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Mesozoic Evolution of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico

Publication Highlights
RSVP

P.I.'s:


Exploration efforts in southern Alabama and in the offshore central Gulf of Mexico during the past few decades have proven the Upper Jurassic Norphlet Formation to be a productive petroleum reservoir target. Sparse data on the Norphlet Formation in the EGOM translates into increased risk in predicting presence and quality of reservoirs, particularly in context of the complex Late Jurassic tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Mexico and mobilization of the underlying Lower Jurassic Louann salt. Our work has focused on developing a regional, system-scale reconstruction that addresses the origin and paleodispersal of Norphlet detritus that can guide exploration efforts in the poorly known frontier region of the EGOM, and conjugate margins in Mexico.

 

Phase 1: 2008-2011: We used detrital zircon provenance in order to delineate sediment transport pathways of the Jurassic Norphlet Formation as a means for improving predictions of Norphlet reservoir distribution in the vicinity of Alabama and offshore waters (Lovell and Weislogel, 2010; Lovell, 2012; Weislogel et al., 2015). We also evaluated logs to assess facies distribution of the Norphlet Fm from well and seismic data in the EGOM (Hunt et al., accepted), as well as developed a structural model for rifting and development of the Tampa embayment (Wilson, 2011).

 

Phase 2: 2012-2014: We conducted detrital zircon provenance analysis of Norphlet samples in Mississippi and Florida to develop a regionally comprehensive model of sediment source areas and transport pathways (Weislogel and Robinson, 2014) as well as conduducted structural analyses of the Appalachiacola embayment (Hunter, 2014) and South Florida (Gregg, 2014) basin from 2D seismic profiles. Through this work, we have assessed the structural control on erosional versus structural controls on paloeotopographic evolution in the Mesozoic EGOM.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

  1. Hunt, B., Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A.L., and Ewing, R.C., accepted, Sediment source regions and paleotransport of the Late Jurassic Norphlet Formation, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin.

  2. Weislogel, A.L., Hunt, B. W., Lisi, A.F., Lovell, T., and Robinson, D.M., 2015, Detrital zircon provenance of the eastern Gulf of Mexico subsurface: Constraints on Late Jurassic paleogeography and sediment dispersal of North America, in Anderson, T.H., Didenko, A.N., Johnson, C.L., Khanchuk, A.I., and MacDonald, J.H., Jr., eds., Late Jurassic Margin of Laurasia-A Record of Faulting Accommodating Plate Rotation: Geological Society of America Special Paper 513, p., doi:10.1130/2015.2513(02).

  3. Lovell, T., and Weislogel, A.L., 2010, Detrital zircon U-Pb age constraints on the provenance of the Upper Jurassic Norphlet Formation, eastern Gulf of Mexico: Implications for paleogeography: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 60, p. 443-460.

Conference Abstracts

  1. Gomes, S., Weislogel, A., Robinson, D., and Barbeau, D., 2016, XXX: GSA

  2. Gomes, S., Weislogel, A., Robinson, D., and Barbeau, D., 2016, Temporal Variation in U-Pb Geochronology of the Norphlet Formation in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Mobile Bay: Connection Between Sediment Provenance and Reservoir Quality: AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Calgary, AB, June 19-22, 2016.

  3. Weislogel et al. GSSEPM

  4. Wiley, K., Weislogel, A., Bowman, S.*, Gomes, S., Robinson, D., and Barbeau, D., 2016, Facies and Provenance of Basal Clastics in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Calgary, AB, June 19-22, 2016.

  5. Robinson, D.M., and Weislogel, A., 2015, Structural Controls on Sediment Transport Pathways in the Jurassic Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 47, n. 7, p. 510

  6. Weislogel, A., and Robinson, D.M., 2015, Structural and Paleogeographic Controls on Sediment Transport Pathways in the Jurassic Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Implications for Along-Strike Provenance Variation Within the Norphlet Erg: A AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90216, AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Denver, CO, May 31 - June 3, 2015.

  7. Gregg, A. C., Robinson, D. M., and Weislogel A., 2014, Tectonic Evolution of the South Florida Basin, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Houston, TX, April 6-9.

  8. Hunter, I. S., Robinson, D. M., and Weislogel, A., 2014, Origin and Development of the Apalachicola Basin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Houston, TX, April 6-9.

  9. Jessee, M. L., and Weislogel, A., 2014, Depositional Analysis of the Jurassic Norphlet Formation Within the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin: Impact on Petroleum Potential Offshore: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Houston, TX, April 6-9.

  10. Weislogel, A.L., Robinson, D.M., Shang, F., Jian, X. †, and Jackson, W.T., 2014, Mesozoic history of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau: Setting the stage for plateau rise associated with Cenozoic Himalayan orogenesis: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 46, n. 6, p. 178.

  11. Jessee, M.L., and Weislogel, A., 2013, Depositional Analysis of the Jurassic Norphlet Formation in Mississippi: Impact on Petroleum Potential Offshore: AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90163, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.

  12. Lisi, A., and Weislogel, A.L., 2013, Provenance of the Upper Jurassic Norphlet and Surrounding Formations from U-Pb Detrital Zircon Geochronology: AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90163, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.

  13. Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A.L., and Hunt, B.W., 2012, Evolution of the eastern Gulf of Mexico basin: Insights from facies and provenance of the Norphlet and Haynesville Formations: AAPG Search and Discovery, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention and Exhibition, April 22-25, 2012, Long Beach, California.

  14. Weislogel, A.L., 2012, [INVITED] Southern Appalachians Undercover: Perspectives on Tectonostratigraphy and Erosional History from its Clastic Cover: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 44, No. 7, p.539.

  15. Wilson, L., Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A., and Erickson, J., 2012, The Origin and Development of the Tampa Embayment: Implications for the Tectonic Evolution of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: AAPG Search and Discovery, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention and Exhibition, April 22-25, 2012, Long Beach, California.

  16. Hunt, B.W., Robinson, D., Weislogel, A., Lovell, T., 2011, Regional Norphlet Formation Facies Correlation, Analysis and Implications for Paleo-Structure and Geologic Provenance, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90124, AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, April 10-13, 2011, Houston, Texas.

  17. Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A.L., Hunt, B.W., Lovell, T.R., and Wilson, K.L., 2011, Late Jurassic sediment transport pathways into the eastern Gulf of Mexico and implications for terrane configurations: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 43, No. 5, p. 551.

  18. Weislogel, A.L., Robinson, D.M., Lovell, T., and Hunt, B., 2011, Sources of Earliest Clastic Input into the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Their Control on Reservoir Prospectivity: AAPG Search and Discovery, AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, April 10-13, 2011, Houston, Texas.

  19. Hunt, B.W., Robinson, D.M., Lovell, T.R., Wilson, K.L., Weislogel, A.L., and Smelser, B., 2010, Offshore correlation of the Norphlet Formation, Destin Dome, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 74

  20. Lovell, T., and Weislogel, A.L., 2010, Provenance and Paleogeography of the Upper Jurassic Norphlet Formation, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: presented at American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

  21. Lovell, T.R., Weislogel, A.L., Hunt, B.W., and Robinson, D.M., 2010, The provenance and paleogeography of the Upper Jurassic Norphlet Formation, Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 80.

  22. Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A.L., Erickson, J., and Wilson, K.L., 2010, Basement Architecture and Prospectivity in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Newest Frontier: AAPG Search and Discovery, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

  23. Robinson, D.M., Weislogel, A.L., Hunt, B.W., Wilson, K.L., Lovell, T.R., and Smelser, B., 2010, Determining the Mid-Jurassic Sedimentation Patterns and Basement Architecture of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 80

  24. Wilson, K.L., Robinson, D.M., Hunt, B.W., and Weislogel, A.L., 2010, Basement Architecture and Tectonic Evolution of the eastern Gulf of Mexico: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 74.

Unpublished Student Theses (Advised)

  1. Wiley

  2. Gomes

  3. Jessee

  4. Lisi

  5. Coffindaffer

  6. Lovell

Unpublished Student Theses (Committee Member)

  1. Essex

  2. Taggart

  3. Gregg

  4. Hunter

  5. Hunt

  6. Wilson

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