TITLE:
Geophysical Data Bearing on Hydrocarbon Traps and Resource Potential of the Galisteo Basin, New Mexico
AUTHORS:
Richard A. Ashu, Michael S. Petronis
KEYWORDS:
Galisteo Basin; Hydrocarbon Traps; Gravity Survey; Magnetic Survey; Talwani
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.4 No.1,
January
17,
2014
ABSTRACT: Land-based
gravity and magnetic data were obtained at 56 gravity stations and 250 magnetic
stations throughout the northern-central part of the Galisteo Basin south of
Santa Fe, NM. The study area extends south from the village of Eldorado to the
foothills of the Ortiz Mountains and east from I-25 to Highway 285, an area of
approximately 2200 square kilometers. These data offered an approach to integrating surface
geological mapping and subsurface geophysical surveys to characterize the
distribution, depth, and potential hydrocarbon trap geometries in parts of the
Galisteo Basin using the Talwani geophysical modeling program. Both sets
of potential field data were integrated into ArcGIS and Surfer to
generate extrapolated surfaces and derivative maps, which allowed for the
characterization of the subsurface geology along with specific profiles across the mapped area.
These data revealed several anomalies within the central portion of the basin
that are interpreted as likely hydrocarbon trap-structures.