houston geological society · folded into this issue of the bulletin are details of an accidental...

HOUSTON

GEOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

BULLETIN 1959 - 1960 HOUSTON, TEXAS

O F F I C E R S

EDD R. TURNER, JR.. PRESIDENT

RALPH A. DAVIS, 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

C U R T I S C. FRANKS. Z N D V I C E PRESIDENT

A U S T I N D. BRIXEY. JR.. S E C R E T A R Y

HENRY C . DEAN. TREASURER

RALPH E. TAYLOR. EX-DFFICID

E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E E M E N

S H I R L E Y L. M A S O N

MARION 5 . ROBERTS

S P O N S O R S

T h i s B U L L E T I N i s made p o s s i b l e by t h e co-

ope ra t i on of t h e c o m p a n i e s w h o s e n a m e s a r e

l i s t e d on t h e fo l lowing p a g e s

S U P P O R T YOUR SPONSORS

Volume 2. No. 2 October

SECOND REGULAR MEETING - OCTOBER 12

The second regular meeting for this year will be held on Monday evening, October 12, 1959, on the loth floor of the Houston Club. The Social hour will begin at 5: 15 p.m., dinner a t 6:00 p.m.

MR. THOMAS C. HIESTAND, consulting geologist of Denver, Colo- rado, and an A. A. P. G. Distinguished Lecturer , will be the speaker for this meeting. The title of his talk will be "A Geologist Discusses De- pletion," a subject on which Mr. Hiestand can speak with authority.

Since his graduation f r o m Indiana University in 1922 he has worked a s a petroleum geologist in many par ts of the United States and on special projects for severa l companies. Mr . Hiestand was making property evaluations and preparing es t imates of recoverable oil and gas in the ea r ly yea r s of our country's income tax history, before "discovery depletion" was admitted to be an impractical approach, and .

seve ra l y e a r s before the m o r e workable "percentage depletion" concept was made legal. This, along with la ter extensive r e se rvo i r work and studies, has resulted in a knowledge of r e se rvo i r s and evaluation that - make him an authority on the subject.

MR. BEN H. PARKER, of the F ron t i e r Refining Company. Denver, Colorado, will a l so give a brief talk a t this meeting. His subject will be "Recent Developments In The Pet ro leum Industry of Argentina. "

GILMAN A. HILL IS SPEAKER FOR NOVEMBER MEETING

Mr . Gilman A. Hil l of the Petroleum Research Corporation, Den- ve r , Colorado, will be our speaker a t the Monday, November 2nd, meeting. His subject, i l lustrated by working models , will be "Trap B a r r i e r s -Hydrodynamic, Stratigraphic, Wettability.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abstract of September technical paper by Michel T. Halbouty appears under Scientific Notes elsewhere in the Bulletin.

ITEMS FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM

Folded into this issue of the Bulletin a r e details of an Accidental Death group insurance plan being made available to m e m b e r s of the Houston Geological Society. The Society i s sponsoring the canvass at the request of a number of members . Those desir ing the coverage may send the completed application blank to the Society's office along with your check made payable to John A. Rathmell Agency.

THE EDITOR SPEAKS

By this t ime, the format of your Bulletin should be obvious to even the casual reader . It i s not by black magic o r superhuman individual effort on anyone's pa r t that we make the p r e s s deadline each month. Many contributors --off icers of the Society, Committee Chairmen, our r epor t e r s , volunteers--are the mainstay of your Bulletin. Success o r fai lure of the at tempt to produce a publication of genera l in teres t r e s t s with them. It a l so r e s t s with you.

How can you help? News of fr iends, of company t r ans fe r s and pro- motions--any i tems of broad readership appeal--please pas s on to one of the Bulletin's staff.

Your contribution of ma te r i a l fo r Scientific Notes i s especially so- licited. If the Bulletin i s to grow and ever carve even a smal l niche in the advancement of the geological profession, it must receive a flow of original ma te r i a l which sure ly abounds in a membership so large a s ours . If it in te res ts you, it will in te res t a c ross-sec t ion of Bulletin readers . Send i t in !

Thanks to the following m e m b e r s who have agreed to s e rve a s r e - po r t e r s for the 1959-60 season:

Floyd Wilcox (FA 3-2141) B. G. Hubner (CA 5-1421) C a r t e r Robinson (CA 5- 1607) Bill Fugue (CA 5-4411) Lewis Hubka (CA 5-551 1) Phil Davis (CA 5-0631)

To give credi t where credi t i s due i t would be r e m i s s not to men- tion the able staff of the Cardinal Duplicating Service, ou r pr in ters . Mrs . Bandy and M r s . Howe should be accorded special honors f o r s e r - vice "above and beyond the cal l of duty" in putting the Bulletin together.

PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA

Look for announcement in the September Bulletin of the A. A. P. G. of the publication Pet ro leum Geology of Southern Oklahoma, Volume 11, (17 ar t ic les , 350 pages). This special volume which i s sponsored by the Ardmore Geological Society follows the successful symposium, Volume I, published by the Association in 1956.

ADA OIL COMPANY

ANDERSON AND COOKE

CAMERON IRON WORKS, INC.

A. A. P. G. ANNOUNCES 1960 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS

It 's not news now; the s la te of off icer nominations fo r 1960 was announced e a r l i e r by A. A. P. G. Pres ident Lewis G. Weeks. That you m a y know the presidential candidates be t te r , the H. G. S. h a s offered to cooperate in publishing a brief biographical sketch of the two gentlemen contenders for this high office.

GORDON I. ATWATER A Biographical Sketch

Gordon I. Atwater was born June 17, 1907, a t Milwaukee, Wiscon- s in.

He received h i s degree of B.A. in Economics f r o m the University of Iowa in 1929 and h i s degree of M.S. in Geology f r o m the same inst i - tution in 1930. He continued h is graduate s tudies a t the University of Wisconsin in 1930-31 and a t Columbia University in 1931-32. In 1932 he was awarded the Emmons Economic Fellowship f r o m Harvard , Yale and Columbia. He received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy f r o m the University of Wisconsin in 1936, majoring in s t ruc ture and p r e - Cambrian geology under Dr. C. K. Leith.

In 1936 he s t a r t ed work in the Gulf Coast Region with Amerada Pet ro leum Corporat ion in Houston, l a t e r t ransfer r ing to the Skelly Oil Company in Houston. In 1938 he moved to New Orleans a s Chief Geolo- gist and head of the Land Department for William Helis . Late in 1946 he opened offices a s a consulting geologist in New Orleans. Mr. At- water i s presently the senior m e m b e r of the f i r m of Atwater, Cowan and Associates , Consulting Geologists, with offices in New Orleans.

Mr . Atwater has been a m e m b e r of the Houston Geological Society continuously s ince h i s ea r ly work i n Houston during the middle thir t ies . He i s a member of Sigma Xi, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers , the American Geophysical Union, the American Association fo r the Ad- vancement of Science, and i s a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. He i s one of the founders of the New Orleans Geological Society, and has served a s Pres ident of that organization.

ADVANCED EXPLORATION COMPANY

APACHE EXPLORATION CO. INC.

PERNIE BAILEY, DRILLING CONTRACTOR

F. A. CALLERY, INC.

L. D. CAlN OIL COMPANY

CYPRUS OIL COMPAfaY

BEN H. PARKER A Biographical Sketch

Ben P a r k e r w a s born in Oklahoma City in 1902 and, following e l e - men ta ry education there , was graduated f r o m the Colorado School of Mines in 1924. H e spent the following seven y e a r s in geological field work fo r oi l companies in the Rocky Mountain and Mid-continent s tates . In 1932 he joined the staff of the Colorado School of Mines a s Instructor in Geology. While a n Instructor he completed required work and was granted the degree of Doctor of Science in 1934. In 1939-40, on leave of absence f r o m h i s teaching dut ies , Ben was Assis tant Chief Geologist f o r the Argentine Government Oilfields.

In 1946, a f te r advancing to the rank of Associate P r o f e s s o r of Geology, Ben was chosen P re s iden t of the Colorado School of Mines and occupied that post f o r five y e a r s . Since resignat ion f r o m that position, he h a s been a m e m b e r of the Board of T rus t ee s . He has s e rved a s Sec re t a ry of the Geological Survey Board of the State of Colorado and since 1952 h a s been a m e m b e r of Board of Examiners fo r P ro fe s - sional Engineers and Land Surveyors of Colorado.

In 1942 Ben joined The F ron t i e r Refining Company and is now Vice P re s iden t and Direc tor in charge of Exploration and Production.

Ben has been a m e m b e r of the Amer ican Association of Pe t ro l eum Geologists and the Rocky Mountain Associationof Geologists s ince 1928. He served a s P re s iden t of the Rocky Mountain Association in 1944 and was Vice P re s iden t of the Amer ican Association of Pe t ro l eum Geolo- g is t s in 1956-57.

Ben i s a Fellow of the Geological Society of Amer i ca and a m e m - be r of the Amer ican Institute of Mining. Metal lurgical and Pe t ro l eum Engineers , Amer ican Pe t ro leum Institute, and other organizations. He has been keenly in te res ted in the genesis of petroleum and na tura l gas a s well a s o ther geological problems and h a s published some 20 scientific papers in the A. A. P. G. Bulletin and elsewhere.

BANK OF THE SOUTHWEST

BAROID WELL LOGGING SERVICE

BERG GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY

DOWELL DIVISION OF THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

CINTHER, WARREN AND COMPANY

MICHEL T. HALBOUTY

HGS MEMBER NOMINATED FOR SECRETARY-TREASURER O F AAPG, 1960-61

Louis H. Lukert , a native of Nebraska, i s a nominee for the office of Sec re t a ry -Treasu re r to the AAPG for 1960-61. Having received both the B.A. and M.S. degrees in Geology f r o m the University of Nebraska, h e has worked for Texaco, Inc., fo r 25 y e a r s and i s cu r - rently in the Research and Technical Department of that Company. He joined the Houston Geological Society in 1958 following h i s t r ans fe r f r o m Tulsa where he had been Division Geologist for nine yea r s .

Lukert was Sec re t a ry -Treasu re r of the Tulsa Geological Society in 1939. Vice-pres ident in 1941. and was elected Pres ident of that group in 1949. He has a lso served on numerous committees with the AAPG.

Of the various publications attributed to h im perhaps the best known is "Subsurface Cross Sections f r o m Marion County, Kansas to Osage County, Oklahoma, Bull. AAPG. Vol. 33 . No. 2. 1949. This a r t ic le i s considered by many to be a ma jo r contribution to the s t ra t igraphy of Oklahoma.

Fur the r information about the qualifications of Lukert will appear in the Bulletin of the AAPG in November.

1959-60 MEMBERSHIP

To date of going to p r e s s with the current Bulletin dues were r e - ceived f r o m 1105 members . Las t yea r ' s head count tallied 1429, and i t i s expected that this figure will again be reached.

NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE

1959-60 DEADLINE FOR DUES

Make your remit tance in the amount of $4.50 payable to the Houston Geological Society. Mail to 234 E s - person Building, Houston 2, Texas.

BIBLE GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY, INC.

BIG "6" DRILLING COMPANY

DILLARD-WALTERMIRE, INC.

HOUSTON NATURAL GAS CORPORATION

HUMBLE OIL & REFINING CO.

JOHN W. MECOM, INDEPENDENT

C O M M I T T E E R E P O R T S

G. C. A.G.S.

A couple of las t minute announcements to be made in regard to a r - rangements for the forthcoming 9th annual meeting of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies which i s to be held a t the Shamrock Hilton November 11, 12 & 13:

F r o m Horace Steele--The Exhibits Committee is looking for some unusual piece of geological work for use in the H. G.S. exhibit at the forthcoming G. C.A. G. S. and A. A. P. G. conventions. If you have some- thing you think might be of widespread interest , p lease contact Horace Steele, CA-5-44 11, Ext. 2802. Humble Building.

F r o m E l m e r Musselman--Any alumni group or s imi lar organization which wants to have a meeting during the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Convention November 11, 12, and 13 should contact E. T. Musselman, Shell Oil Co. , CA-2- 1181, Ext. 7107. The regis - t rat ion committee will a r range to take reservations for your meeting. Dining room accommodations will be ar ranged by Ralph A. Davis of the Texaco Company, FA-3-2 14 1.

H.G.S.

The new committee chairmen have gotten off to a running s t a r t on their par t in the program for 1959-60. The following H.G.S. members have consented to devote a part of their t ime to working f o r the Society on these committees.

Distribution of Publications ... A. E. Woodard, Chairman Donald T. Krone William M. Goff

Membership.. .............. . F r e d E . Miller, Chairman Dick Johnson Tom Rush

Ballot Counting. ............ .Henry G. Guest, Chairman Ivan J. Fenn H. B. Markham

BLAKEYS LOG SERVICE

BREWSTER-BARTLE DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

HARRY T. BRYANT DRILLING COMPANY

ROBERT MOSBACHER

QUINTANA PETROLEUM CORPORATION

TEXAS GULF SULPHUR COMPANY

Finance. . ................. . .Raymond E. Fairchi ld. Chairman Don F. Carlos Bruce Forney Jarv is G a r s t Lloyd Pyeatt John L. Welsh, J r .

Awards .................... .Henry S. McQueen, Chairman George W. Fie ld Jack Colle John H. Davis

Boy Scout (Two- yea r t e r m ) ... George Dickinson, Chai rman '59-60 Clark R. Edgecomb, Jr. Lowell K. Mower

(One-year t e r m ) .. . J a m e s Alewine W. E . Fai l ing Ivan J. Fenn

(Ex-Officio). ....... Austin D. Brixey, Jr.

ENGINEERS ' COUNCIL

J a m e s H. Ogg, Chairman, and George R. Gray , Councillor, r e p o r t ' that i t i s the a i m of this committee to continue actively in the Engineers ' Councilof Houston with emphasis on the Science Education Liaison program. It i s believed that this p rog ram, which embraces many Houston Geological Society m e m b e r s , will prove of g rea t value to a l l concerned. Various notices of the p rog ram will appear f r o m t ime to t ime in la te r Bulletins.

RESEARCH AND STUDY COURSE

The Research and Study Course Committee of the Houston Geologi- ca l Society i s being appointed and a t present consists of the following m e m b e r s :

Char les A. Aves, Gulf Oil Corporation Thomas D. Ba rbe r , Michel T. Halbouty E a r l E. F r y , John W. Mecom J a m e s W. P a r k s , P a n Amer ican Pet ro leum Corp .

BYERS EXPLORATION COMPANY

CAMBE LOG LIBRARY

CORE LABORATORIES, INC.

WOODLEY PETROLEUM COMPANY

CARDINAL DUPLICATING SERVICE

Resea rch and Study Course (Continued)

Blair S. P a r r o t t , Shell Development Company Grant C. Pa r sons , Atlantic Refining Company John J. W. Rogers , The Rice Institute William R. Walton, P a n Amer ican Pe t ro leum Corp.

Dr. Shir ley L. Mason i s acting in a n advisory capacity to the com- mit tee. The s ta ted purpose of the committee i s "the advancement of r e sea rch in the f ield of geology and to provide courses and study groups on subjects deemed of i n t e r e s t to the membersh ip . " As the committee program has not been outlined, society m e m b e r s who have suggestions concerning r e s e a r c h problems o r courses of study within the scope of the committee a r e urged to contact any committee m e m b e r o r the com- mi t tee chairman, William R. Walton.

PERSONNEL PLACEMENT

The 1959-60 Placement Committee i s composed of the following:

E a r l H. Bescher , Chai rman John H. Clements , V ice -cha i rman Humble Oil & Refining Co. General Geophysical Company Room 800, Humble Building Room 750, Houston Club Bldg. CA-5-4411, Ext. 2019 CA-2-6325

A. G. S t a r r Wendell L. Lewis Humble Oil & Refining Co. Highland Oil Company Room 800, Humble Building 120 1 San Jacinto Building CA-5-4411. Ext. 606 CA-3-490 1

The 1959-60 Placement Committee s tands ready to s e rve a s a counseling group to the many geology and geophysics graduates who a r e cur ren t ly seeking employment in their chosen profession. They wil l welcome inquir ies f r o m any organization seeking the s e rv i ce s of these professional people. The Committee has a l a rge group of reg is t ra t ions available to any and a l l who a r e seeking new employees in these fields. Complete f i les of reg is t ran ts with the Committee a r e available a t the office of the Committee Chai rman and Vice Chairman.

EMRACO PRODUCTION LABORATORIES

EUROPEAN IMPORT COMPANY

EXPLORATION SERVICE, INC.

FAILING EXPLORATION AND DRILLING

FIRST CITY NATIONAL BANK

GENERAL GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY

P r e s e n t Active Registrat ions

9 Advanced degree - experience in geology 32 Advanced degree - no experience 23 Bachelor 's degree - experience in geology 53 Bachelor 's degree - no experience 12 Bachelor 's degree - experience in geophysics -

129 Total r eg i s t e r ed with Committee

N E W S O F M E M B E R S

Changes by Continental Oil Company during the s u m m e r impinged a sma l l dent in the membersh ip ro l l of the H.G. S. : PAUL D. WILLIS. to Corpus Christ i ; DWIGHT A. FREE, to Jackson, Mississippi; R. J. EMMANUEL, to Midland; JAMES C. KILPS, to Roswell, New Mexico.

W. A. PETERSEN, fo rmer ly Houston Division Geologist of Con- tinental Oil, was assigned to h i s company's Fore ign Department in Houston a s Staff Geologist. New addres s : 5414 Indigo.

Continental Oil a l so has announced the promotion of CY KILLGORE, - fo rmer ly ass is tan t regional geologist fo r the Southern Region, to Cen- t r a l Region exploration manager . The Killgore family wil l make the i r home in Oklahoma City.

We welcome back WALTER A. ANDERSON, Texaco, Inc., who r e - t u rns to Houston af te r a stint a t State College, Pennsylvania.

Congratulations, JOHN F. SULLK, who was m a r r i e d to Nancy Land this pas t summer .

JESS ROGERS, Texaco, Inc., has t r ans fe r r ed to the New Orleans office and the Society h e r e loses a good supporter .

The many f r iends of JAMES E. LaRUE were saddened by word of h is passing in Billings, Montana. LaRue, f o r m e r ass i s tan t chief geo- physicis t for Humble, r e t i r ed f r o m the company in 1956. P r i o r to that t ime he had lived i n Houston 39 yea r s .

GEOPHYSICAL ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL

GEOPHYSICAL SERVICE, INC.

HALLIBURTON OIL WELL CEMENTING

HARRISON EQUIPMENT COMPANY

MIKE HICKS TOOLS AND CEMENTING

HOMCO

News of Members (Continued)

The Houston Geological Society marked the lo s s of one of i ts founders and most loyal supporters with word of the death of ALEXAN- DER DUESSEN. Distinguished geologist - honorary member of the Society - in h is lifetime had received mos t of the honors which h is profession can bestow upon a man.

SAM MARIE'S new address i s 506 Pet ro leum Tower, Corpus -.

Christi .

HENRY CAMPO, offshore Distr ict Geologist, t r ans fe r red to Atlan- t i c ' s Oklahoma City office a s Distr ict Geologist, North Oklahoma Dis- t r ic t . JIM HERRINGTON has t r ans fe r red to Houston in h is place.

HENRY SHEAVES, consulting geologist, has new offices at 1020 San Jacinto Building.

JOHN C. JOHNSTON has been appointed manager of exploration for Pan American Pet ro leum Corp. and leaves Houston fo r Tulsa.

BRUCE SCRAFFORD will be managing d i rec tor of Argentine oper- . ations for Southeastern Drilling Company in Buenos Aires.

The Society welcomes new member WATSON L. CALDWELL who a r r i v e d e a r l i e r this summer to open new offices fo r Sunray-Midcontinent a t 2920 Weslayan in the capacity of Division Geologist.

CLEO J. GRACEY, fo r 23 yea r s a n employee in the geological department of Gulf Oil Corporation, has resigned h is position with that company to become an independent consultant. He has opened an office in the Bank of the Southwest Building.

The Society lost yet another f r iend of past y e a r s when EUGENE E. ROSAIRE died las t month in Dallas where he had made h is home in r e - cent years . Distinguished in the field of geophysics, Rosai re had been active in affairs of the Society while a resident of Houston.

RICHARD L. PORTER, mos t recently d is t r ic t manager for Sin- c la i r in Anchorage, returned to Houston and promptly entered the Methodist Hospital f o r surgery . Dick's many fr iends wish h im well.

HUGHES TOOL COMPANY

HYCALOG, INC.

INDEPENDENT EXPLORATION COMPANY

INDEX GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS

JOHNSTON TESTERS, INC.

KEYSTONE EXPLORATION COMPANY

N E W S O F O T H E R S O C I E T I E S

GEOLOGICAL SOCLETY OF AMERICA

Announcement has been made of the annual meeting of the Geologi- cal Society of America and Associated Societies to be held November 2-4, 1959 in Pittsburgh. Reservations should be received a t the Penn- Sheraton Hotel by October 15th. Just a reminder to those of you who had thought to attend the excellent program and field t r ips .

FOUR CORNERS GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

The Four Corners Geological Society has the following l i terature available. Please address o rde rs to Four Corners Geological Society, P. 0. Box 150 1, Durango, Colorado.

tlIsopachous Relations and Probably Warping During Late Penns yl- vanian Time in the Aneth Area, San Juan County, Utaht1 by M. D. Picard. This publication has fourteen figures consisting of eight s t ruc- . tura l and isopachous maps, plus c ross sections and other charts and five pages of text. P r i ce , $1.25.

In addition to this bulletin there i s available a Field Conference Book (1957) covering the ItGeology of Southwestern San Juan Basin, New Mexico. I ' It has approximately 200 pages and includes general information, regional geology, stratigraphy, and information on oil and gas fields in the a rea . P r i ce , $8.00.

THE KANSAS GEOLOGICAL SOCLETY

In cooperation with the Mid-Continent Council of Geological Socie- t ies, and co-hosted by the Liberal Geological Society, the regional meeting will be held this year in the Broadview Hotel, Wichita, Kansas, October 28-30, 1959.

Two field t r ips a r e planned, and a social program of interest to registrants and their ladies i s being readied. The theme of the convention will be "New Frontiers. The Mid-Continent will be discussed from southern Oklahoma to Nebraska and f rom eas tern Colorado to Arkansas. Address inquiries to 508 East Murdock, Wichita, Kansas.

LANE WELLS COMPANY

McCULLOUCH TOOL COMPANY

MEADOWS AND WALKER DRILLING COMPANY

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Space for Professional Cards of Members

R. P. AKKERMAN Geologist EXPLORATION Engineer

Review of Subsurface Data

3425 Bradford Place MA 3-4327 Houston 25, Texas

E. J. BARRAGY lndependent

3005 Buffalo Drive, Box 13277 Houston 19, Texos

JOHN L. B I B L E Grav ity-Magnetic Surveys

Interpretations

1045 Esperson Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

L E S L I E BOWLING O i l & Gas Consultant

503 Cal i fornia Bldg. New Orleans, Lou is iana

JOHN W. BYERS Consul t ing Geophysic ist

5427 Lo tus P A 3-4674 Houston, Texas

R A L P H 8. C A N T R E L L Petroleum

Geologist & Engineer

4005 Be l la i re Blvd. Houston 25, Texas

JACK C O L L E Consul t ing Geologist & Paleontologist

911 San Jacinto Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

P A U L F A R R E N Geophysical Consultant

1528 Bank of the Southwest Bldg. F A 3-1356

Houston 2, Texas

HERSHAL C. FERGUSON Consul t ing Geologist

934 Esperson Bldg. CA 8-8419 Houston 2, Texas

HAROLD L. GElS Consul t ing Geologist

2123 Bank of the Southwest Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

ROBERT D. HENORICKSON

Consul t ing Geologist

11 14 South Coast Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

H I L L O R D HINSON Consul t ing Geologist


HOWARD HOUGH Consul t ing Geologist

609 Son Jocinto Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

GENTRY K lDD Independent

813 N ie l s Esperson Bldg. Houston 2, Texos

C. T. MacALLlSTER Consulting Geophysicist

6327 Vanderbilt Houston 5, Texas

FRANK D. MATTHEWS, JR. Exploration for Oi l 8 Gas

MATTEXCO, INC.

Bank af the Southwest Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

W. 0. McCARTER C. E. McCARTER

Independents

1415 Sul Ross Houston, Texas

P. A. "DUTCH" MEYERS Consulting Geologist

419 Esperson Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

R. B. MITCHELL lndependent

1418 F i r s t C i ty Notional Bank Bldg. Houston 2, Texos

JOHN C. MYERS Consulting Geologist


SAM M. P E N A Consulting Geophysicist

952 Mel l ie Esperson Bldg. CA 8-8505 Houston 2, Texas

C. H. SAMPLE Consulting Geologist

404 Esperson Bldg. F A 3-9997 Houston 2, Texas

FRED L. SMITH, JR. J. T. GOODWYN, JR.

Consu l t i ng Geo log is t s


A. H. WADSWORTH, JR. Geologist

402 Texas National Bonk Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

DAVIS M. WALLACE lndependent

1625 Bonk of the Southwest Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

J. C. WALTER, J R. Geologist-Petroleum Engineer

2202 Esperson Bldg. CA 7-1246 Houston 2, Texas

GEORGE F. WATFORD G. R. H lNZ

Consulting Geologists

833 Bankers Mortgage Bldg. CA 7-6935 Houston 2, Texas

-

JOHN L. WELSH lndependent

Welsh O i l 8 Gas


JAMES A. WHEELER Consulting Geologist

1514 Esperson Bldg. Houston 2, Texos

HERBERT E. WILLIAMS Geologist - Oil Producer

1001 San Jacinto Bldg. Houston 2, Texas

MEREDITH AND COMPANY

MILWHITE MUD COMPANY

OFFSHORE EXPLORATION GROUP, INC.

S C I E N T I F I C N O T E S

A b s t r a c t : A Review of Geological Concepts and Economic Sienificance of Salt Domes

u

in the Gulf Region, Michel T. Halbouty*

There a r e sal t domes in both hemispheres in many countries in the world but none anywhere have the economic significance of those of the Gulf Region of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The sa l t domes of the Gulf Region a r e located in five Basins: (1) The Texas-Louisiana Coastal Plain, (2) The E a s t Texas Basin, ( 3 ) The North Louisiana Basin, (4) The E a s t Central Louisiana-Mis s i s sippi Interior Basin, and (5) The Rio Grande Basin. Although the four la t te r basins have pro- duced a considerable amount of gas and oil and will certainly produce m o r e in the future, they do not compare in stature with the prolific Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain. The thick Ter t i a ry beds i n this basin constitute the mos t multiple, prolific producing s e r i e s of forma- tions, horizons, and r e se rvo i r s in the world.

Despite the absence of s t ruc tures of grea t relief which charac ter ize . many other oil producing provinces, accumulations of hydrocarbons a r e

present in the Gulf Coast in l e s s intense features, such a s smal l anticlines, faults, faulted anticlines, sand lenses, s trat igraphic t raps of al l types, reefs , and a combination of these s t ruc tura l and strat igraphic fo rms . The general progressive and thick deposition during the T e r - t ia ry i n this large Gulf Coast homocline, amounting to a total of approximately 5, 000 feet , has resulted in cer ta in s t ruc tura l fea tures , among which the most outstanding a r e the piercement-type sal t domes. The motive force of the uplift of these domes has been the stat ic weight of the thick Ter t i a ry sediments, so that the great vert ical growth of the domes has taken place during the Tert iary. Because of the uplift of the domes through thousands of feet of s t r a t a the conditions for gas and oil accumulation around them i s excellent. It was the discovery of oil f rom the caprock of a piercement-type sa l t dome in 190 1 that gave bir th to

*Paper presented before the Society, September 1959. Illustrations on following pages.

PERFORATING GUNS ATLAS CORPORATION

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PRECISION EXPLORATION COMPANY

RESEARCH EXPLORATIONS, INC.

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RINEHART OIL NEWS COMPANY

ROGERS GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY

OTIS RUSSELL DRILLING COMPANY

SAN JACINTO DRILLING COMPANY

SCHLUMBERGER WELL SURVEYING CORP.

P A C I F I C

O ~ L A N A T L A N T I C

me- - Y). O C E A N

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LLQCm

.=- I r u T m r l u l * S rn -7 W I * S

Salt Domes of Western Hemisphere

SEISMIC EXPLORATIONS, INC.

SEISMOGRAPH SERVICE CORPORATION

SOUTH WESTERN l NDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS

SPERRY-SUN WELL SURVEYING CO.

SUPERIOR OIL TOOL SERVICE CO., INC.

TAYLOR EXPLORATION COMPANY

the modern day oil industry. Since that date, geological thinking on these s t ruc tures , and the i r deep-seated affiliates, has advanced slowly but progressively throughout the yea r s ; however, in each year of the l a s t decade students of sa l t dome geology have a r r ived a t important conclusions heretofore unknown.

There have been concentrated r e sea rch and studies made on sa l t domes which have revealed cer ta in basic concepts which have proven to be of economic importance. These concepts may be applied on a genera l bas is on each dome whether productive o r not, and to a marked degree of success to those domes which have not yet proven to be com- merc ia l ly productive. These concepts have been the result of studies f i r s t made, then backed by actual drilling - - which data today represent the mos t valuable group of economic and scientific information a s s e m - bled on sa l t dome exploration.

These new conclusions pr imar i ly derive f r o m a bet ter understanding of the effect of sa l t dome growth on the local s t ruc tura l a r e a and the effect of sedimentation around the uplift during the growth of the dome. Not only have these studies resulted in a bet ter understanding of the detailed subsurface geology and cause of gas and oil accumulation around these s t ruc tu res , but they have a l so opened vast unexplored a r e a s around these domes, which in t u r n wil l add mater ia l ly to the future r e se rves of the province.

In o rde r to completely understand these concepts, the student mus t f i r s t comprehend the principles involved in the movement of the sa l t f rom the mother sa l t bed to f o r m sa l t domes, and the importance of detailed dome growth studies of individual type domes. A study of the tectonics of domes throughout the world reveals that each sa l t basin. wherever i t m a y be located, has i t s own peculiari t ies and the domes within these basins have their own manner of upward movement vary- ing with type.

It is recognized by a l l who have worked with sa l t domes that the geology associated with them is mos t complicated and difficult; however, these new geological concepts of sa l t dome geology a r e most important to the future exploration of these s t ruc tu res , and this paper reveals the approach to such studies and the predicted resul t s that m a y be obtained by exploring behind them -- which in t u r n sure ly m a y be applied to s imi l a r sa l t dome s t ruc tu res throughout the world wherever such a r e being explored for hydrocarbons.

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The World Petroleum Congress in New York included some papers of grea t in teres t to us here . In addition to the paper on Offshore Louisiana sal t dome production presented by Gordon Atwater, Paper 6 of Section 1 dealt with oil-and-salt relationships in the Cuenza Basin in Angola. This basin i s one of generally paral lel folds over a ra ther shallow basement. In the axes of the folds a sal t s e r i e s , about 1300' thick, has been swelled relative to sediments above and below, even locally becoming piercement f rom a depth of about 7000'. Oil has been found both above and below the salt. In Paper 7 of Section 1 L. L. Sloss discussed carbonates marginal to evaporites, and points out that the f o r m e r in this situation a r e likely to be quite porous.

Curiously enough another author has recently wri t ten briefly about oil-and-salt relationships. Borche r t , in his book on oceanic sal t de - posits (Gebruder Borntraeger, Berlin), has a chapter entitled "Inter- dependence of oil and sal t . " In the book i s discussed sa l t deposition and later changes of the minera ls af ter burial. One thesis developed suggests that evaporites a s deposited have some porosity and therefore can be affected by circulation f rom deeper fluids a s well a s f rom above. Borchert does not discuss the strat igraphy of sal t ; this , however, i s covered in the new and revised edition of Lotze 's 1938 book: Salt and Potash Salts , a l so published by Borntraeger Bros. Evaporites which a r e non-marine a r e discussed.

... Paul Weaver

A listing of papers to be presented a t the G. C. A. G. S. annual meeting, November 11- 13, 1959

Gulf Coast Cenozoic History .................... J. D. M. Williamson Occurrence of Miocene in South

Louisiana .......................... ..L. L. Limes & J. C. Stipe F r i o Formation of the Upper Texas Gulf Coas t . . .... .L. Bruce Forney Upper F r i o (Oligocene) Lithofacies in the

Eas te rn Counties of the Texas Gulf Coas t . . ..... .Thomas Branham, John Grayshon, & Robert Johnson

EDGAR TOBIN AERIAL SURVEYS

UNITED CORE, INC.

UNITED GEOPHYSICAL CORPORATION

WELEX, INC.

WELL LOGGING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO.

WILSON STATIONERY AND PRINTING

Nodosaria Sand Environments in the E a s t e r n Counties of the Texas Gulf Coast. . ............. James A. Mallory

Effect of S t ruc tura l Movement on Sedimentation in the Pheasant - Franc i t a s Area , Matagorda and Jackson Counties, Texas .................... John E. Walters

Review of Hitchcock Field, Galveston County, Texas . . J e s s e 0. Rei ter Turt le Bay Field, Chambers County, Texas ........ .R. P. Akkerrnan Heterostegina Reef on Piercement Salt Domes,

with Special Reference to Nash and Others in Northwestern Brazor ia County, Texas ....... Ralph B. Cantrell,

A. E. Woodard, & J. C. Montgomery Long Interpretat ion in the Brackish Water

F r i o T r e n d . . .................................... .Te r ry Walker St ruc ture of the Karnes County Area, Texas,

and Its Relation to Jackson Sedimentat ion. . ....... .D. Hoye Earg le Eros ional Channel in the Middle Wilcox Near

Yoakum, Lavaca County, Texas ................. William V. Hoyt Textural Differences Between Two Types

of Shoestring Sands. . .............. J. J. W. Rogers & Cyrus Strong Influence of the Jackson Dome on Sedi-

mentary Fac ie s and the Effect on Water-bearing P rope r t i e s of the Claiborne in the Jackson Area , Miss . ............ Joseph W. Long

Analysis of F a c t o r s Affecting Quantitative Es t imates of Organism Abundance ............ .Louis S . Kornicker

Bioatrat igraphic and Paleoecologic Study of Midway Foramini fera Along Tehuacana Creek, Lime stone County, Texas ............. Gene Ross Kellough

New Log Interpretat ion Techniques for the Gulf Coas t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ R. P. Burton

Geology and Pet ro leum Development of the Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico ......... Gordon I. Atwater

The Grandis on Complex, Laf ourche and Jefferson Pa r i shes , Louisiana.. ............... .Ramsey L. Oakes

Sedimentation and St ruc ture of the Planulina- Abbeville Trend, South Louisiana. . ............ .Hunter C. Coheen

Thornwell Field, Jefferson Davis and Cameron Pa r i shes , Louisiana .................. .Frank R. Hardin

WILSON SUPPLY COMPANY

HOUSTON BLUE PRINT & STATIONERY COMPANY

THE GEOPHYSICAL DIRECTORY

Fie ld T r i p Symposium

Origin and Development of the Texas Shorel ine. . ....... R. J. LeBlanc W. D. Hodgson

The Galveston B a r r i e r Island and Environments : A Model for Predict ing Rese rvo i r Occurrence and Trend .................................... Hugh A. Bernard

C. F r e d Major Blair S. P a r r o t t

Late Quaternary Geology of Sabine Lake and Vicini ty. . ...................................... Henry E. Kane

The Chenier P la in and I ts Strat igraphy, Southwestern Louisiana ............................ J. V. Byrne

D. 0. LeRoy Char les M. Riley

Geologic His tory of the Chenier Plain, Southwestern Louisiana ............................. H. R. Gould

E. McFar lan , J r .

Size, Sorting, Mineralogy, and Chemical Composition of the Recent Sands of the Northern Gulf C o a s t . . .......................... K. Jinghwa Hsu

Petrology of the Anacacho Limestone of Southwest Texas ................................. L. L. Harv i l l

N E W M E M B E R D I R E C T O R Y

ANNELER, JOY J. Geologist-Geophysicist, E. Cockrell, J r . 2030 Bank of the Southwest Bldg. 4002 Dunlavy - 4 University of Oklahoma Wife's name: Thelma

BACON, DOUGLAS E . Distr ict Geologist, Atlantic Refining Co. P. 0. Box 2412 8307 Glenvista University of Arkansas Wife's name: Emily Jane

BARNETT, RICHARD S. Geophysical t ra inee , Robert H. Ray CO. P. 0. Box 6557 4902 Burma Road Rice Institute, Univ. of Houston Wife's name: Alleen

BLANKENSHIP, JOSEPH C. Staff Geologist, P a n American Pet . Corp. P. 0. Box 3092 5417 Windswept Lane Texas A & M Wife's name: Jane

BROCK, MRS. JULIE EASTIN Geologist, Shell Development Co. P. 0. Box 481 3818 Glen Arbor Baylor University

COLLIER, JOHN J. Asst . Division Mgr., P u r e Oil Company P. 0. Box 239 319 T e r r a c e Drive Texas A & M Wife 's name: Margare t

FORSYTHE, JAMES T. Geologist, S. G., P a n American Pet . Corp. Bank of Commerce Building 4529 Mimosa Drive, Bellaire University of Michigan Wife's name: Susan F.

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GREGG, DONALD N. General Supt., Baroid Division, National Lead Co. P. 0. Box 1675 5326 Windswept Lane University of Colorado Wife's name: Eloise

KEPRTA, GEORGE L. Geologist, Lion Oil Company 1512 South Coast Life Bldg. 4628 Maple, Bellaire University of Texas

REEVES, W. A. Asst. Div. Geophysicist, Tidewater Oil Co. P. 0. Box 1404 9729 Bassoon University of Pittsburgh Wife's name: Evelyn

RICHARDSON, KENNETH B. Geologist, Pan American Pet . Corp. P. 0. Box 3092 23 14 Briarglen, #9 L. S. U. Wife's name: Peggy

SEXTON, JAMES V. Staff Geologist, Pan American Pet. Corp. P. 0. Box 3092 11925 Bar ry Knoll S t ree t L. S. u. Wife's name: G e r r y

SIRRINE, G. KEITH Geologist, Pan American Pet . Corp. P. 0. Box 3092 5531 Edith University of Texas Wife's name: P a t

TENCH, ROBERT N. Geologist, Carleton D. Speed, J r . 7 11 Houston Club Building 15 24 Indiana Ave . Iowa State College Wife's name: Gloria Jean

WALTON, WILLIAM R. Staff Geologist, Pan American Pet . Corp. P. 0. Box 3092 8203 Greenbush Arnherst College, Harvard , University

of California Wife's name: Anne

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ON THE DISTAFF SIDE

It looks like the Houston Geological Auxiliary i s going all-out to honor the 50th State, and the Hawaiian atmosphere should be fun.

Mrs . Buford Miller , T r e a s u r e r , and Mrs . W . E . Greenman. 2nd Vice Pres ident , a r e working h a r d a t this date to get the Yearbook ready for the pr in ters on October 1st. Thanks for the number of you who sent your dues in early. It does help these g i r l s .

M r s . Grant Pa r sons and h e r committee have completed plans fo r . the f i r s t party on October 28th, so c i rc le your calendar and get ready to attend. You wil l receive an invitation, but don't forget that you do have to make reservations since the F o r e s t Club m u s t be notified in advance a s to the number to prepare for .

Now h e r e i s the news of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Convention. The dates a r e November l l t h , 12th, and 13th. Registrat ion will begin a t noon Wednesday, November 1 lth. The cock- ta i l party will be the same date f r o m 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. a t the Shamrock Hilton Exhibition Hall, and immediately following will be the "Wahines - Kanes" Poolside party. Mrs . H a r r i s Allen has completed mos t of the plans and we a r e looking forward to a delicious dinner and unusual entertainment. The pr ice will be $6.75 pe r person, which will include food, f avor s , Lanai cocktails a d gratuity. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE IN ADVANCE. DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 6TH.

Thursday morning, November 12th, there will be a brunch a t Rice Institute f r o m 9:30 to 12:OO noon. Check with Mrs . Thos. D. Barber, Registrat ion Chairman, o r h e r committee about tickets. I hope you will be able to pick up your ticket a t the registrat ion desk when you come to the cocktail party and dinner. P r i c e of the tickets is $2.00. Due to the l imited parking space a t Rice buses will leave the Shamrock Hilton and r e tu rn via the Texas Medical Center.

Thursday night, 9:00 p . m . t o 1:00 a . m . , the G. C.A.G.S. b reak- f a s t dance wil l be held a t the Shamrock Hilton E m e r a l d Room. Ed Ger l ach ' s O r c h e s t r a wil l play. The pr ice of the t ickets wil l be $10.00 per couple.

Tickets f o r the Luncheon and Style Show, t o be held a t the Houston Country Club F r iday , November 13th, wil l go on s a l e t o H. G. A. m e m - b e r s Thursday noon. Fashions by Bat tels tein 's . The reg is t ra t ion committee will be able to give you the information. T icke ts wil l be $5.00.

We hope t o s e e a s many a s possible a t the Brunch and Style Show, but a s I mentioned l a s t month, we do have t o give our guests f i r s t choice of the t ickets s ince we wil l be able to accommodate only 400 a t each affair .

. . . Nan Vit t rup

OFFICERS

.............................................. . ................. President Edd R Turner. J r C A 8-9361 .............................. . 1st V i c e President Ralph A Davis ...................... F A 3-2141

. .............................. .................... 2nd V i c e President Curt i s C Franks C A 4-2093 . ............. .............................................. Secretary Aus t in D Brixey. J r C A 7-2181 . .............................................. ...................... Treasurer Henry C Dean MA 3-063 1

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Fred E . Miller ................ Hal H . Bybee .......................... John L . P . Campbell .............. Carleton D . Speed, J r .............

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