PROVENANCE OF THE MIDDLE PERMIAN, DELAWARE MOUNTAIN GROUP: DELAWARE BASIN, SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS BY JOHN MARTIN ANTHONY Bachelor of Science, 2013 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The College of Science and Engineering Texas Christian University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN GEOLOGY May 2015 Copyright by John Martin Anthony 2015 Acknowledgements I would like to gratefully acknowledge the help and extreme generosity of all individuals and universities while working on this project. Firstly, I would like to thank my graduate advisor, Dr. Xianyang Xie. Without his support, knowledge, and enthusiasm, this project would have would not have been nearly as enjoyable. Dr. Xie was as dedicated of an advisor that I could have asked for. I would also like to thank the following faculty members that served as my committee members: Dr. Helge Alsleben and Dr. John Holbrook. Their support and input during my research was much appreciated. Secondly, Ira Bradford deserves much recognition for serving as a mentor during my two summer internships with Concho Resources. His guidance has been paramount in my pursuit for becoming a better geologist. I would also like to thank Concho Resources for providing the thin sections used for the petrographic work in this study. Several geology departments were welcoming and provided their facilities for sample processing and analyses. These universities include: University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Arizona. Lastly, I would like to thank specific family and friends. I want to thank my amazing fiancée, Caroline, for her encouragement and support during my pursuit of a Master’s Degree. Also, I would like to thank my parents who have always provided words of encouragement and instilling me with a strong work ethic. I would not be where I am today without them. Finally, I have to thank friends here in the geology department: Patrick, Justin, Garrett, and Robert. Thesis work can be grueling and I’m glad I had a great group of friends to take my mind off school when the time called for it. ii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... viii 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Study .................................................................................................. 1 Tectonic Setting .................................................................................................... 2 Stratigraphy and Depositional Setting .................................................................. 6 Previous Views on Provenance of the Delaware Mountain Group ..................... 10 2. SANDSTONE MODAL MINERALOGY ................................................................... 12 Point Counting Methods .................................................................................... 12 Framework Grain Types .................................................................................... 15 Monocrystalline Quartz ........................................................................... 16 Polycrystalline Quartz ............................................................................. 16 Potassium Feldspar ................................................................................ 16 Plagioclase Feldspar ............................................................................... 16 Volcanic Lithic Grains ............................................................................. 21 Siliciclastic Sedimentary and Metamorphic Lithic Grains ........................ 21 Additional Categories ........................................................................................ 24 Phyllosilicates ......................................................................................... 24 Heavy Minerals ....................................................................................... 24 Cement/Matrix ........................................................................................ 24 Porosity ................................................................................................... 25 Others ..................................................................................................... 25 Classification and Provenance Results ............................................................. 31 iii Brushy Canyon Formation ...................................................................... 31 Cherry Canyon Formation ........................................................................ 32 Bell Canyon Formation ............................................................................ 33 Comparisons to Previous Studies ............................................................. 33 3. U-PB DETRITAL ZIRCON GEOCHRONOLOGY .................................................... 40 Sampling and Geochronology Methods .............................................................. 40 Results ............................................................................................................... 44 JCT- 6446 ............................................................................................... 45 JCT- 6068 ............................................................................................... 47 JCT- 5872 ............................................................................................... 49 JCT- 4946 ............................................................................................... 51 4. POTENTIAL SOURCE TERRANES ......................................................................... 55 Archean/Paleoproterozoic (>1825 Ma) ............................................................... 56 Late Paleoproterozoic (1600-1825 Ma) .............................................................. 56 Early Mesoproterozoic (1300-1600 Ma) ............................................................. 57 Mid-late Mesoproterozoic (920-1300 Ma) ........................................................... 57 Neoproterozoic/Early Paleozoic (510-790 Ma) ................................................... 58 Mid-Paleozoic (285-490 Ma) .............................................................................. 60 Late Paleozoic (<285 Ma) ................................................................................... 60 5. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 61 Ancestral Rocky Mountain Argument ................................................................ 61 Appalachian Orogen Argument .......................................................................... 64 Ouachita Orogen Argument ................................................................................ 67 Paleogeography and Sediment Dispersal Pathways ......................................... 71 Brushy Canyon Formation ...................................................................... 72 iv Cherry Canyon Formation and Bell Canyon Formation ........................... 72 6. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................... 75 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 77 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 88 Appendix I – Raw Point Count Data ................................................................... 88 Appendix II – U-PB Detrital Zircon Geochronology Results ................................ 90 Appendix III – K-S Statistical Results .............................................................. 108 VITA ABSTRACT v List of Figures 1. Middle Permian Basin Setting of Permian Basin ........................................................ 4 2. Paleogeography of Northwestern Pangea ................................................................. 5 3. Shelf-Basin Transect from the Northwest Shelf to the Delaware Basin ..................... 7 4. Block Diagram of Interpreted Delaware Mountain Group Deposition ........................ 9 5. Major Transport Directions for Bell Canyon Sandstones ......................................... 11 6. Stratigraphic Cross Section of Sampled Wells ........................................................ 13 7. Monocrystalline Quartz Grains ................................................................................ 17 8. Polycrystalline Quartz Grains .................................................................................. 18 9. Potassium Feldspar Grains ..................................................................................... 19 10. Plagioclase Feldspar Grains ................................................................................. 20 11. Volcanic Lithic Grains ............................................................................................ 22 12. Siliciclastic Sedimentary and Metamorphic Lithic Grains ...................................... 23 13. Phyllosilicates .......................................................................................................