Geologic Cross Section E–E’ through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Pendleton County, West Virginia By Robert T. Ryder, Christopher S. Swezey, Robert D. Crangle, Jr., and Michael H. Trippi Scientific Investigations Map 2985 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS For more information on the USGS—The Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Ryder, R.T., Swezey, C.S., Crangle, R.D., Jr., and Trippi, M.H., 2008, Geologic cross section E–E’ through the Appalachian basin from the Findlay arch, Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge province, Pendleton County, West Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2985, 2 sheets, 48-p. pamphlet. ISBN 978–1–4113–2009–3 iii Contents Introduction......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 Construction of the Cross Section ...............................................................................................................................................................................................1 Structural Framework ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Basement Structures ............................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Thin-Skinned Structures .......................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Stratigraphic Framework ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Lower Cambrian to Upper Ordovician Siliciclastic and Carbonate Strata ...................................................................................................................6 Upper Ordovician to Lower Silurian Siliciclastic Strata ..................................................................................................................................................8 Lower Silurian to Middle Devonian Carbonate and Evaporite Strata ...........................................................................................................................9 Middle Devonian to Lower Mississippian Siliciclastic Strata ......................................................................................................................................11 Middle to Upper Mississippian Carbonate Strata ..........................................................................................................................................................13 Upper Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Permian Siliciclastic Strata .....................................................................................................................13 Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................14 References Cited...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Appendices A and B .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................23 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................24 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................48 Figures [On map sheet 1] 1. Map of Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and adjoining States showing the location of section E–E’ 2. Correlation of Paleozoic rocks along section E–E’ in Ohio and West Virginia iv Table [On map sheet 1] 1. Drill holes used to construct section E–E’ Geologic Cross Section E–E’ through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Pendleton County, West Virginia By Robert T. Ryder, Christopher S. Swezey, Robert D. Crangle, Jr., and Michael H. Trippi Introduction reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from the entire Paleozoic sedimentary section. Cross section lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures E–E′ follows the same line of section used by Ryder shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum (1992) in his stratigraphic study of Cambrian and Ordo- Geologic cross section E–E′ is the first in a series of cross sections planned by the U.S. Geological Sur- systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation vician rocks, but four drill holes have been added at the and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by vey (USGS) to document and improve understanding northwestern end of the section (fig. 1, on sheet 1; table burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of 1, on sheet 1). based on information shown on the cross section. the Appalachian basin. Cross section E–E′ provides a Cross section E–E′ is based on geological and Cross section E–E lacks the detail to illustrate regional view of the structural and stratigraphic frame- ′ geophysical data from 16 deep drill holes, most of key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, work of the basin from the Findlay arch in northwest- which penetrate the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of coal quality, and coal rank), but it does provide a ern Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in eastern the basin and bottom in Mesoproterozoic (Grenville- general framework (stratigraphic units and general rock West Virginia, a distance of approximately 380 miles age) crystalline basement rocks. The locations of the types) for the coal-bearing section. Also, cross section (mi) (fig. 1, on sheet 1). Cross section E–E′ updates tops of each stratigraphic unit penetrated in the 16 drill E–E may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify earlier geologic cross sections through the central ′ holes were converted from depth in feet (ft) below plausible geologic structures and strata for the sub- Appalachian basin by Renfro and Feray (1970), kelly bushing (KB) to depth below ground level (GL), surface storage of liquid waste (for example, Colton, Bennison (1978), and Bally and Snelson (1980) and then plotted on the cross section with respect to 1961; Lloyd and Reid, 1990) or for the sequestration of and a stratigraphic cross section by Colton (1970). mean sea level (MSL). Detailed depth information for carbon dioxide (for example, Smith and others, 2002; Although other published cross sections through parts the tops of the stratigraphic units in each drill hole is Lucier and others, 2006). of the basin show more structural detail (for example, reported in Appendix A. In addition to the 16 deep Shumaker, 1985; Kulander and Dean, 1986) and drill holes used to construct the cross section (table 1), stratigraphic detail (for example, Ryder, 1992; de Witt some of the details of Pennsylvanian stratigraphy were and others, 1993; Hettinger, 2001), these other cross Construction of the Cross Section obtained from one “shallow” corehole (Dulong and sections are of more limited extent geographically and others, 2002). Data from this corehole were projected stratigraphically. Cross section E–E′ is oriented northwest-south- into the cross section from a locality near drill hole 14. Although specific petroleum systems in the east, approximately normal to the structural grain of the In addition, data were obtained from shallow coreholes Appalachian basin are not identified on the cross sec- basin. Several abrupt bends in the section, however, are near drill holes 9 and 10 (Couchot and others, 1980) tion, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, required to accommodate key drill holes that penetrate and from selected wells near drill hole 15 (Schwieter- 2 Geologic Cross Section