-PALEOCENE DEPOSITION OF THE ljOBACK- fORMATION- ON THE !:A- -(?ARGE PLATFORM OF THE GREEN--- RIVER- BASIN BY DAVID EDWARD )JCHMUDE Bachelor of Science Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1989 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December, 1991 tJ\-&~ \C\Cl\ ~~5l~~ btt PALEOCENE DEPOSITION OF THE HOBACK FORMATION ON THE LA BARGE PLATFORM OF THE GREEN RIVER BASIN Thesis Approved: -------------------------+---------a~ w, ~ :n= Thesis Adviser -------~J~~-t7~~-----Dean of the Graduate College I I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Cleaves for his help throughout my graduate program and Dr. AI-Shaieb for his input on the diagenetic aspects of the Hoback Formation I would also like to thank Dr. Stewart, Ed Burritt, and Dwaine Edington for their help in reviewing the text, and Special thanks to Jim Kreutzfeld, who suggested the topic. Most importantly I would like to thank Texaco for their complete financial support Without their involvement the study would not have been possible. would also like to extend special thanks to Shelly Stone for drafting all of my maps. I extend my deepest appreciation to my father , who typed and reviewed the manuscript for me, and to both of my parents, for their support and encouragement throughout my educational career. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................... 1 Location of Study Area..................................................................... 1 Purpose and Scope of the Study.................................................... 1 Methods of Investigation................................................................... 6 Subsurface studies................................................................ 6 Field Studies........................................................................... 1 0 Previous Investigations..................................................................... 1 0 Stratigraphy........................................................................ 1 0 Paleocene Production .......................................................... 1 2 Structural Geology................................................................. 1 3 II. STRUCTURAL FEATURES........................................................................ 14 Tectonic Setting ...................................................................... 1 4 Gras Ventre Mountains......................................................... 1 4 Wind River Mountains........................................................... 1 6 Rock Springs Uplift................................................................ 16 Uinta Mountains..................................................................... 17 Overthrust Belt .................................. ........ ......... ........ .... .. ...... 1 7 Influential Structural Elements........................................................ 20 Moxa Arch (La Barge Platform)........................................... 20 Darby (Hogsback) Thrust..................................................... 21 Hilliard (La Barge) Thrust..................................................... 23 Other Faulting......................................................................... 26 Timing of Important Structural Events............................................ 28 Ill. STRATIGRAPHY........................................................................................... 32 Backgound.......................................................................................... 32 Late Cretaceous................................................................................. 33 Frontier Formation................................................................. 34 Hilliard Formation .................................................................. 39 Mesaverde formation ............................................................ 41 Tertiary................................................................................................. 44 Stratigriphic Nomenclature.................................................. 44 Hoback Formation................................................................. 49 Wasatch Formation................................................................ 51 Lookout Mountain Conglomerate Member iv Chapter Page of the Wasatch Formation............................................... 52 Chappo Member of the Wasatch Formation..................... 54 IV. CORE AND FIELD STUDIES..................................................................... 55 Core Descriptions.............................................................................. 55 Palynology of the Hoback Formation............................................. 56 Field Investigations............................................................................ 56 V. SUBSURFACE GEOLOGY BASED ON ELECTRIC LOG STUDIES.. 64 Introduction......................................................................................... 64 Cross-Sections................................................................................... 64 Stratigraphic........................................................................... 64 Structural................................................................................. 65 Structure Maps................................................................................... 65 Base Of Hoback Sand .. ..... .. .......... .. .... .. .... ... .............. .. .. .. .. .. 6 5 Top of TH-3 Interval ("X" Marker) Map............................... 66 Hilliard Fault Plane Map....................................................... 66 Net Sand Iso lith Maps....................................................................... 6 6 TH-1 Interval Net Sand Map................................................ 67 TH-2 Interval Net Sand Map................................................ 67 TH-3 Interval Net Sand Map................................................ 67 TH-4 Interval Net Sand Map................................................ 68 TH-5 Interval Net Sand Map................................................ 68 Interval Isopach Maps....................................................................... 69 TH-2 Interval Isopach Map................................................... 69 TH-3 Interval Isopach Map................................................... 69 TH-4 Interval Isopach Map................................................... 69 VI. DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE HOBACK FORMATION.... 71 Environmental Interpretation........................................................... 71 Bedforms of Sand Dominated Braided Rivers............................. 76 Bars.......................................................................................... 80 Longitudinal Bars....................................................... 81 Lingoidal (Transverse) Bars.................................... 82 Compound Bars......................................................... 83 Sand Waves........................................................................... 83 Dunes....................................................................................... 84 Classification of the Hoback Braided River Deposits.................. 85 Source Area........................................................................................ 86 Paleocene Paleoenvironment......................................................... 89 VII. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY............................................................................ 94 Introduction......................................................................................... 94 v Chapter Page Possible Source And Migration Path............................................. 96 Source..................................................................................... 96 Migration Path........................................................................ 99 Trapping Mechanisms...................................................................... 1 00 Structural Traps ...................................................................... 1 00 Stratigraphic Traps ................................................................ 1 01 Cumulative Production Map ............................................................ 101 Possible Reservoir Communication Problems............................. 1 02 VIII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................ 1 04 REFERENCES CITED.............................................................................................. 1 06 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 113 APPENDIX A- CORE DISCRIPTIONS ..................................................... 114 WELL M327 ........................................................................................ 116 WELL Tl-4.. .................... .... .................. ............................... ..... .. ........ .. 1 22 WELL K634W ..................................................................................... 1 28 WELL J503Y .. .......... .............. .......... .. ................ .. ............... ................ 1 34 APPENDIX B- WELL LOG DATA.............................................................. 141 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. Stratigraphic Names Assigned to the Paleocene Producing Sands of La Barge