Award Date

1-1-2004

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geoscience

First Committee Member

Andrew Hanson

Number of Pages

140

Abstract

New geochemical data indicate the presence of hydrocarbons along the La Popa salt weld, reinforcing the idea that salt welds significantly affect the migration pathways of hydrocarbons. Geochemical testing of samples collected along the length of the weld indicate that at least some of this material is not in situ, but has migrated to its current location along the weld. Distribution of migrated hydrocarbons along the weld is not uniform, and occurs where upturned lithologies and appreciable amounts of remnant salt are present; Biomarkers within samples collected along the weld suggest a clay-rich source rock for the hydrocarbons. None of the potential source rocks sampled yielded results indicative of a good source rock, but the Parras Shale and Potrerillos Formation are most similar to the migrated material based on biomarker analysis. Basin modeling suggests that all basin lithologies are within the early to late gas generation window.

Keywords

Basin; Hydrocarbon Maturation; Mexico; Migration; Ne; Occurrences; Popa; Potential; Rocks; Salt; Source; Thermal; Weld

Controlled Subject

Geology; Geochemistry

File Format

pdf

File Size

3235.84 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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