Comparison of Outcrop - Defined and Wireline Log - Defined Guadalupian Sequences in the Guadalupe Mountains Area, New Mexico and West Texas

Willis W. Tyrrell¹, John A. Diemer², Gorden L. Bell³, and Richard Bichsel^2
1 Consulting Geologist, Charlotte, NC
² Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Univ. NC at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
³ Guadalupe National Park, Salt Flat, TX

The world type locality for the Middle Permian, Guadalupian Series is in the Guadalupe Mountains, west Texas and southeast New Mexico. In classic Permian Reef Complex outcrops, published studies recognize 6 Composite Sequences (CS 9 – 14) and 28 High Frequency Sequences (HFS G-1 – G-28). Little published data exist for equivalent, wireline log-defined “sequences” in wells drilled in and adjacent to the Northwest Prong, Seven Rivers Embayment and Northeast Prong of the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, where over 1000 wells have been drilled. Our subsurface work supplements the outcrop sequence studies by use of more regional 3-D relationships and more complete sections.

Numerous detailed wireline-log cross sections compare the locally thicker Guadalupian sequences east of the Huapache Monocline with the published AAPG outcrop-defined sequence cross section located along the west margin of the mountains and McKittrick Canyon. Our subsurface sections enable the preparation of new isopach maps of some of the 6 Guadalupian CS and a few HFS, as well as, downdip pinch out trends for the “Glorieta” member of the Yeso Formation, upper San Andres Formation, Shattuck Member, and Bowers Sand, and the updip limits of the upper Victorio Peak, Cutoff, and Brushy Canyon Formations; the Cherry Canyon Tongue and Manzanita Member of the Cherry Canyon Formation; and the Hegler, Lamar and Reef Trail Members of the Bell Canyon Formation. Although some Guadalupian reservoirs are present in the study area, most of the oil and gas production is from deeper, Pennsylvanian objectives.