Smackover Formation

Oil Fields. Oil field waters in the United States containing lithium have been identified in 10 states. The greatest concentrations are in waters from the Smackover formation of southern Arkansas and eastern Texas. Concentrations from this formation have been measured from 300—600 ppm in waters originating at a 2500—3300 m depth. Recovery of lithium from this resource would only be commercially feasible if a selective extraction technique could be developed. Lithium as a by-product of the recovery of petroleum (qv), bromine (qv), or other chemicals remains to be exploited (12). 

Heydari E. and Moore C.H. (1989) Burial diagenesis and thermochemical sulfate reduction, Smackover Formation, southeastern Mississippi salt basin. Geology 17, 1080-1084. 

Moldovanyi E. P. and Walter L. M. (1992) Regional trends in water chemistry, Smackover Formation, Southwest Arkansas geochemical and physical controls. Am. Assoc. Petrol Geol Bull 76, 864-894. 

Moldovanyi, E.P., Walter, L.M., Brannon, J.C. Po-dosek, F.A. (1990) New constraints on carbonate diagenesis from integrated Sr and S isotopic and rare earth element data, Jurassic Smackover Formation, US Gulf Coast. Appl. Geochem., 5, 449-470. 

The Norphlet sands were derived primarily from erosion of the southern Appalachian Mountains located to the north (Mancini et al. 1985,1990). In the Mobile Bay area, the Norphlet is interpreted as an aeolian deposit composed of large dune complexes and associated interdune deposits (Mancini et al. 1985 Marzano et al. 1988 Dixon et al. 1989). The Jurassic-age Pine Hill Anhydrite and the Louann Salt lie directly beneath the Norphlet and the Oxfordian marine carbonates of the Smackover Formation occur directly above (Fig. 2). 

Claypool, G. E. Mancini, E. A. 1989. Geochemical relationships of petroleum in Mesozoic reservoirs to carbonate source rocks of Jurassic Smackover Formation, southwest Alabama. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 73, 904-924. 

Heydari, E. 1997. The role of burial diagenesis in hydrocarbon destruction and H2S accumulation. Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation, Black Creek Field, Mississippi. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 81, 26-45. 

Sassen, R., Moore, C. H. Meendsen, F. C. 1987. Distribution of hydrocarbon source potential in the Jurassic Smackover formation. Organic Geochemistry, 11, 379-383. 

The Jurassic Smackover formation does not outcrop and is only encountered in subsurface penetrations located in the U.S. Gulf Coast area. 

Moldovanyi EP (1990) Evolution of basinal brines elemental and isotopic evolution of formation waters and diagenetic minerals during burial of carbonate sediments. Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation, southwest Arkansas, US Gulf Coast. PhD Thesis, Washington University, St. Louis, 247 pp... 

Basin, USA, while Hudson and Taliaferro (1925) considered the calcium chloride brines of the Ventura, California oil fields. With these brines, there was only a very rough correlation of the calcium content with depth, and the brines varied widely in their calcium content and degree of dolomitization over relatively short distances within the field (see two examples of this with the South Mountain Field in Table 2.5). A strong calcium chloride and calcium fluoride brine has been reported in the Mobile Bay gasfield (Schutz et al, 2000). Klosterman (1981) studied the strong calcium chloride brine inclusions in calcite of the Smackover Formation in the Walker Creek and Mount Vernon oil fields of southern Arkansas, USA. 

Table B-5. Cleanup treatment for short zones (<50 ft) New well, hIgh-temperature dolomite (Smackover Formation 300-325°F)...

---