hardin, F. R. 1961 (with Hardin, G. C., Jr.) Contemporaneous normal faults of Gulf Coast and their relation to flexures. Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. L5 , pp. 238-2^8.
Hardin, G. C. Jr. 1961 (See Hardin, F. R.)
1962 Notes on Cenozoic Sedimentations in the Gulf Coast Geosyncline, U. S. A., Geology of the Gulf Coast and Central Texas and Guidebook of Excursions; Houston Geological Society, for the 1962 Annual meeting of Geol. Soc. Auer, and associated societies, pp. 1-15.
Harris, G. D. 1899 The Cretaceous and lower Eocene faunas of Louisiana, Spec. Rept. No. 6 , in a preliminary report on the geology of Louisiana, pt. V, Geol. Surv., State Exp. Sta., pp. 289-310.
Hicky, M. 1933 (See Barton, D. C.) Holland, W. C. 1952 (See Murray, G. E.) 63
Hough, L. W. 1952 (See Murray, G. E.)
Howe, H. J. 1962 Subsurface geology of St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany Parishes, Louisiana, Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol., Soc. Trans., v. 12, pp. 121-155.
Howe, H . V . 1931 (with Moresi, C. K.) Geol. of Iberia Parish, State of La. Dept, of Conservation, Geol. Bull. No. 1, 187 pp.
1935 (with Russell, R. J., and McGuirt, J. H.) Physio graphy of coastal southwest Louisiana, La. Geol. Surv. Geol. Bull. No. 6 , pp. 1-72.
1936 Louisiana Petroleum Stratigraphy, Amer. Petr. Inst., Drilling and Production Practice, pp. 1+05-^19°
19^0 Gulf Coast Geosyncline: America's great petroleum reserve, Stratigraphy, Rept. XVII Intl. Geol. Congr., 1937 Moscow, pp. 2 5 9 -2 6 3 .
Huner, J., Jr. 1939 Geology of Caldwell and Winn Parishes. La. Geol. Surv., Geol. Bull. No. 15, 356 pp.
Hussey, K. M. 19^9 Louisiana Cane River Eocene Foraminifera, Jour, of Paleo., v. 23, No. 2, pp. 109-1^.
Kelly, G. A. 1961 Stratigraphic relationship of the Upper Cretaceous Marlbrook, Saratoga, and Nacatoch Formations in northwest Louisiana (thesis ), Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, 66 pp.
Kennedy, G. C, 1959 The origin of continents, mountain ranges, and ocean basins, Amer. Sci., v. 1+7> No. H, pp. l+91-50l+.
King, P. B. 1959 The Evolution of North America, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 190 pp.
Krause, E. K. 1957 (See Stenzel, H. B.) Lawrence, R. M. 1959 The growth and development of the Krotz Springs dome, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana (thesis), Dept, of Geol., La. State Univ., 39 PP* 61+
Lawson, A. C. 19^2 Mississippi Delta— a study in isostasy, Geol* Soc, Amer., Bull., v. 53 , pp. 1231-125*+.
Lowman, S. W. 191+9 Sedimentary facies in Gulf Coast, Amer, Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 2 3 , Wo. 12, pp. 1939-1997.
McGuirt, J. H. 1935 (See Howe, H. V.) Moresi, C. K. 1931 (See Howe, H.V.) Murray, G. E. 19^5 (with Thomas, E. P.) Midway-Wilcox surface strati graphy of Sabine uplift, Louisiana and Texas, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 2 9, No. 1, pp. 45-70,
I9I+8 Geology of De Sota and Red River Parishes, La. Geol. Surv. Geol. Bull., Wo. 25 , 312 pp.
1952A (in Holland, G. C., Jr., Hough, L. W., and Murray, G. E.) Geology of Beauregard and Allen Parishes, La. Geol. Surv. Geol. Bull. Wo. 2 7 , 2 2 k pp.
1952B Sedimentary volumes in Gulf coastal plain of the United States and Mexico (symposium), Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 6 3, pp. 1177-1192.
1955 Midway Stage, Sabine Stage, and Wilcox Group, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 39* No. 5.> PP« 671-6 9 6.
1961 Geology of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal province of Worth America; New York, Harper 8c Brothers, 692 pp.
Ocamb, Ray 1961 Growth faults of South Louisiana, Gulf Coast Assoc, Geol. Soc. Trans., v, XI, pp. 139-173.
Paine, W. R. 1962 Geology of Acadia and Jefferson Davis Parishes, La. Geol. Surv., Geol. Bull. 36, 277 pp.
Peeples, E. M., Ill 1956 (See Durham, C. 0., Jr.)
Ritz, C. H. 1933 (See Barton, D. C.) Russell, R. J. 1935 (See Howe, H. V.)
1936 Physiography of lower Mississippi River delta, La. Geol. Surv., Geol, Bull, Wo. 8 , pp. I-I9 9. 65
Smith, C. R. 1958 (See Durham, C. 0., Jr.)
Stearns, R. G. '1957 Cretaceous, Paleocene, and lower Eocene geologic history of the northern Mississippi embayment, Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 6 8, No. 10, pp. 1077-1100.
Stenzel, H. B. '1939 The Yegua problem, Bur. Ec. Geol., The Univ. of Texas, Publication No. 39^5> PP® 847-911*
1951 Buried hill at Wilcox-Carrizo contact in East Texas; Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 35/ No. 8 , pp. 1815 -1 8 2 8.
1952A Boundary problems, Miss. Geol. Soc. Guidebook, 9th Field Trip, pp. 11-31.
1952B Notes on surface correlation chart, Miss. Geol. Soc. Guidebook, 9th Field Trip, pp. 32 and 33*
1952C Transgression of the Jackson Group, Miss. Geol. Soc. Guidebook, 9th Field Trip, pp. 36-43.
1957 (with Krause, E. K., and Twining, J. T.) Pelecypoda from the type locality of the Stone City beds (middle Eocene) of Texas, Univ. Texas Pub, No. 5704, pp. 18-54.
Storm, L. W. 19^5 Resume" of facts and opinions on sedimentation in Gulf Coast Region of Texas and Louisiana, Amer. Assoc, Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 2 9, No. 9> PP® 1304-1335.
Thomas, E. P. 19^5 (See Murray, G. E.)
Todd, T, W. 1957 (with Folk, R. L.) Basal Claiborne of Texas, record of Appalachian tectonism during Eocene, Amer. Assoc, Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 4l, No. 11, pp. 25 4 5 -2 5 6 6 .
Treadwell, R. C. 1954 Moodys Branch-Cockfield contact in Sabine Parish, La., and adjacent areas, Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Bull., v. 3 8, No. 11, pp. 2302-2323.
Twining, J. T. 1957 (See Stenzel, H. B.)
Wallace, W. E. (Editor) 1962 Fault Map of South Louisiana, abstract, Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans,, v. XII, p. 194. 66
Welch, R. H. 19^2 Geology of Vernon Parish, La. Geol. Surv., Geol. Bull. No. 22, 90 pp.
White, W.S., Jr. i960 (See Durham, C. 0., Jr.)
Williamson, J. D. M. 1959 Gulf Coast Cenozoic History, G u l f Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc. Trans., v. 9, pp. lU-29, VITA
Louis H. Dixon
1935 -Bo S., Major: Zoology; Minor: Chemistry; Centenary College, Shreveport, Louisiana*
1933-1937 -Employed in petroleum production and drilling.
3-937-3-939 -Graduate study in geology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
1939-19*41 -Assistant in geological research; Central Texas.
19*41 -M. A., Major: Geology; Minor: Petroleum Production Engineering; University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
I9AI-19I42 -Graduate study in Geology, The University of California, Berkeley, California.
19*4-2-19^6 -U.S.N.R.; Pacific.
19*4-6-19*4-7 -Assistant in geological research; Central Texas.
191+7 -1 9 5 0 -Petroleum exploration; Reconcavo, and Amazonaos Basin, Brazil.
3-950-195*4* -Petroleum exploration; Cordilleras Oriental, Central and Occidental, and Magdalena Valley, Colombia.
195*4—1958 -Petroleum exploration; Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, Australia, and Gulf of Carpentaria.
1958-1959 -Graduate study in geology, The University of California, Los Angeles, California.
1959-1963 -Graduate study and research in geology, Louisiana State University and Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
67 EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT
C a n d i d a t e : Louis H. Dixon
Major Field: Geology
Title of Thesis: Cenozoic Cyclic Deposition in the Subsurface of Central Louisiana
A p p r o v e d :
C . o . Major Professor and Chairman
Dean Or the Graduate School
EXAMINING COMMITTEE::
Date of Examination:
July 29, 1963 CENTRAL LOUISIANA CENOZOIC CYCLES OF DEPOSITION COMPOSITE LOG STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN 273 26 CONVENTIONAL HUNT -OIL CO- SEABOARD OIL CO. OF DELAWARE TERMINOLOGY THIS REPORT ELLIS LA30RDE NO. I JOE SHORTER NO. I SEC. 3 N. — fi. 3 E. SEC- 40 T. 6 N. - R. 2 W. CYCLE M U T C H LINE MARL co n co y 3* GENERALIZED LIITHOLOGY tE O LOCATION of UJ ‘ MAXIMUM CO THICKNESS
t• UJ<-> NOT STUDIED SR a» C BETTER DEVELOPED SOUTH OF STUDY AREA)
I WZ LU7 ^ o ARENACEOUS FACIES: sand and — O mudstonu, silfstone and shale; CATAHOULA tii glauconitic; irr part lignitic. CYCLE
SHALY FACIES mudslone, siltslone and shale, subordinate fine sand; in part carbonaceous. ST LANDRY PH. CALCAREOUS FACIES: marl and limestone; AREA In part glauconitic. CLASTIC FACIES: mudslone. sillslane and shale, FOREST HILL CYCLE
T. 6 S. - R. 13 W. •MARL 1,083 ft. CALCAREOUS FACIES: rrarl and limestone; in part glauconitic. shale, mudstone and siltslor
COCKFIELD •MARL CYCLE ARENACEOUS FACIES: sand, siltslone, mudstone and shole; in port lignitic; in part glauconitic. T. 6 S. - R. 13 W. 1,977 ft.
marl and limestone;CALCAREOUS FACIES: marl and limestone;CALCAREOUS glcuconitie. SHALY FACIES shole, mudstone and siltslone, subordinate fine sand; in part carbonaceous. SPARTA
ARENACEOUS FACIES; sand, siltstone, mudstone CYCLE and Shale; in part lignitic; in part glouionilic.
T. 5 S. - R. 2 W. SHALY FACIES shole and silt, 1,569 ft. fine sand; in porl carbonaceous. CALCAREOUS FACIES: marl and li highly glauconitic. TRANSITIONAL FACIES: shale, mudstone and siltstone, subordinate fire sond; in part carbonaceous, m port highly glouconilici calcareous at top, in port bears roworked granules.
ARENACEOUS FACIES: sond, siltstone, mudstone WILCOX and shole; in port obundcnt lignile beds; in part glauconitic; in port calcareous. CYCLE
■MARL T. S. - R. 7 W. 7,266 ft. TRANSITIONAL FACIES; ! SHALY FACIES Shole, siltstone, subordinate marl and fine carbonaceous, in part glouconitic.
MARL Disconformit^ CLAYTON - ARKADELPHIA,
NACATOCH, LL SARATOGA, CALCAREOUS FACIES: marl, chalk, limestone end shole. MARLBROOK, 5 0 0 EQUIVALENTS UNDIFFERENTIATED
ELATE I ’r-S
WJ
.'i?- ,z-
3 /
r^J
8 O
£ £ L SJ 2 £ . LA S A L IF
OQ O-n LA SALLE POSIMENT AXIS OF LA SALLE POSIMENT OF ss COCKFIELD CYCLE 42 « |62 WILLOW L. 6 7 . | ROSS B 68 ? -®-69
CROSS 8 ® COCODRIE 81 LISMORE LOG
ga.concORDfr H0 N’t BrEy CATAHOULA ao l \ESP5RANCE '/122 !2I » -v. 135 LONG SLOUGHI4 v/-X ' ' " ’
isea.o144^.*^ 159° S. MONTEREY
&IVER ‘S. 'N. SALINE^ |47 SIG ISL = tt= : ft " C/>a 128 O , W. SALINE L. I3S=| LaKE | ' Q_a .-I« ?30 ,\ |4°; paj-«> ibf—— ^ iso 218 \\ 2l7a =N) v 2 4 2 °
0ffCM V / 292
°3 2 7
o 306 , N ? ^ /
AXES OF POSIMENTS AND NEGAMENTS DURING qO^C' OR OlA SUCCESSIVE CENOZOIC CYCLES f&JCIA-Vu} OF DEPOSITION IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA
COMPARISON OF TRENDS OF ISOPACHOUS CONTOURS OF CYCLES ON THE SO UTHEAST FLANK OF THE SABINE POSIMENT
1 REND OF LATE CENOZOIC FAULTS AFTER WALLACE - 1962
AVOYELLES ST LANDRY
„5 0 6 ° 507 501 496
T R E N D O F 516 yi ©629 \ oS f.5 I 614 ° ® ? «4 H LA T c- E s 626 6i6 J) 6 3 0 H ° 631 % CENOZOIC L1? S P A R T A 62 7 ’ V’ x KPfl B. WHITE ©22 'Tr-WKISCO e?2 633 FAULTS POINTt BATON D73 2 AXIS OF INFERRED POSIMENT LIVONIA OPELOUSAS OF FOREST HILL CYCLE
7 1 2 ° 7 |i 742==»741 704 PORT 717 o BARRE P01NTE COUPEE ??26 OCKFIELD °es^SYCLE BERVILLE
PLATE Ii ■■■ • •• ■ >■■■-•■;:■■. ■ .,■'■■■ .. —TS'TTT/Tr-'TT^’' POSI
INDIAN B LONG ^ ' 5 7 RIDGE 75 !°06i 56«T'
WJ LONG J SLOUGHt \ , lo 119 &<$■ »|5 2 ” 76 J V ^ , ^ ' S. .932 LARTO LA \ gr^^L- - MUDDY B
-V5'P'oES I
266 J \ ' KOLIN'-'s.,-'! 267K -X ' - ‘
/ 273
2740
\ 348
\ 3 5 0 o
383 1099 j /
XU \404 \ PARISH PARISH '7\ V'406'l 4G7, y DAVID HAAS AVOYELLES ST., LANDRY
95o 4 4 ,
\ o-489 O506
1200 501 4 9 8 RIDDELL
50 9 / 1300 499^,500 40
NW. OBERL 564 o 574 5 ^ ^ / ______580 -GRIM 576 \610 I CHURCH 0582 “»gS\ MAJOR 6°5 -o587 WASHINGTON S «s=’6 0 0 }\ \| _____ — CHURCH 1415 577 QBERLIN V"» F’ARISH PARISH hrTtT £%rr LANDRY 1300 CHATAIC^NIER
591 - ••^690 EXTENSION ^ORT 7,7 KiNOER 3ARRE R. 10 E.
SALLE PCSIMENT
CTAHOU WILLOvTl^ej^ R033- B
81 LISMORE C0M6OR0/4,;;M0NTEREY LONG Bn.l ELM 56V'/'S7 RIDGE 75 IO861 CAM'HOULA ”90ni° y j j '
7?| ! 2 6 $ / f 159° S. MONTEREY 7% i V % ^ \ » O o \
sr\“i 1 243 | j 2° T t > £03 J . , 827 -. ^Q'JSSEn. v-feii SAtlNE 2I8-' G ISLAND / r > 78 ' \ ITD- tA K E 2020 1^ _ 2 0 4 3. CQCCDRIE
794^1 iatfc* &<,■*05 '
224 QfS.LARTO
0 297
/ 27 3
MILLIGAN B i09!/-«ft325
^,NCORd/4 FA/If
ISOPACHOUS MAP OF THE SPARTA CYCLE OF DEPOSITION ALSO SHOWING PERCENT ARENACEOUS FACIES
ijOr1 v
^406
ISOPACHOUS
PERCENT ARENACEOUS 2 o 451 \ ES
0 504 \
SOI ^98
V S 0 9 /
_y' .439..^>-500 40 SK1NGTON 625 609 161 •rrfs'kB^ 'V<
-MAJOR \ 810 I \I2S8'
. i -lX - t v O x v i > ->»
FORDOCHEVv
1300 s herburne :
PORT 717 o \ 5.0') 729 BARRE y°\ ^POINTE COUPEE } 4 Q Q £, °o IBERVILLE PARISH
R. 8 E R. 10 E
PLATE III TEXAS i \ S / SABINE BEAUREGARD 10 «sa i I&II 1 NATCHITOCHES? 1 0
a i o CL - MILES - SCALE
I 10 vernon H A\ ^ f oH V >
20 r-'4 ' ® c f i ^ r r U J h
t / \r 3 i — / RKANSAS AR i 30 i I
A
40 RPDS rN ^vs-on o - s v ^ r RN..?A .<„. . . „ < .. L E L L A S GRANT....?LA EVANGELINE j 50 s M i p p i s s i s s i PERCENT GENERALIZED ISOPACHOUS ISOPACHOUS GENERALIZED PRA RNCOS FACIES ARENACEOUS SPARTA LOUISIANA AD F HE PRA CYCLE SPARTA E TH OF SAND OPRSN F THE OF COMPARISON F DEPOSITION OF RA F HS REPORT THIS OF AREA F THE OF WITH ECN SAND PERCENT FEET IN THICKNESS 4 > MAP LT IV PLATE TEXAS “i!f s“ BEAUREG^RB 10 — V — r j l f r — r f l ^ 1 NATCHITOCHES I NATCHITOCHES 1 f I W r 0 ‘ I t ‘I N O N R E V 0 S T J CL - MILES - SCALE pP ------10 20 -.r S A S N A K R A ALLEN 30 --- \M A —N — * *T 40 DES E ID P A R 1 t ' ' ' ( ,019.\ *9*. ® W 50 EVANG AvOYaLES % u K nn.v.vv l C 0 I i „ A-O1*- ) LANDRY \ \. \ i ^ ^ s 2 i^a ii^ r I/s 00 # MISSISSIPPI \:yi UPPER UPPER ITIUIN N THICKNESS AND DISTRIBUTION LOUISIANA AND AND SPC ITRA I FEET IN INTERVAL ISOPACH OF PRA CYCLE SPARTA GENERALIZED GENERALIZED LOWER DEPOSITION ■ 300 RA F HS REPORT THIS OF AREA 0 UPR SPARTA UPPER 500 F THE OF OE SPARTA LOWER SHALY SHALY w FACIES V E T A L P ARKANSAS , LOUISIANA GENERALIZED DISTRIBUTION AND THICKNESS OF THE L.Xi__ UPPER AND LOWER SHAJ.Y FACIES COCKFIELD CYCLE r U i OF DEPOSITION 1 t I NATCHITOCHES ISOPACH INTERVAL IN FEET ( l a s a l l e ! „ 500 UPPER COCKFIELD SABINE 300 LOWER COCKFIELD & I AREA OF THIS REPORT RAPIDES VERNON AVOYELLES MISSISSIPPI BEAUREGARD ST. LA ND W SCALE • MILES 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 PLATE VI • 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 4 5 0 0 4 5 0 0 • 6 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 - 8 0 0 0 53" / 9 0 0 0 - /—"TREN0 W< if s" '« e , ------' ■?-«— — _ L _ 9 5 0 0 - p*3© f53 *3e*yfc,% el,„ *7 ?*"- SPSSC.viiaCg; VERNON PARISH RAPIDES ALLEN PARISH EVANGELINE PARISH RAPIDES AVOYELLES SALLE LA T N E M I S O P \ 2 " R. 9 E SALLE POSI M E NT _ l . ■■■-zoP / cioCITOlMOUUfl K0S5 HORSESHOE 64 35-A -< /J 5 7® A7f *3J 3097 * / / / ° / ° 2 ^ a 4 e X / ' ' BOLTNERS br . 8! LISMORE gXOSCORp/^ .„J-NTEBI!y 90' o 03 C'ATAhOULA 0 4092 3263' O 142 / 3534 I4 l» 164 WHITES B- 163 4 279 l20£ ^ 'I2t DEER 123 1 29SB LONG SLOUGH PARK 3 6 f q‘ 4 4 o|60 7 126° 159° s. MONTEREY IP SANDY^B fftVER 3632^-1 w. SALIN£J..-'''’38;4 140” 1 224*5®-LARTO 226 g,440O 225 209 208 °43^£ BOROtLU NVILLE 6050 324 6 0 0 0 concord^ 6 5 0 0 000 STRUCTURE MAP OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA CONTOURED ON THE CANE RIVER MARL . .AVID HAAS a 410 9 0 0 0 9660 CONTOUR INTERVALS 9 5 0 0 100 FT. FROM lOOO' TO 9 0 0 0 5 0 0 FT. FROM 9 0 0 0 ' TO 1100 0 '0,000 501 990 T R E N D OF 631 10,562 C E N O Z O IC "•'*> HUOCHE FAULTS o {Mi POINTE BATON 709 2,407. P »tio OPELOUSAS 7 !2 p 741______I PORT 717 D P01NTE COUPEE IBERVILLE PARISH MARTIN R. 9 E. R. 10 E PLATE VII IOOG 2000 2 5 0 0 - 7 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 7 " > i — 3 5 0 0 Contoci Welch, !94i 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 ;«;s4 5 0 0 4 5 0 0 5 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 REND SOOO 6 0 0 0 6 5 0 0 ■7000 I «* 6 ?> LA SALLE POSIMENT CATAHOULA ■500 1000 r~ 2000 3 5 0 0 4 0 0 0 f - s 375 5 5 0 0 6 0 0 0 - 6 5 0 0 ■7000 0000 TREN ■TREN D OF LATE CENOZOIC FAULTS ,4 9 9 E 50 0 •9000 PARISH L A S A L L E POSIMENT CATAHOULA L ./ / , FRENCH FORK /42a I HORSESHOE 8^,1 53 2 B5-A SI LISMORE CONCORD/-?, MONTEREY ELM 57,RIDGE 10" CATAHOULA 1828 »58 KINCAID '6 A white o 158 ^ I g 94 0 159° S. MONTEREY fit verSV- ° SALINE 147 LAKE -?^5 W. SALINE L. ,3 S; As?*!— — 'm. r'iws 22 4 o S.LARTO 25 5 _ ROSELANO STRUCTURE MAP 4 0 0 0 OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA CONTOURED ON cQt,lCOR0 /4 4 5 Q Q BASAL VICKSBURG MARL CONTOUR INTERVALS 5 0 0 0 100 FT. CONTOUR INTERVAL FROM 3 0 0 - 5 0 0 0 5 0 0 FT. CONTOUR INTERVAL FROM 5 0 0 0 ' - 7 0 0 0 1 000 FT CONTOUR INTERVAL FROM 7 0 0 0 '- 1 0 ,0 0 0 5 5 0 0 - 6 0 0 0 AVOYELLES ST LANDRY 7 0 0 0 SOI 498 334B j T R E N D O F sis g4 9 9 0 5 0 0 LATE 60 5 CENOZOIC 9498 ° BS8 B. V/HITE 9 0 0 0 6 lL WASHINGTON S. 621 0:-.0 7 3 0 Q 743 POINTL UkIS_T3T- BATON L0U8AS 742 .7 4 1 POINTE COUPEE BERVILLE * R. IO E P L A T E V III 139 215 315 3 0 9 3 5 7 LA. DELTA NO. I BEN J. ALTHEIMER EST. ET AL. NO. 5 FERNAND BORDELON UNIT NO. I FLORENCE BERNARD UNIT NO. VERGlE DISCANT NO. SEC. 26. T.4H., R4E. SEC. 78, T2N-, R4E SEC. 26, T.2N., R.3E 4 7 210 arenaceo us CATAHOULA HIL- CLASTIC BRANCH COCKFIELD FACIES mountain SPARTA ARENACEOUS - T" 47 OLIN-TENSAS delta NO. 210 OPELOUSAS AVOYELLES PARISH - ST. LANDRY PARISH GAS FIELD s 3 5 7 378 4 0 6 451 5 0 5 6 0 5 711 W. A. MONCRIEF V. RICHARDSON S.W. RICHARDSON FRED E. SIMMONS, JR. SOHIO PETROLEUM CO. € GULF REFG CO 0 9. PENNINGTON B.0. M. DRILLING CO. VERGlE DISCANT NO. I HAAS LAND CO. NO. I HAAS LAND CO. NO. E-l HERSCHEL FOGLEMAN NO. I GEORGE H. PARSER NO. I IRENE GAY NO. I C. DALFREY NO. I SEC 31. TIN., R.4E. SEC. 15, T.3S., R.4E. SEC.72, T4S., R.4E. SEC. B2, T.6S.. R.4E. £l£v. 52' K.8. FACIES ARENACEOUS CLASTIC FACIES FACIESARENACEOUS :uaceous FACIES COCKFIELD FACIES ' - MARL COOK MARL- SHALY VACEOUS FACIES MARL — i-.amF RIVER WILCOX ARENACEOUS FACIES NORTH-SOUTH STRATIGRAPHIC SECTION FROM LA SALLE POSIMENT TO OPELOUSAS GAS FIELD --1 1 i-LATE IX AVO YELLES PH S 3 2 2^ CONCORDiA PH. 293 P A N A M S O U T H E R N C O . £ . D. D. F E L D M A N JETT DR LG. CO. PAN AM PETR CO. SOUTHWESTERN IM PRO VEM ENT CO. BLOCK NO. 2 , W E LL NO. I ANGELINA LBR . CO. NO. 4 SEC. I I , T. £ N . , R . 6 E . ELEV 57' K.B. 5 0 0 SOOO I 5 0 0 2000 LU >O _ o o s 2 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 5 0 0 T.D. 9 ,5 2 3 ' 248 246 244 AN AM PETR CO. PAN AM PETR. CO.. JETT DRLG. CO. ^ PAN AM PETR. CO. PAN AM PETR. CO. ! CO. NO. 4 YAKEY NO. I ANGELINA LBR. CO. NO. 2 ANGELINA LBR. CO. NO. 3 ' , R . 7 E . SEC. 42, T.4N., R. 8 E. SEC. 31, T.4N., R.8E. SEC. 19, T.4N., R.8E. • . B. esr. ELEV. 52' K.B. est ELEV 48' K.B. est ELEV 52' K.B. “CANE RIVER [VI SHALY FACIES WILCOX a r e n a c e o u s NORTH - SO STRATIGRAPHIC EAST OF LA SAL SHOWING LITHOLOGIC GFL WILCOX CYCLE OF DATUM: CANE RIVE HORIZONTAL SCALE 69 9 7 N SINCLAIR OIL 6^ GAS CO. ! SID ,W. RICHARDSON A. H. CAMPBELL DEEP RIGHTS WELL NO. I MADISON OIL a . DEVELOPMENT CO. NO. A-! SEC. 7, T5N., R.9E. SEC. 34, T6N , R.9E. ELEV 58' G.L. E LE V . 6 5 ‘ K B e st MARL- ES FACIES SOUTH : SECTION lALLE ARCH JiRADATIOIMS WITHIN DEPOSITION . E R M A R L - E - M IL E S 6 e io 6S 5- 1000 I 5 0 0 2 0 0 0 — o o X o 2 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 5 0 0 TD. 9 ,5 2 3 ' 4 0 0 0 .b LA SALLE 4 5 0 0 3 2 2 AVOYELLES 11 ,4 6 6 ‘ WILCOX ARENACEOUS FAi NORTH - SOUTH STRATI GRAPHIC SE EAST OF LA SALLE SHOWING LITHOLOGIC GRADA WILCOX CYCLE OF DEi: DATUM: CANE RIVER. MA? HORIZONTAL SCALE- MIL PORTERS CREEK SHALY | CLAYTON SELMA EQ'JIVA T.O. I i,437 T.D. 1 5 ' FACIES j. 'UTH SECTION .LE ARCH NATIONS WITHIN DEPOSITION i'? MARL - M ILE S fi 6 8 10 I a l y f a c ie s JIVALENT MARL- PLATE K fa c ie s .cock .COKE m E R * W L‘ LA SALLE ARCH 18 2 6 120 122 59 KIRSY PETflClEUM CO. SEABOARD OIL CO. OF DELAWARE T. D. HUMPHREY L SONS LTD. M.H. WHELESS C.H. MURPHY BENTLEY LUMBER CO. NO. I JOE SHORTER 140. I L.D. HATAWAY NO. I WHELESS NO.B-I LA. DELTA NO. I SEC. 28, T.6 N., R.4W. SEC. 40, TON.,, R.2W. SEC. .27, T5N., «.!£. SEC. 5. T5N., R.3E, SIEC. 36, T.6 N., R.4E. ELEV. 205' K0. ELEV. 183' K.9. ELEV. 54" K.a ELEV. S3' K.3. CATAHOULA ■VICKSBURG MARL- CLASTJC il£g5lS_BRANCH MAP| ARENACEOUS Ov. EAST-WEST S TR U C TU R A L SECTION FROM SABINE UPLIFT ACROSS LA SALLE ARCH LA SALLE ARCH 120 122 59 6 7 8 5 9 7 T. 0. HUMPHREY 4L SONS LTD. kt.H. WKELESS C.H. MURPHY PAN AM SOUTHERN KINSEY INTERESTS SID. W. RICHARDSON LD. HATAWAY NO. I WHELESS NO.B-l LA. DELTA NO. I WOMACK-COTTONNO.1 JOHN DALE NO. I MADISON OIL 6vDEVELOPMENT PJO.S SEC. 27, T5N„ R.IE. SEC. 3, TSN.. R.3E. SEC. 36, T6 N., R.4E. SEC.I. T 6 N.i R.6 E. SEC.8 , T.6 N., R.SE. SEC. 34, T.SN., R.9E. ELEV. IOl' K.B. ELEV. 94' K S ELEV. 69' K.B. ELEV. 53' K.B. » ELEV. CD' IC.B. (TOP TO 2,500*) AND 8 5 A HUNT OIL CO. ET AL. JOHN OALE JR. NO. I SEC. 8 , T.6 N-, R.6 E. ELEV. 6l‘ K.B. (2400* TO 9,700'} CATAHOULA FACIES •VICKSBURG MARL- CLASTIC ARENACEOUS COOK MOUNTAIN MARL. 8 5 EAST-W EST STRUCTURAL SECTION FROM SABINE UPLIFT ACROSS LA SALLE ARCH TO. 10,002 PLATE XI SEABOARD OIL CO. OF DELAWARE KEMP DRLG. CO. L D.D. FELDMAN OIL L GAS CO. MARCEL J. SILBERMAN JOE SHORTER NO. I MARIA BROUSEK NO. I VVISNER — FISHER UNIT NO. SEC. 4 0 , T.SN., R.2W. SEC. 2 2 , T .4 M , R.2E. SEC. 14, T.4N ., R.3E ELEV. 153' K:B. ELEV. 106' K.B. ELEV. 5 7 'K.B. est. -r SPARTA ARENACEOUS FACIES SHALY FACIES . -CANE RIVER MARL- SHALY FAc,ES arenaceo us facies WILCOX j LA SALLE GRANT R API DES AVOYELLES ' X- 216 215 225 23! 230 PAN AM PETROLEUM CO. GULF REFG. CO. HUNT OIL CO. HUNT OIL CO. DAVID CROW, TRUSTEE \!Q. BROADHEAD NO. 2 B.J. ALTHEIMER EST. ET AL. N 0 .5 LA . DELTA NO. 5 0 CHARLES PETERSEN ESTATE I QUINN NO. I SEC. 30, T.4 N., R.4 E SEC. 26, T.4N., R.4E. SEC. 27, T.4N ., R.5E. SEC. 31, T.4 N., R.6E. SEC. 24, T 4 N ., R.6E. ELEV. 5 0 ' K.B. est. ELEV. 5 6 ' K.B. ELEV. 55' K.B ELEV. 63' K.B. est. ELEV 54 K.B Y 0 o o in DATUM: CANE RIVER MARL HORIZONTAL SCALE: DIAGRAMMATIC 237 238 246 24 i L. C1. WENTWORTH- JUSTISS- MEARS BARNETT SERIO JETT DRLG. CO. 6. PAN AM PETROLEUM CO. CALTO OIL CO. G.W. GULMAN CONN NO. I ANGELINA LB R . CO. NO. 2 ANGELINA LBR. CO. NO. 2 ALLEN NO. I j SEC. 19, T.4N., R.7E. SEC. 21, T.4N., R.7E. SEC. 31, T.4N., R.8E. SEC, 14, T.4N ., R.SE. ELEV. 52 K.B. ELEV. 5 4 ' K.B. est. ELEV. 48' K.B. est. ELEV. 58' K.B. 400 SPARTA ARENACEOUS FACIES SHALY FACIES I ITN CANE RIVER MARL SHALY FACIES J WILCOX ARENACEOUS FACIES 200 300 EAST -WEST STRATIGRAPHIC SECTION SHOWING THINNING OF CANE RIVER FORMATION OVER SOUTHERN END OF LA SALLE ARCH PLATE XI! SECTION I SECTION 2 43 4 4 45 4 6 53 52 54 PLACID OIL CO; OLIN O IL& .6A S CORR HUNT OIL CO. F. R. JACKSON 0. J. BAIRO JUSTISS-MEARS OIL CO. OLIN OIL a. GAS CO. STATE NO. 4 CALLICOTT-BARTON NO. I LA. %OELTA NO. H-116 THOMPSON HEIRS NO. 2 TENSAS DELTA NO. D - l LA. DELTA NO. A-1 OLIN-TENSAS FEE NO. 18 SEC. 7, T6N., R.4E. SEC. S, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 9, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 10. T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 19. T.6N., R.4£. SEC. 19, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 22 , T.6N., R.4E. ELEV. K.B 60' ELEV. K.B. 53' ' ELEV. K.B. 47' ELEV. K.B. 67' ELEV. K.B. 54' ELEV. K.B. 57' ELEV. K.B. 60'fl5t. 8 0 0 i— 7 0 0 - CATAHOULA CATAHOULA 6 0 0 0 ; - J ARENACEOUS ARENACEOUS X lO FACIES FACIES 5 0 0 VICKSBURG 23* VICKSBURG MARL L 3HAI MARL LSHALE VICKSBURG MARL 6. SHALE ^ B q s o I Vicksburg Mar! Mat; >-Basal Vicksburg Marl Marker- 3 0 0 FOREST HILL CLASTIC 200 CLASTIC FACIES FACIES 100 Daium: Top of Meodys Branef o — MOODYS BRANCH MARL , = "MOODYS BRANCH COCKFIELD COCKFIELD ARENACEOUS ARENACEOUS: FACIES FACIES 2 0 0 3 0 0 < |o ) SECTION 2 SECTION 3 46 53 52 54 56 57 58 F. R. JACKSON B. J, BAIRD JUSTISS-MEARS OIL CO. OLIN OIL (L GAS CO. HUNT OIL CO. HUNT OIL CO. HUNT OIL CO. HCMPSON HEIRS NO. 2 TENSAS DELTA NO. D - l LA. DELTA NO. A -1 O LIN—TENSAS FEE NO. 18 LA. DELTA NO. 9 6 LA. DELTA NO. 9i LA. DELTA NO. H -161 SEC. 10, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 19, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 19, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 22, T.6N., R.4E. SEC. 32, T6N., R.4E. SEC. 33, T6N., R.4E SEC. 34, T6N ., R.4E. FEET ELEV. K.B. 67’ ELEV. KB. 54' ELEV, K.B. 57' ELEV. K.B. CO' est. ELEV. K.B. 34' ELEV. K.a 57'esl. ELEV. K 8. 55' est. 800 CATAHOULA CATAHOULA ARENACEOUS ARENACEOUS FACiES FACIES VICKSBURG MARL 6. SHALE . VICKS8URG MARL S. SHALE V -Bosol Vicksburg Marl Marker - Basal Vicksburg Mori Marker FOREST HILL FOREST HILL CLASTIC CLASTIC FACIES FACIES Top of Meodys Branch Mart MOODYS BRANCH MARL — MOODYS BRANCH MARL COCKFIELD COCKFIELD ARENACEOUS ARENACEOUS oiu FACIES FACIES EAST-W EST a STRATIGRAPHIC SECTIONS ftREfJACtOUS ON EAST FLANK LA SALLE POSIMENT SHOWING BASAL CATAHOULA ARENACEOUS FACIES CALCAREOUS REPLACING BASAL VICKSBURG MARL AND SHALE FACIES MILES HORIZONTAL SCALE: DIAGRAMMATIC DATUM: TOP MOODYS BRANCH MARL 701 699 703 7 0 2 601 5 9 8 491 STAMDLIND OIL £ GAS CO, LOUIS J. ROUSSEL GULF INTERSTATE CO. J. 0. OWEN 6 PRESTON OIL CO. TEMPLE HARGROVE DELTA DRILLING CO-HUMBLE OIL £ REFG CO. SAVOY UNIT NO. S - 3 FRANCIX LEOOUX NO.I 6ABE YOUNG NO. I EDGAR MILLER NO. I ALIDAY ROZAS NO. I ALVIE D. GRANGER ET AL. NO. I 0. MCCAULEY NO. I SEC.36, T.6S., R.IE SEC. 49, T.6S., R.I £ SEC. 18, T 6 S., T2E. SEC 7. T.SS., R.2E. SEC. 30, T.SS., R.2E. SEC. 14, T, 5S., R.IE, SEC 10, T.4S., R.IE. ELEV. 65' K.B. est. ELEV. 63' d.B. est. ELEV. 39' k B. ELEV. 69' K.B.* ELEV. 66' KB. est ELEV. 73’ K.a est. ELEV 85' K 0. ARENACEOUS CALCAREOUS VICKSBURG BASAL VICKSBURG FOREST CLASTIC COCKFIELD a r e n a c e o u s T.D. 10,604 RAPIDES T.O. 10,464 AVOYELLES evangei / ne ST. LANDRY T.O 12,409 g FEFT w -| 1500 491 444 37.7 309 56 57 58 r oil co. GULF COAST LEASEHOLDERS, INC S. W. RICHARDSON BATEMAN DRILLING CO. HUNT OIL CO. HUNT OIL CO. HUNT OIL CO. MJLEY NO. I VERNA 6. THOMPSON NO. I WEIL CO. NO. 17 FLORENCE BERNARD UNIT NO. I LA DELTA NO. 96 LA DELTA NO. S! LA DELTA NO. H-161 T 4 S., R.IE. SEC. IS, T.3S., R. I E. SEC. 53. T. I S., R.2E. SEC. 26, T.2N., R.3E. SEC. 32, T 6 N ., R.4E. SEC. 33, T 6 N ., R. 4 E. SEC. 34, T.6 N., R 4 £. t. 65’ K.a. ELEV. B6' K.8. !St. ELEV. 57' K.B.Otl. NORTH - SOUTH STRATIGRAPHIC SECTION SHOWING EQUIVALENCY OF BASAL CATAHOULA ARENACEOUS FACIES VICKSBURG CALCAREOUS AND SHALY FACIES HORIZONTAL SCALE: DIAGRAMMATIC DATUM: BASAL VICKSBURG MARL MARKER VICKSBURG CALCAREOUS f FACIES MARL MARKER 2. FACIES CLASTIC MARL BRANCH COCKFIELD ARENACEOUS FACIES PLA TE X !V FEET FEET a o o o r 715 714 7 2 0 -i 2000 SUN OIL CO. F.A. CALLERY, INC. THE TEXAS CO. CANAL BANK—NEZAT U N IT!, NO. I METHODIST CHURCH NO. I BOTANY BAY LB R CO. NO. 55 SEC. 2 , T.SS., R.5E. SEC. i, T.SS., R.5E. SEC. 19, T.6S., R.6E. ELEV. 45' K.B. ELEV. 3S' K.B e il ELEV. 30' K.B. est. A I LJ 2 LI oO CATAHOULA 2 ARENACEOUS FACIES i LJ 2 LJ O SHALY g FACIES -j o VICKSBURG MARL 1 FOREST HILL CLASTIC FACIES SHALY * £ COCKFIELD oLJ o LJ J.D. 12,590 HORIZONTAL SCALE MILES PORT 8ARRE OIL FIELD SHALY T STRATIGRAPHIC SECTION PORT BARRE SALT DOME o l ST. LANDRY PARISH, LOUISIANA INDICATING INFERRED FRINGING CALCAREOUS REEF IN COOK MOUNTAIN FORMATION DATUM: MOODYS BRANCH MARL P L A T E XV