Utah Geological Survey
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Paleozoic Shale-Gas Resources of the Colorado Plateau and Eastern Great Basin, Utah: Multiple Frontier Exploration Opportunities

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By: Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr.

This report (241 pages of text, 187 figures, 30 tables, and 21 appendices) presents the shale-gas potential of the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian Manning Canyon Shale/Doughnut Formation and the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation (Chimney Rock, Gothic, and Hovenweep shales) of central and southeastern Utah, respectively. Shale beds within these formations are widespread, thick, buried deep enough to generate dry gas (or oil in some areas of the Paradox Basin), and sufficiently rich in organic material and fractures to hold significant recoverable gas reserves. This study provides a detailed evaluation of these potential shale-gas reservoirs including (1) drilling history, (2) identification and mapping/ correlating the major shale intervals, (3) characterization of the geologic, petrographic, geochemical, and petrophysical rock properties of those reservoirs from cores, (4) burial histories and organic maturation models, and (5) descriptions of outcrop analogs. Collectively, this study delineates the areas with the greatest gas potential (“sweet spots”) and offers recommendations for the best completion practices to develop these targeted shale-gas reservoirs.

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Utah Geological Survey
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Interim Geologic Map of the Steves Mountain Quadrangle, Sevier County, Utah

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By:Hellmut H. Doelling and Paul A. Kuehne

The Steves Mountain quadrangle in central Utah spans the southernmost Wasatch Plateau and northernmost Fish Lake Plateau and is crossed by Interstate 70. Late Cretaceous to late Eocene strata are folded westward on the west flank of the Wasatch monocline, and are cut by generally north-tranding horsts and grabens, including the Water Hollow fault zone in the eastern part of the quadrangle. Large landslides and slope creep are common on several incompetent units.

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Utah Geological Survey
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Interim Geologic Map of the Gooseberry Creek Quadrangle, Sevier County, Utah

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By: Paul A. Kuehne and Hellmut H. Doelling

The Gooseberry Creek quadrangle in central Utah covers the northwestern end of the Fish Lake Plateau. The Gooseberry Road, a popular scenic link between Interstate 70 and the Fish Lake Recreation Area, traverses the quadrangle; climbing to over 10,000 feet in elevation, it is one of the highest paved highways in the state. Late Cretaceous to late Eocene strata dip gently westward, are cut by several steep normal faults, and are folded into the west-facing Wasatch monocline near the west side of the quadrangle. Oligocene volcanic rocks of the Marysvale volcanic field extend into the southern part of the quadrangle. Rock glaciers, large landslides, colluvium, and alluvium are common.

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Utah Geological Survey

Geologic and Geophysical Maps and Volcanic History of The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW Quadrangles

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By:Tracey J. Felger, David M. Miller, Victoria E. Langenheim, and Robert J. Fleck

The Kelton Pass SE and Monument Peak SW 7.5′ quadrangles (NW Utah) are located entirely within southern Curlew Valley, which drains south into Great Salt Lake, and extends north into Idaho. Bedrock exposures form the Wildcat Hills and two small shield volcanoes. Exposed rocks and deposits are Permian to Holocene in age and include sandstone of the Permian Oquirrh Formation, tuffaceous sedimentary rocks of the Miocene Salt Lake Formation, Pliocene basaltic and dacitic lava flows, Pleistocene rhyolite and basalt, and Pleistocene and Holocene surficial deposits of alluvial, lacustrine, and eolian origin. Structures related to the Miocene Raft River detachment fault and Basin and Range extension also are present. New geophysical data and interpretations and new geochronology data for volcanic units improved insight into the tectonic and volcanic evolution of the area.

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Utah Geological Survey

Geologic Map of The Donkey Flat Quadrangle, Uintah County, Utah

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Geologic Map of The Donkey Flat Quadrangle, Uintah County, Utah

By: Paul H. Jensen, Douglas A. Sprinkel, Bart J. Kowallis, and Kent D. Brown

The Donkey Flat quadrangle is less than 10 miles north-northeast of Vernal, Utah, along the south flank of the Uinta Mountains in Uintah County. It includes Red Fleet State Park and is crossed by U.S. Highway 191 (a National Scenic Byway). The geology is well exposed and uncomplicated, making a dramatic landscape with thick sandstone cliffs and varicolored to drab gray slopes. The quadrangle’s namesake, Donkey Flat, is a one of several geomorphic surfaces mantled by piedmont gravel deposits.

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Utah Geological Survey

Landslide Inventory Map of The Sixmile Canyon and North Hollow Area, Sanpete County, Utah

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Landslide Inventory Map of The Sixmile Canyon and North Hollow Area, Sanpete County, Utah

By: Gregg S. Beukelman, Ben A. Erickson, and Richard E. Giraud

This map represents a landslide inventory of part of the Sixmile Canyon and North Hollow area, Sanpete County, Utah, at a scale of 1:24,000. The map covers 42 square miles on the west side of the Wasatch Plateau and includes parts of the Sixmile Creek and North Hollow-Twelvemile Creek Hydrologic Units. The map and accompanying geodatabase show and characterize landslides and provide information useful for managing landslide-related issues. Spatial and tabular data for each landslide are stored in the geodatabase and linked to the inventory map. Landslide information in the geodatabase includes: area, material type, movement type, landslide deposit name, landslide source name, movement activity, thickness, movement direction, approximate movement, dates, geologic unit(s) associated with landsliding, confidence in mapped boundaries, mapper, peer reviewer, and general comments. This CD contains geographic information system (GIS) files in ESRI file geodatabase and shapefile formats. Specialized GIS software is required to use the GIS files.

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Utah Geological Survey

Paleoseismology of Utah, Volume 27: Geologic Mapping and Paleoseismic Investigations of the Washington Fault Zone, Washington County, Utah, and Mohave County, Arizona

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Edited By: William R. Lund

This publication presents four investigations that provide new geologic and paleoseismic data on the Washington fault zone in southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona. (1) New 1:24,000-scale geologic mapping shows the location and length of young surface ruptures and the relative ages of displaced surficial deposits along the fault zone. Based on the mapping, the former Northern section of the fault zone has been subdivided into the Fort Pearce and Washington Hollow sections. (2) A paleoseismic trenching investigation of a scarp on a latest Quaternary alluvial fan in Arizona that provides information on paleoearthquake timing, displacement, and recurrence for the Fort Pearce section, which traverses the St. George metropolitan area. (3) Trace element and major oxide geochemical correlation and radiometric dating of volcanic flows displaced across the fault that provide early to middle Quaternary vertical slip-rates for the Fort Pearce and Sullivan Draw sections of the fault.. (4) A geotechnical investigation that provides information on fault locations, paleoearthquakes, and displacement no the Fort Pearce section. These investigations show the Fort Pearce section of the Washington fault zone has experienced at least two surface-faulting earthquakes in the Holocene and a minimum of five earthquakes in the past ~68 ka.

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Utah Geological Survey

Interim Geologic Map of the Morgan 7.5′ Quadrangle, Morgan County, Utah

 

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By: James C. Coogan, Jon K. King, and Greg N. McDonald

The Morgan 7.5′ quadrangle, named for the city of Morgan, is located southeast of Ogden, Utah, and is transected by Morgan Valley where the Weber River, U.S. Interstate Highway 84, and Union Pacific Railroad are located. In the map area, the east-dipping limb and part of the Wasatch anticlinorium are exposed on Durst Mountain, east and north of the Weber River. Interpretations of the geology on Durst Mountain begin with back-rotation of this limb of Paleozoic rocks. Younger Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks in the limb are exposed to the east in the Devils Slide quadrangle. At least 8000 feet (1800m) cf folded Cenozoic sedimentary rocks fill the fault-bounded Morgan Valley. Some fault scarps are Quaternary in age. The most notable fill is the Eocene and Oligeocene(?) Norwood Formation that underlies roughly the west half of the quadrangle. These altered tuffaceous rocks are prone to landsliding. This CD contains two plates-a geologic map at 1:24,000 scale and an explanation plate-and a 25-page booklet, all in PDF format.

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Utah Geological Survey

Interim Geologic Map of the East Part of the Duchesne 30’x60′ Quadrangle: Duchesne and Wasatch Counties, Utah (Year 3)

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By: Douglas A. Sprinkel

The interim geologic map of the east part of the Duchesne 30’x60′ quadrangle (year 3) consists of eighteen 7.5 minute quadrangles and is the third year of a multi-year project to map and compile the geology of this quadrangle. The quadrangle is located mostly in the western Uinta basin, with the northwest corner located along the southwest flank of the Uinta Mountains but the area mapped is centered on Roosevelt, Utah. The map area includes a variety of surficial deposits that range from historic to lower Pleistocene piedmont alluvium, stream alluvium, and glacial deposits. Bedrock map units include members of the Duchesne River formation, the upper two members of the Uinta Formation, and upper two members of the Green River Formation. Members of the Duchesne River Formation are (in descending order) Starr Flat, Lapoint, Dry Gulch Creek, and Brennan Basin. Members of the Uinta Formation are (in descending order) member C and member B. The sandstone and limestone facies and the saline facies are of the Green River Formation are exposed south of U.S. Highway 40 and south-southwest of Duchesne, Utah. Structural features include the axis of the Uinta Basin syncline (and associated folds), the Uinta Basin-Mountain boundary fault zone located in the northern part of the map area with evidence of movement in the Quaternary, and the Duchesne fault zone located in the southern part of the map area. The Duchesne 30’x60′ quadrangle also contains an array of geologic resources including minerals, phosphate, sand and gravel, and gilsonite, but energy resources are the most significant with the giant Altamont-Bluebell and Monument Butte fields included in the quadrangle.

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Utah Geological Survey
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Survey Notes September 2015 Issue is Out!

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Our latest issue of Survey Notes is out! Check it out on our Survey Notes Gallery HERE.