Mineralogy and petrography of Permian rocks in the Central Oklahoma aquifer

Abstract

Permian rocks of the Central Oklahoma aquifer from nine cored test holes were analyzed to determine their mineralogical composition and petrographic characteristics. Eight of the holes were sited in areas where ground water is known to contain concentrations of arsenic, chromium, selenium, or gross residual-alpha-particle activities that exceed public drinking water standards; the nineth hole is located in an area of generally good water quality. The Permian clastic sedimentary units sampled by the test holes included 1) the Hennessey Group, 2) the Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formation, and 3) the Chase, Council-Grove and Admire Groups. Whole-rock mineralogy was determined for 196 samples; 70 samples were analyzed for clay mineralogy and 160 thin sections were point counted.Sandstones in the aquifer are quartz arenites to sublitharenites. Quartz and illite-rich clays are the dominant detrital constituents. Plagioclase, dolostone, potassium feldspars, chert, metamorphic rock fragments, and chlorite are minor detrital phases. Common authigenic minerals in the rock include barite, calcite, dolomite, goethite, hematite, kaolinite, and quartz as overgrowths. All of the units sampled have similar compositions, although the core from the test hole sited in an area of good water quality lacked dolomite, chlorite, and plagioclase. Results of these analyses will be used in future reports to describe and interpret rock-water interaction within the aquifer.

Environmental impacts of petroleum production--Initial results from the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma

“…Cation exchange capacity was determined on 10 g of bulk soil using a modification of the method by Breit (1990). About 10 g of soil was placed in 250 mL polyethylene bottles with about 150 mL of a 1 M solution of SrCl 2 •6H 2 O; with weight of the bottle, sample, and solution recorded.…”

Impacts of Well Pumping on Trace Metals in the Central Oklahoma Aquifer, Norman, Ok

“…6). The Hennessy group is dominated by shale and mudstone with some very thin, fine-grained sandstone beds (Breit, 1998). Total thickness of the aquifer units ranges from 1,100 to 1,600 ft (Smith et al, 2009).…”

“…The Garber and Wellington formations have very similar lithologies and are generally undistinguished when referring to the aquifer system. Both formations contain mostly lenticular, fine-grained quartz litharenite (sandstone) interbedded with mudstone (mostly mixed-layer illite-smectite), siltstone, and small amounts of conglomerate (Breit, 1998). All three units dip approximately 0.5º west (Christenson et al, 1998) and have a red color due to hematite precipitation during early diagenesis (Breit, 1998).…”

“…Both formations contain mostly lenticular, fine-grained quartz litharenite (sandstone) interbedded with mudstone (mostly mixed-layer illite-smectite), siltstone, and small amounts of conglomerate (Breit, 1998). All three units dip approximately 0.5º west (Christenson et al, 1998) and have a red color due to hematite precipitation during early diagenesis (Breit, 1998). Sandstone dominates in the upper third of the COA while mudstone dominates in the lower third, which is shown in the cross section produced by Smith et al (2009, Fig.…”

“…7). A full section of the Garber and Wellington formations contains between 25% and 75% sandstone (Breit, 1998), varying laterally.…”