Article
TECTONIC HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF FAULTS AND FRACTURES IN THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL, UTAH: IMPACTS ON SUBSURFACE FLUID FLOW
Utah Geological Association Publication 42: Tectonic history of faults and fractures in the San Rafael Swell, Utah—impacts on subsurface fluid flow,
(2013)
Abstract
Faults, micro to meso-scale joints, and veins are structural discontinuities that play an important
role in the geo-hydrologic behavior of multiphase pore fluids in the subsurface. We examine the distribution
of such discontinuities in the San Rafael Swell, with emphasis on the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone
and overlying Carmel Formation, and describe the relationships between depositional composition,
tectonic history, and the deformation style in various rock types, including reservoir and seal facies, in
response to changing stress conditions. Understanding the occurrence and distribution of discontinuities
in the subsurface is critical to understanding a wide range of natural and geo-engineered scenarios,
including hydrocarbon entrapment, waste disposal, geothermal systems, and CO2 sequestration. The
San Rafael Swell is an analog for these types of storage sites.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2013
Citation Information
Elizabeth S Petrie, James P. Evans and Daniel Barton. "TECTONIC HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF FAULTS AND FRACTURES IN THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL, UTAH: IMPACTS ON SUBSURFACE FLUID FLOW" Utah Geological Association Publication 42: Tectonic history of faults and fractures in the San Rafael Swell, Utah—impacts on subsurface fluid flow, Vol. 42 (2013) p. 75 - 90 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/james_evans/128/
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