Stratigraphy, Depositional Environments, and Coalbed Methane Potential of Pennsylvanian Coals -- Bourbon Arch Region, Eastern Kansas

Kansas Geological Survey
Open-file Report 2003-51

Conclusions

Peat-forming environments have little relation with underlying strata. However, depositional environments can influence coal-seam characteristics (thickness, geometry, quality).
The Lexington coal developed as a low-lying mire during initial trangression, prograding over tidal flat deposits on an exposed carbonate surface.
The Bevier coal possibly formed locally, as a raised mire behind an accreting, prograding, muddy shoreline.
The Croweburg coal may have formed as a raised or low-lying mire behind a tide-influenced coastline with possible barrier island sands.
The Neutral coal is not as extensive as other coals, due to erosion by the overlying lower Bartlesville sandstone. Lithologic evidence suggests that it was one of a series of mires forming behind a prograding, tidal-estuarine shoreline.
Sequence stratigraphic concepts provide better understanding of depositional variability of coal thickness, distribution, and quality. Coals near the maximum flooding surface can be expected to be thicker and more extensive.
Gas-isotope analysis indicate a mixed microbial and thermogenic origin for coalbed gas in eastern Kansas.
The Bourbon Arch region of eastern Kansas may hold approximately 1.7 tcf of coalbed gas

References

Aitken, J.F., 1994, Coal in a sequence stratigraphic framework: Geoscientist, v. 4, no. 5, p. 9-12.

Brady, L.L, 1997, Kansas coal resources and their potential for coalbed methane: Transactions of the 1997 American Association of Petroleum Geologists Mid-Continent Section Meeting, p. 150-163.

Coleman, J.M., Gagliano, S.M., and Smith, W.G., 1970, Sedimentation in a Malaysian high tide tropical delta, in Morgan, J.P., (ed.), Deltaic sedimentation, modern and ancient: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special Publication 15, p. 185-197.

Erten, M.H., and Bostic, J.L., 1990, Beneficiation and desulfurization of Missouri coals, in Finkelman, R.B., Friedman, S.A., and Hatch, J.R., (eds.), Coal geology of the interior coal province, western region: Geological Society of America, 1990 Annual Meeting Coal Geology Division field trip, p. 260-301.

Golonka, J., Ross, M.I., and Scotese, C.R., 1994, Phanerozoic paleogeographic and paleoclimatic modeling maps, in Emery, A.F., Beauchamp, B., and Glass, D.J., (eds.), Pangea: global environments and resources: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 17, p. 1-47.

Jenden, P.D., Newell, K.D., Kaplan, I.R., and Watney, W.L., 1988, Composition and stable-isotope geochemistry of natural gases from Kansas, mid-continent, USA: Chemical Geology, v. 71, p. 117-147.

Jewett, J.M., 1951, Geologic structures in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 90, pt. 6, 172 p.

Jewett, J.M., O’Conner, H.G., and Zeller, D.E., 1968, The Pennsylvanian system, in Zeller, D.E. (ed.), The stratigraphic succession in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 189, p. 21-43.

McCabe, P.J., 1984, Depositional models of coal and coal-bearing strata, in Rahmani, R.A., and Flores, R.M. (eds.), Sedimentology of coal and coal-bearing sequences: International Association of Sedimentologists, Special Publication 7, p. 13-42.

McCabe, P.J., 1991, Geology of coal; environments of deposition, in Gluskoter, H.J., Rice, D.D., and Taylor, R.B., (eds.), The Geology of North America; Economic Geology: Geological Society of America, v. P-2, p. 469-482.

Newell, K.D., Brady, L.L., Lange, J.P., and Carr, T.R., 2002, Coalbed gas play emerges in eastern Kansas basins: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 100, no. 52, p. 36-41.

Rascoe, B.A., and Adler, F.J., 1983, Permo-Carboniferous hydrocarbon accumulations, mid-continent USA: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 67, no. 6, p. 979-1001.

Staub, J.R., and Cohen, A.D., 1979, The Snuggedy Swamp of South Carolina; a back-barrier estuarine coal-forming environment: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 49, p. 133-144.

van Andel, TJ.H., 1967, The Orinoco Delta: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 37, p. 297-310.

Wedge, W.K., and Hatch, J.R., 1980, Chemical composition of Missouri coals: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Report of Investigations 63.

Wells, J.T., and Coleman, J.M., 1981, Periodic mudflat progradation, northeastern coast of South America; a hypothesis: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 51, p. 1069-1075.

Zeller, D.E., 1968, The stratigraphic succession in Kansas: Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 189, 81 p.

Acknowledgements

The first author thanks the Kansas Geological Survey for the opportunity and financial support of this Master’s thesis project. We acknowledge Anthony Walton, Larry Brady, Rex Buchanon, Marla Adkins-Heljeson, Bill Guy, Steve Hasiotis, Ed Washburn, Lianshuang Qi, and Matt Brown for comments and insight; and Ken Stalder for technical support. Various companies operating in Kansas provided log, core, and/or desorption data.

e-mail : webadmin@kgs.ku.edu
Last updated October 2003
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/publication/MidAAPG2003-1/P3-02.html