Reconstructing The Paleogeography Of Norphlet Formation In Conecuh County, Alabama University of Mississippi University of Mississippi eGrove eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School[.]
University of Mississippi eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 1-1-2020 Reconstructing The Paleogeography Of Norphlet Formation In Conecuh County, Alabama Bram Allen Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd Recommended Citation Allen, Bram, "Reconstructing The Paleogeography Of Norphlet Formation In Conecuh County, Alabama" (2020) Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1910 https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1910 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at eGrove It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of eGrove For more information, please contact egrove@olemiss.edu RECONSTRUCTING THE PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF NORPHLET FORMATION IN CONECUH COUNTY, ALABAMA A thesis Presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering Science in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering The University of Mississippi by Bram D Allen May 2020 Copyright Bram D Allen ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT The Norphlet Formation is a Jurassic age siliciclastic unit overlying the Louann Salt and beneath the Smackover Formation within areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama The Norphlet Formation in Alabama is known to be dominated by a broad desert plain stretching from east to west, rimmed to the north and east by the Appalachians and to the south by a developing shallow sea The top of the Norphlet formed the surface for deposition of the overlying Smackover Formation This surface was flooded by a rapid influx of marine water that was the environment of deposition for the carbonate units of the Smackover Formation Four main lithofacies within the Norphlet were deposited in southwestern Alabama as a result of erosion of the southern Appalachians The four lithofacies include: basal shales, conglomerates and conglomeratic sandstones, the Denkman Sandstone member, and a red bed succession The conglomerates were deposited in coalescing alluvial fans proximal to an Appalachian source The conglomeratic sandstones grade downdip into red beds that accumulated in distal portions of alluvial fan Playa lake sediments also accumulated in the interdunes areas allowing for deposition of evaporites associated with the Norphlet formation The aim of this research is to examine the Norphlet Formation within the Conecuh Embayment and reconstruct the paleoenvironment before the deposition of the Smackover Formation Norphlet sand dunes, salt flats, and alluvial fans were covered by the Smackover sediments through rapid transgression of marine waters associated with the opening of the ancestral Gulf of Mexico Understanding the ii paleogeography and paleoenvironment will help in understanding the underlying sediments that may impact the deposition and alteration of the overlying Smackover iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated my family and friends Their love and support have always pushed me and allowed me to achieve my goals iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr Greg Easson for the support and guidance throughout my research Dr Easson for providing financial support through research assistantship Dr Easson was a constant resource whether it was for research assistance, entertainment, or a shoulder to lean on He always found time to discuss research issues and teach many things about petroleum geology I am fortunate to have worked with him and have become a better Geological Engineer as a result I would like to thank Dr Lawrence Baria for providing me this thesis topic In addition, Dr Baria provided research data, assisted with core description, and helpful insights throughout the research I would like to thank Dr Louis Zachos for helping me with core and mudlog interpretations He provided great insight with my thesis and also technical skills necessary to complete my project I would like to thank Marcella McIntyre-Redden and Camilla Musgrove, for providing core logs and mudlogs I would like to thank the professors in the Geology and Geological Engineering Department at the University of Mississippi, this thesis project would not have been possible without their support and financial aid v Lastly, I would like to thank my wonderful family and awesome friends Their support provided me motivation throughout this process I would not have been cheerful or optimistic though out this project if it wasn’t for my close friends Mary Jane Reilly, Steve Terracina, Alex Warren, Bradley Lewis, Anna McWhirter, and Harry Campbell vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii DEDICATION iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vii LIST OF FIGURES ix INTRODUCTION GEOLOGIC SETTING 2.1 Tectonic Framework 2.2 Regional Stratigraphy 10 2.3 Depositional System 15 THE PETROLEUM SYSTEM 18 3.1 Depositional Controls on Reservoir Quality 20 METHODS 21 RESULTS/DISCUSSION 35 5.1 Lithofacies Data 35 5.2 Core Descriptions 37 vii CONCLUSIONS 40 LIST OF REFERENCES 43 APPENDIX 51 viii Figure 34 Core descriptions, Holley 1-4 #1, P 16905 91 Figure 34 (continued) Core descriptions, Holley 1-4 #1, P 16905 92 Figure 34 (continued) Core descriptions, Holley 1-4 #1, P 16905 93 Figure 34 (continued) Core descriptions, Holley 1-4 #1, P 16905 94 Mary Ann Brown 23-16 (P 11409) well plots as red bed lithofacies in a small area of Monroe County surrounded by conglomerate gravel, with the mudlog showing 90% sand at 12,090 ft to -12,190 ft, and 10% shale at -12,090 ft to -12,190 ft (Figure 35-36) Figure 35 Mudlog photograph from well Mary Ann Brown 23-16 #1 (P 11409) 95 A B C Figure 35 (continued) Core photographs from well Mary Ann Brown 23-16 #1 (P 11409), A at depth -11,999 ft to -12,001 ft, B at depth -12,001 ft to -12,003 ft, C at depth -12,003 ft to 12,005 ft 96 D E F Figure 35 (continued) Core photographs from well Mary Ann Brown 23-16 #1 (P 11409), D at depth -12.005 ft to -12,007 ft, E at depth -12,007 ft to -12,008 ft, F -12,008ft to -12,010 ft 97 G H Figure 35 (continued) Core photographs from well Mary Ann Brown 23-16 #1 (P 11409), G at depth -12,010 ft to -12,012 ft, H at depth -12,012 ft to -12,012 ft 98 Figure 36 Core descriptions, Mary Ann Brown 23-16, P 11409 99 Figure 36 (continued) Core descriptions, Mary Ann Brown 23-16, P 11409 100 Lastly, Craft Brye 8-4 (P 15159-B) well plots as conglomerate lithofacies with the mudlog showing 5% limestone at contact depth -11,220 ft, 29% sand at -11,220 ft to -11,320 ft, 30% shale at -11,220 ft to -11,320 ft, and 34% at -11,220 ft to -11,320 ft (Figure 37-38) Figure 37 Mudlog photograph of well Craft Brye 8-4 (P 15159) 101 A B Figure 37 (continued) core photographs of well Craft Brye 8-4 (P 15159), A at depth -11,212 ft to -11,221 ft, B at depth -11,221 ft to -11,228 ft 102 Figure 38 Core descriptions, Craft Brye 8-4, P 15159-B 103 Figure 38 (continued) Core descriptions, Craft Brye 8-4, P 15159-B 104 VITA Bram Allen was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was raised in Franklin, Tennessee Bram graduated from Franklin High School in 2014 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Mississippi in 2018 Bram decided to continue his education at the University of Mississippi and accept a Teaching/Research Assistant Position in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering Bram was able to work and study under Dr Greg Easson to earn a Master of Science in Engineering Science with an Emphasis in Geological Engineering In the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering he worked as a Teaching Assistant for the first year and half of graduate school He then received a Research Assistant Position for the last semester of graduate school He was a Teaching Assistant for both Physical and Historical Geology Bram worked as a construction material testing intern for ECS Limited in Memphis, TN during summer of 2019 Bram is graduating in May of 2020 with his Master of Science He is an active member in Gamma Beta Phi, Phi Kappa Phi, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and Association of Environment and Engineering Geologists After graduation Bram will start his career as a Construction Material Staff Project Manager for ECS Limited 105 ... laminated interbeds within the cross-stratified sand, which indicates that narrow interdunes separated the broad, dine sands of the Norphlet 12 The occurrence of these lithofacies within the Norphlet. .. was initiated during the late phase of Norphlet deposition, resulting in the reworking of the underlying sediments The marine transgression system tract continued during the early phase of Smackover.. .RECONSTRUCTING THE PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF NORPHLET FORMATION IN CONECUH COUNTY, ALABAMA A thesis Presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering Science in