U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Petroleum Exploration Plays and Resource Estimates, 1989, Onshore United States-­ Region 3, Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range By Richard B. Powers, Editor1 Open-File Report 93-248 This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Denver, Colorado 1993 CONTENTS Introduction Richard B. Powers................................................................................................ 1 Commodities assessed.................................................................................................. 2 Areas of study.............................................................................................................. 2 Play discussion format................................................................................................. 5 Assessment procedures and methods........................................................................... 5 References cited........................................................................................................... 7 Glossary....................................................................................................................... 8 Region 3, Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range................................................................... 9 Geologic Framework Richard B. Powers.................................................................................................. 9 Eastern Basin and Range province (082) James A. Peterson.................................................................................................. 11 Western Basin and Range province (083) Harry E. Cook........................................................................................................ 17 Idaho-Snake River Downwarp province (084) James A. Peterson.................................................................................................. 21 Paradox Basin province (085) James A. Peterson.................................................................................................. 25 Uinta-Piceance-Eagle Basins province (086) Charles W. Spencer................................................................................................ 35 Park Basins province (087) Edwin K. Maughan................................................................................................ 45 San Juan Basin province (088) A. Curtis Huffman, Jr............................................................................................ 49 Albuquerque-Santa Fe-San Luis Rift Basins province (089) Cornelius M. Molenaar.......................................................................................... 66 Wyoming-Utah-Idaho Thrust Belt province (090) Richard B. Powers.................................................................................................. 74 Northern Arizona province (091) William C.Butler................................................................................................... 93 Contents-continued South-Central New Mexico province (092) William C.Butler................................................................................................... 99 Southern Arizona-Southwestern New Mexico province (093) William C. Butler................................................................................................... 103 Selected references................................................................................................................... 107 Table of resource estimates...................................................................................................... 109 FIGURES 1. Diagram showing petroleum resource classification ................................................... 3 2. Map showing petroleum regions assessed in this study......................................... 4 3. Index map of lower 48 States, showing provinces assessd in Region 3............................................................................................................. 10 4. Generalized stratigraphic column, Eastern Basin and Range province ................. 12 5. Map of Unconformity play ................................................................................... 14 6. Mapof Upper Plaeozoic play................................................................................ 16 7. Generalized stratigraphic column, Western Basin and Range province................ 18 8. Map of Dixie Valley play....................................................................................... 20 9. Generalized stratigraphic column, Idaho-Snake River Downwarp province........................................................................................... 22 10. Map of Idaho Lake Basin play................................................................................ 24 11. Generalized stratigraphic column, Paradox Basin province.................................. 26 12-15.Playmaps: 12. Carbonate Buildup ............................................................................................. 28 13. Older Paleozoic.................................................................................................. 30 14. Salt Interbeds...................................................................................................... 32 15. Salt Anticline...................................................................................................... 34 16. Generalized stratigraphic columns, Uinta-Piceance-Eagle Basins province.......... 36 11 Contents Continued 17-20. Play maps: 17. Wasateh-Green River Gas................................................................................. 38 18. Wasatch-Green River Oil.................................................................................. 40 19. Upper Cretaceous.............................................................................................. 42 20. Permian-Pennsylvanian..................................................................................... 44 21. Generalized stratigraphic column, Park Basins province ....................................... 46 22. Map of Mesozoic structure play.............................................................................. 48 23. Generalized stratigraphic column, San Juan Basin province.................................. 50 24-30. Play maps: 24. Mesaverde......................................................................................................... 52 25. Fruitland-Kirtland............................................................................................. 54 26. Pictured Cliffs................................................................................................... 56 27. Tocito-Gallup.................................................................................................... 58 28. Dakota............................................................................................................... 61 29. Pennsylvania!!................................................................................................... 63 30. Entrada.............................................................................................................. 65 31. Generalized stratigraphic column, Albuquerque-Santa Fe-San Luis Rift Basins province........................................................................................... 67 32-34. Play maps: 32. Albuquerque Basin............................................................................................ 69 33. Hagan-Santa Fe Embayment............................................................................. 71 34. San Juan Sag ..................................................................................................... 73 35. Generalized stratigraphic column, Wyoming-Utah-Idaho Thrust Belt province........................................................................................... 75 in Contents Continued 36-41. Play maps: 36. Moxa Arch Extension ....................................................................................... 78 37. Crawford-Meade Thrusts.................................................................................. 81 38. Northern Thrusts............................................................................................... 83 39. Absaroka Thrust Gas, Absaroka Thrust Oil...................................................... 86 40. Hogsback Thrust............................................................................................... 89 41. Cretaceous Stratigraphic ................................................................................... 92 42. Generalized stratigraphic columns, Northern Arizona province ............................ 94 43. Map of Defiance Uplift play................................................................................... 95 44. Map of Oraibi Trough play..................................................................................... 98 45. Generalized stratigraphic columns, South-Central New Mexico province.............................................................................................................. 100 46. Map of Orogrande Basin play................................................................................. 102 47. Generalized stratigraphic column, Southern Arizona - Southwestern