Geothermal anomalies on the eastern flank of the Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas, USA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17161/mg.v2i.16503Keywords:
geothermal anomalies, Cherokee basinAbstract
Bottomhole temperature measurements from oil and gas drilling in southeastern Kansas on the eastern flank of the Cherokee basin, in combination with a suite of about 2,200 differential temperature logs recently obtained from wireline logging in coalbed methane wells, define several higher-temperature anomalies at the top of the Mississippian Subsystem strata. Temperatures slightly in excess of 90 oF (35 oC) at depths of about 900 ft (275 m) correspond to geothermal gradients as high as about 60 oC/km.
Sparse historical measurements of heat flow in the cratonic Cherokee basin indicate that the thermal anomalies are not likely caused by locally high heat flow. Heat flow in the Cherokee basin is probably in line with most other shallow cratonic basins. The higher-temperature thermal anomalies defined by logging temperatures do not correspond to previously mapped faults or other structural features in the Phanerozoic sedimentary section, but some anomalies are underlain by Precambrian basement lineations that are detectable with aeromagnetic and gravity measurements. Well-log determination of shale content in the Pennsylvanian sedimentary strata overlying the Mississippian limestones indicates that low thermal conductivity caused by higher shale content may cause some of the thermal anomalies.
Lateral (advective) movement of warmer, highly saline water from the basin axis cannot account for the anomalies because the anomalies are not characterized by exceptionally highly saline water in Mississippian strata. Similarly, recorded static fluid levels of wells disposing of oilfield saltwater into the Mississippian strata and the deeper Cambrian-Ordovician Arbuckle Group indicate that the deeper Arbuckle strata generally do not have sufficient formation pressure to force Arbuckle formation water upward into the Mississippian through either natural fractures or leaky wellbores. Small-scale changes in salinity, in combination with geologic structuring indicating faulting, make a case for vertical (convective) movement of heated, less saline water from the Arbuckle Group into overlying Mississippian limestones in isolated localities. Buoyancy of the Arbuckle formation water (due to temperature and salinity differences with the cooler and more saline Mississippian water) could also be the primary force behind the convection. Convergence of cooler freshwater moving westward off the Ozark dome and more saline basinal water moving eastward also could be a factor in defining the limits of some thermal anomalies.
References
Allen, P. A., and Allen, J. R., 2013, Basin Analysis; Principles and Application to Petroleum Play Assessment, 3rd edition: London, Wiley-Blackwell, 617 p.
Archie, G. E., 1942, The electrical resistivity log as an aid in determining some reservoir characteristics: Petroleum Technology, v. 5, p. 54–62.
Asquith, G., with Gibson, C., 1982, Basic Well Log Analysis for Geologists: Tulsa, Oklahoma, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 216 p.
Ball, S. M., 1982, Exploration application of temperatures recorded on log headings — An up-the-odds method of hydrocarbon-charged porosity prediction: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, v. 66, no. 8, p. 1,108–1,123.
Barker, C. E., Goldstein, R. H., Hatch, J. R., Walton, A. W., and Wojcik, K. M., 1992, Burial history and thermal maturation of Pennsylvanian rocks, Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas: Oklahoma Geological Survey, Circular 93, p. 299–310.
Bateman, R. M., and Konen, C. E., 1977, The log analyst and the programmable pocket calculator: The Log Analyst, v. 18, no. 5, p. 3–11.
Bennison, A. P., 2002, Geologic map of Cherokee County, Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Map M-104, scale 1:50,000.
Berendsen, P., and Blair, K. P., 1986, Subsurface structural maps over the Central North American rift system (CNARS), central Kansas, with discussion: Kansas Geological Survey, Subsurface Geology Series 8, 16 p. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/Sub8/index.html
Berendsen, P., and Blair, K. P., 1991, Interpretive subcrop map of the Precambrian basement in the Joplin 1o x 2o quadrangle: Kansas Geological Survey, Subsurface Geology Series, no. 14, 10 p. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/Sub14/index.html
Bickford, M. E., Harrower, K. L., Nussbaum, R. L., Thomas, J. J., Nelson, B. K., and Hoppe, W. J., 1981, Rb-Sr and U-Pb and geochronology and distribution of rock types in the Precambrian basement of Missouri and Kansas: Geological Society of America, Bulletin, v. 92, no. 6, pt. 1, p. 323–341.
Blackwell, D. D., and Steele, J. L., 1989, Heat flow and geothermal potential in Kansas; in D. W. Steeples, ed., Geophysics in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 226, p. 267–291.
Brady, L. L., 1997, Kansas coal resources and their potential for coalbed methane; in G. McMahan, ed., Transactions of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Mid-Continent Section Meeting: New Technologies for an Old Frontier: Oklahoma City Geological Society, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, p. 150–163.
Carlson, M. P., and Treves, S. B., 2005, The Elk Creek Carbonatite, southeast Nebraska — An overview: Natural Resources Research, v. 14, no. 1, p. 39–45.
Carr, J. E., McGovern, H. E., and Gogel, T., 1986, Geohydrology and potential for fluid disposal in the Arbuckle aquifer in Kansas: United States Geological Survey, Open-File Report 86-491, 101 p.
Carr, T. R., 2004, Calendar year 2003 — Kansas oil and gas production; An examination of the importance of stripper production: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2004-15, 4 p. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/publication/ofr2004-15/2003Kansas_Oil_and_Gas_Production.pdf
Carr, T. R., Merriam, D. F., and Bartley, J. D., 2005, Use of relational databases to evaluate regional petroleum accumulation, groundwater flow, and CO2 sequestration in Kansas: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, v. 89, no. 12, p. 1,607–1,627.
Dahlberg, E. C., 1982, Applied Hydrodynamics in Petroleum Exploration: New York, Springer-Verlag, 161 p.
Doveton, J. H., 2004, Applications of estimated formation water resistivities to brine stratigraphy in the Kansas subsurface: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2004-63, 20 p.
Doveton, J. H., 2014, Principles of Mathematical Petrophysics: Oxford, U.K., Oxford University Press, 244 p.
Foerster, A., Merriam, D. F., and Davis, J. C., 1996, Statistical analysis of some bottom-hole temperature (BHT) correction factors for the Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas; in D. L. Swindler and C. P. Williams, compilers: Transactions of the 1995 American Association of Petroleum Geologists Mid-Continent Section meeting: Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tulsa Geological Society, p. 3–9.
Foerster, A., Merriam, D. F., and Hoth, P., 1998, Geohistory and thermal maturation in the Cherokee basin (mid-continent, U.S.A.); Results from modeling: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, v. 82, no. 9, p. 1,673–1,693.
Goebel, E. D., 1968a, Cambrian System; in D. E. Zeller, ed., The Stratigraphic Succession in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 189, p. 11–13.
Goebel, E. D., 1968b, Mississippian System; in D. E. Zeller, ed., The Stratigraphic Succession in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 189, p. 17–21.
Goebel, E. D., 1968c, Ordovician System; in D. E. Zeller, ed., The Stratigraphic Succession in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 189, p. 14–15.
Harrison, W. E., Luza, K. V., Prater, M. L., and Cheung, P. K., 1983, Geothermal resource assessment in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geological Survey, Special Publication 83-1, 42 p.
Jorgensen, D. G., 1989, Paleohydrology of the central United States: United States Geological Survey, Bulletin, 1989-D, 32 p.
Jorgensen, D. G., Helgesen, J. O., and Imes, J. L, 1993, Regional aquifers in Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming — geohydrologic framework: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper 1414-B, 72 p.
Jorgensen, D. G., Helgesen, J. O., Signor, D. C., Leonard, R. B., Imes, J. L., and Christenson, S. C., 1996, Analysis of regional aquifers in the central midwest of the United States in Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming — summary: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper 1414-A, 67 p.
Kansas Geological Survey, 2020a, Interactive geologic map of Kansas: http://maps.kgs.ku.edu/state_geology/
Kansas Geological Survey, 2020b, Search for brine analyses in Kansas: http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/Brine/index.html
Kansas State University, 2000, Kansas annual normal temperatures 1971–2000: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/wdl/
Kirk, M. F., Wilson, B. H., Marquart, K. A., Zeglin, L. H., Vinson, D. S., and Flynn, T. M., 2015, Solute concentrations influence microbial methanogenesis in coal-bearing strata of the Cherokee basin, USA: Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 6, 1287. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01287
Kruger, J. M., 1996, On-line gravity and magnetic maps of Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 96-51, http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/PotenFld/index.html
Macfarlane, P. A., and Hathaway, L. R., 1987, The hydrogeology and chemical quality of ground waters from the lower Paleozoic aquifers in the Tri-State region of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma: Kansas Geological Survey, Ground Water Series 9, 37 p.
Merriam, D. F., 1963, The geologic history of Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 162, 317 p.
Merriam, D. F., 1999, Geologic events affecting geothermal conditions in the Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas; review and assessment: Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, v. 102, no. 3–4, p. 71–82.
Musgrove, M., 1993, Origin, evolution, and mixing of saline and dilute ground waters in three regional flow systems, midcontinent, U.S.A.: M. A. thesis, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, 225 p.
Newell, K. D., 2017, Kansas coal, CBM, and unconventionals production report: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2017-31, 20 p.
Newell, K. D., and Carr, T. R., 2009, Coalbed natural gas production and gas content of Pennsylvanian coal units in eastern Kansas; in T. Carr, T. D’Angostino, W. Ambrose, J. Pashin, and N. C. Rosen, eds., Unconventional Energy Resources: Making the Unconventional Conventional: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology, v. 29, p. 353–383.
Newell, K. D, and Merriam, D. F., 2013, Abnormally high geothermal gradients in the Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas, USA: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2013-10, 3 sheets. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2013/OFR13_10/index.html
Newell, K. D., Peterie, S., Killion, M., DeArmond, B., Ridley, C., Mandel, R., and Buchanan, R., 2020, Diminishing depth to water in Cambrian-Ordovician Arbuckle Group disposal wells in Kansas: Midcontinent Geoscience, v. 1, no. 1, p. 1–29. https://doi.org/10.17161/mg.v1i.15525
Newell, K. D., Watney, W. L., Cheng, S. W. L., and Brownrigg, R. L., 1987, Spatial and stratigraphic distribution of Kansas oil and gas production: Kansas Geological Survey, Subsurface Geology Series 9, 86 p. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/Sub9/index.html
Newell, K. D., and Yoakum, R. L., 2010, Kansas coalbed methane play; in D. F. Merriam, compiler, New Plays and Ways: Kansas Geological Society, Wichita, Kansas, Kansas Oil and Gas Fields, v. VI, p. 105–128.
Roy, R. F., Blackwell, D. D., and Birch, F., 1968, Heat generation of plutonic rocks and continental heat-flow provinces: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 5. , no. 1, p. 1–12.
Rumble, J. R., ed., 2020, Standard density of water; in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 101st Edition (Internet Version 2020): Boca Raton, Florida, CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. https://hbcp.chemnetbase.com/faces/contents/ContentsSearch.xhtml
Schlumberger, 1988, Log interpretation charts: Schlumberger Educational Services, Houston, Texas, 150 p.
Selley, R.C., 1998, Elements of Petroleum Geology, 2nd edition: London, Academic Press, 470 p.
Stavnes, S. A., 1982, A preliminary study of the subsurface temperature distribution in Kansas and its relationship to the geology: M. S. thesis, Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 311 p. (available as Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report, no. 82-10).
Stavnes, S. A., and Steeples, D. W., 1982a, Geothermal resources of Kansas: United States Department of Energy, Division of Geothermal Energy, 1 sheet, scale 1:500,000.
Stavnes, S. A., and Steeples, D. W., 1982b, Relationships between geology and geothermal gradients in Kansas; in C. A. Ruscetta, ed.: Geothermal Direct Heat Program; roundup technical conference proceedings, v. I: University of Utah Research Institute, Earth Sciences Laboratory, Report, no. ESL-98, (NTIS no. DOE/ID/12079-71), p. 88–121.
Steeples, D. W., and Stavnes, S. A., eds., 1982, Assessment of the geothermal resources of Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Open-File Report 82-22, 565 p.
Tedesco, S. A, 2021, Unpublished source rock data: Running Foxes Petroleum, 14550 East Easter Avenue, Suite 200, Centennial, Colorado 80112.
United States Energy Information Agency, 2020, Natural gas wellhead price: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/rngwhhdm.htm.
Walton, A. W., Wojcik, K., Goldstein, R. H., and Barker, C. E., 1995, Diagenesis of Upper Carboniferous rocks in the Ouachita foreland shelf in the mid-continent USA; widespread effects of the Variscan-equivalent orogeny: Geologische Rundschau, v. 84, p. 535–551.
Wojcik, K. M., Goldstein, R. H., and Walton, A. W., 1997, Regional and local controls of digenesis driven by basin-wide flow system; Pennsylvanian sandstones and limestones, Cherokee basin, southeastern Kansas; in I. P. Montanez, J. M. Gregg, and K. L. Shelton, eds., Basin Wide Diagenetic Patterns; Integrated Petrologic, Geochemical, and Hydrologic Conditions: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), Special Publication, no 7, p. 235–252.
Wojcik, K. M., McKibben, M. E., Goldstein, R. H., and Walton, A. W., 1994, History of diagenetic fluids in a distant foreland area, Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian, Cherokee basin, Kansas, USA; fluid inclusion evidence: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 58, p. 1,175–1,191.
Yarger, H. L., 1983, Regional interpretation of Kansas aeromagnetic data: Kansas Geological Survey, Geophysics Series, no. 1, 35 p. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/Geop1/index.html
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 K. David Newell, Tiraz Birdie
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors can view article download statistics for published articles within their accounts.
