Grayburg Formation

Grayburg Formation
Stratigraphic range: Guadalupian
PreꞒ
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S
D
C
P
T
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Pg
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Grayburg Formation; Stratigraphic range: Guadalupian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Formation
Unit of	Artesia Group
Underlies	Queen Formation
Overlies	San Andres Formation
Thickness	294 feet (90 m)
Lithology
Primary	Dolomite
Other	Sandstone, anhydrite
Location
Coordinates	32°50′38″N104°01′01″W / 32.844°N 104.017°W
Region	New Mexico ; Texas
Country	United States
Type section
Named for	Grayburg pool
Named by	R.I. Dickey
Year defined	1940
	Grayburg Formation (the United States) Grayburg Formation (New Mexico)

Last updated February 23, 2022

The Grayburg Formation is a geologic formation in west Texas and southern New Mexico.^[1] It preserves fossils dating back to the Guadalupian Epoch of the Permian Period.^[2]

Description

The formation is found mostly in the subsurface and consists mostly of dolomite with some sandstone and anhydrite.^[1] The formation becomes more dominantly carbonate rock near the Guadalupe Reef and the beds become thicker. Away from the reef, the formation becomes increasingly dominated by sandstone.^[2]

The formation is interpreted as shallow marine sediments deposited on the San Andres platform, which flanked the Delaware and Midland Basins. The interbedded carbonate rocks and sandstone reflect fluctuations in sea level.^[3]

History of investigation

The formation was first defined by Robert I. Dickey in 1940 based on well logs. Dickey assigned the formation to the now-defunct Whitehorse Group.^[1] D.B. Tait, W.S. Motts, and M.E. Spitler reassigned the formation to the Artesia Group in 1962.^[4] V.C. Kelley subsequently adjusted the definition of the lower contact of the formation, in 1971.^[2]

Footnotes

1 2 3 Dickey 1940.
1 2 3 Kelley 1971.
↑ Barnaby, R.J.; Ward, W.B. (1 January 2007). "Outcrop Analog for Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Ramp Reservoirs--Stratigraphic Hierarchy, Facies Architecture, and Geologic Heterogeneity: Grayburg Formation, Permian Basin, U.S.A.". Journal of Sedimentary Research. 77 (1): 34–58. doi:10.2110/jsr.2007.007.
↑ Tait, Motts & Spitler 1962.

Related Research Articles

The Permian Basin is a large sedimentary basin in the southwestern part of the United States. The basin contains the Mid-Continent Oil Field province. This sedimentary basin is located in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It reaches from just south of Lubbock, past Midland and Odessa, south nearly to the Rio Grande River in southern West Central Texas, and extending westward into the southeastern part of New Mexico. It is so named because it has one of the world's thickest deposits of rocks from the Permian geologic period. The greater Permian Basin comprises several component basins; of these, the Midland Basin is the largest, Delaware Basin is the second largest, and Marfa Basin is the smallest. The Permian Basin covers more than 86,000 square miles (220,000 km²), and extends across an area approximately 250 miles (400 km) wide and 300 miles (480 km) long.

The Cutler Formation or Cutler Group is a rock unit that is exposed across the U.S. states of Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. It was laid down in the Early Permian during the Wolfcampian epoch.

Cedar Mesa Sandstone is a sandstone member of the Cutler Formation, found in southeast Utah, southwest Colorado, northwest New Mexico, and northeast Arizona.

The Cherry Canyon Formation is a geologic formation found in the Delaware Basin of southeastern New Mexico and western Texas. It contains fossils characteristic of the Guadalupian Age of the Permian Period.

The Bell Canyon Formation is a geologic formation found in the Delaware Basin of southeastern New Mexico and western Texas. It contains fossils characteristic of the Guadalupian Age of the Permian Period.

The Bone Spring Formation is a geologic formation found in the Delaware Basin in Texas and New Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the Leonardian Age of the Permian Period.

The Capitan Formation is a geologic formation found in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It is a fossilized reef dating to the Guadalupian Age of the Permian period.

The Cutoff Formation is a geologic formation in Texas and New Mexico, US. It preserves fossils dating back to the Permian period.

The Hueco Formation is a geologic formation in west Texas and southern New Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the early Permian period.

The San Andres Formation is a geologic formation found in New Mexico and Texas. It contains fossils characteristic of the late Leonardian (Kungurian) Age) of the Permian Period.

The Seven Rivers Formation is a geologic formation in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Guadalupian Epoch of the Permian period.

The Tansill Formation is a geologic formation in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, United States. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Guadalupian Age of the Permian period.

The Yates Formation is a geologic formation in southeast New Mexico and west Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Guadalupian Age of the Permian period.

The Yeso Group is a group of geologic formations in New Mexico. It contains fossils characteristic of the Kungurian Age of the early Permian Period.

The Artesia Group is a group of geologic formations found in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. These preserve fossils from the Leonardian to Guadalupian Epochs of the Permian Period.

The Queen Formation is a geologic formation in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Guadalupian Epoch of the Permian period.

The Victorio Peak Formation is a geologic formation found in the Delaware Basin in Texas and New Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the Leonardian Age of the Permian Period.

The Castile Formation is a geologic formation in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It was deposited in the Ochoan Stage of the Permian period.

The Salado Formation is a geologic formation in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It was deposited in the Ochoan Stage of the Permian period.

The Goat Seep Formation is a geologic formation found in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It is a fossilized reef dating to the Guadalupian Age of the Permian period.

References

Dickey, Robert I. (1940). "Geologic Section from Fisher County Through Andrews County, Texas, to Eddy County, New Mexico". AAPG Bulletin. 24 (1): 37–51. doi:10.1306/3D93318E-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
Kelley, V.C. (1971). "Geology of the Pecos country, southeastern New Mexico". New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Memoir. 24. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
Tait, D.B.; Motts, W.S.; Spitler, M.E. (1962). "Artesia Group of New Mexico and West Texas". American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. 46 (4): 504–517. doi:10.1306/BC74383B-16BE-11D7-8645000102C1865D.

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[FOOTNOTEDickey1940-1] 1 2 3 Dickey 1940.

[FOOTNOTEKelley1971-2] 1 2 3 Kelley 1971.

[3] Barnaby, R.J.; Ward, W.B. (1 January 2007). "Outcrop Analog for Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Ramp Reservoirs--Stratigraphic Hierarchy, Facies Architecture, and Geologic Heterogeneity: Grayburg Formation, Permian Basin, U.S.A.". Journal of Sedimentary Research. 77 (1): 34–58. doi:10.2110/jsr.2007.007.

[FOOTNOTETaitMottsSpitler1962-4] Tait, Motts & Spitler 1962.

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