Abstract

Understanding the burial and thermal maturation histories of the strata in the onshore interior salt basins of the north central and northeastern Gulf of Mexico area is critical in petroleum source rock identification and characterization. The burial and thermal maturation histories of the strata in these basins and subbasins are consistent with the rift-related geohistory of these features. Source rock analysis and thermal maturity modeling indicate that lime mudstone of the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation served as an effective regional petroleum source rock in the North Louisiana Salt Basin, Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Manila Subbasin and Conecuh Subbasin. The Upper Cretaceous marine shale was an effective local petroleum source rock in the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin and a possible local source bed in the North Louisiana Salt Basin given the proper organic facies. Lower Cretaceous lime mudstone was an effective local petroleum source rock in the South Florida Basin, and these rocks were possible local source beds in the North Louisiana Salt Basin and Mississippi Interior Salt Basin given the proper organic facies. Uppermost Jurassic strata were effective source rocks in Mexico, and therefore, were possible source beds in the North Louisiana Salt Basin given the proper organic facies. Lower Tertiary shale and lignite have been reported to have been source beds in south Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi, but these beds have not been subjected to favorable burial and thermal maturation histories required for petroleum generation in the North Louisiana Salt Basin, Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Manila Subbasin, and Conecuh Subbasin.