Part 4 - Berg - Hughes Center
Part 4 - Berg - Hughes Center
Part 4 - Berg - Hughes Center
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North Louisiana Salt Basin. The structure maps constructed on top of the Cotton Valley<br />
(Fig. 14), on top of the Lower Cretaceous (Fig. 15) and on top of the Upper Cretaceous<br />
(Fig. 16) show the configuration of the basin. The cross sections and isopach maps of the<br />
interval from the top of the Smackover to the top of the Cotton Valley (Fig. 17) and of<br />
the interval from the top of the Cotton Valley to the top of the Lower Cretaceous (Fig.<br />
18) show that the area updip or along the northern margin of the basin is characterized by<br />
a thinner stratigraphic section, and the area downdip or along the southern margin of the<br />
basin is characterized by a thicker stratigraphic section. The formation lithology maps<br />
illustrate lithologic changes in the various units (Figs. 21-40). Although an unconformity<br />
is present at the base of the Upper Cretaceous section throughout the basin (Figs. 3-13),<br />
this unconformity is particularly developed in Lower Cretaceous strata onlapping the<br />
Monroe Uplift as illustrated by the isopach map of the interval from the top of the Lower<br />
Cretaceous to the top of the Upper Cretaceous (Fig. 19), by the map that shows the<br />
erosional thickness of the total Lower Cretaceous section (Fig. 20), and by the cross<br />
sections.<br />
Thermal Maturation History<br />
The thermal history of a basin is critical to petroleum identification and is a crucial<br />
element as to whether the basin has hydrocarbons in commercial quantities and as to<br />
whether these hydrocarbons are oil, natural gas or both. Thermal maturity modeling,<br />
which builds on burial history modeling, assists in this hydrocarbon determination. In the<br />
North Louisiana Salt Basin, Smackover oil has not been produced below 12,000 feet.<br />
Study of the thermal maturation history profiles (Figs. 87-128) indicates that in the<br />
North Louisiana Salt Basin hydrocarbon generation and maturation trends are evident.<br />
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