ABSTRACT The Bighorn uplift, Wyoming, developed in the Rocky Mountain foreland during the 75–55 Ma Laramide orogeny. It is one of many crystalline-cored uplifts that resulted from low-amplitude, large-wavelength folding of Phanerozoic strata and the basement nonconformity (Great Unconformity) across Wyoming and eastward into the High Plains region, where arch-like structures exist in the subsurface. Results of broadband and passive-active seismic studies by the Bighorn EarthScope project illuminated the deeper crustal structure. The seismic data show that there is substantial Moho relief beneath the surface exposure of the basement arch, with a greater Moho depth west of the Bighorn uplift and shallower Moho depth east of the uplift. A comparable amount of Moho relief is observed for the Wind River uplift, west of the Bighorn range, from a Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling (COCORP) profile and teleseismic receiver function analysis of EarthScope Transportable Array seismic data. The amplitude and spacing of crystalline-cored uplifts, together with geological and geophysical data, are here examined within the framework of a lithospheric folding model. Lithospheric folding is the concept of low-amplitude, large-wavelength (150–600 km) folds affecting the entire lithosphere; these folds develop in response to an end load that induces a buckling instability. The buckling instability focuses initial fold development, with faults developing subsequently as shortening progresses. Scaled physical models and numerical models that undergo layer-parallel shortening induced by end loads determine that the wavelength of major uplifts in the upper crust occurs at approximately one third the wavelength of folds in the upper mantle for strong lithospheres. This distinction arises because surface uplifts occur where there is distinct curvature upon the Moho, and the vergence of surface uplifts can be synthetic or antithetic to the Moho curvature. In the case of the Bighorn uplift, the surface uplift is antithetic to the Moho curvature, which is likely a consequence of structural inheritance and the influence of a preexisting Proterozoic suture upon the surface uplift. The lithospheric folding model accommodates most of the geological observations and geophysical data for the Bighorn uplift. An alternative model, involving a crustal detachment at the orogen scale, is inconsistent with the absence of subhorizontal seismic reflectors that would arise from a throughgoing, low-angle detachment fault and other regional constraints. We conclude that the Bighorn uplift—and possibly other Laramide arch-like structures—is best understood as a product of lithospheric folding associated with a horizontal end load imposed upon the continental margin to the west.

ABSTRACT The Devonian Woodford Shale and Cretaceous Mowry Shale consist of relatively deep (below storm wave base) intracratonic basin deposits commonly referred to as “shales” because of their dark gray to nearly black color, very fine-grained nature, pelagic fossils such as radiolarians, and common amorphous marine kerogen. These shales typically contain less than 30% detrital clay by weight and more than 50% quartz (locally up to 80%). The quartz is a mix of biogenic grains, mainly radiolarians, and authigenic silica along with some detrital quartz silt of extrabasinal origin. The authigenic silica is dominantly microcrystalline (< 1 micron) and forms a major component of the matrix in these formations, but the rocks also contain authigenic pyrite, commonly as framboids, minor carbonates including magnesite, and quartz overgrowths, but together these authigenic minerals form less than 10% of the rock. Authigenic quartz in the Woodford and Mowry samples commonly takes the form of silica nanospheres, a type of microquartz less than a half micron in diameter. Textures of this microquartz are best observed directly with a high-resolution electron microscope. In many Woodford and Mowry samples, the silica nanospheres, which tend to be associated with organic matter, form more than 50% of the rock. The large volume of the authigenic quartz, together with “floating” detrital components and the close association with pyrite framboids, indicates that the silica nanospheres formed very early, perhaps in association with microbial activity on or in the seafloor sediments. These early silica nanospheres, which are only weakly luminescent, helped create a lithified sediment during or soon after deposition. Where the silicification process ceased prior to complete silica cementation, the early silica nanospheres are associated with up to 15% interparticle microporosity. This gives the Woodford and Mowry good potential reservoir quality, at least locally. The authigenic silica nanospheres also enhance the mechanical properties and brittleness of these siliceous mudrocks to a degree much greater than the presence of the detrital quartz particles alone.

ABSTRACT A new model is proposed to predict porosity in organic matter for unconventional shale reservoirs. This model is based on scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations that reveal porosity in organic matter is associated with secondary porosity developed within organic matter cement that fills void space preserved prior to oil generation. The organic matter cement is interpreted as solid bitumen resulting from the thermal alteration of residual oil retained in the source rock following oil expulsion. Pores are interpreted to develop within the solid bitumen as a result of thermal cracking and gas generation at increased levels of thermal maturity, transforming the solid bitumen to pyrobitumen. The pyrobitumen porosity model is an improvement over existing kerogen porosity models that lack petrographic validation. Organic matter porosity is predicted by first estimating the potential volume of organic matter cement by deriving the matrix porosity available at the onset of oil generation from extrapolations of lithologic specific compaction profiles. The fraction of organic matter cement converted to porosity in the gas window is then calculated by applying porosity conversion ratios derived from SEM digital image analysis of analogous shale reservoirs. Further research is required to refine and test the porosity prediction model.