- University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology, United States of America (nur.schuba@beg.utexas.edu)
This study integrates 3-D seismic reflection and petrophysical data to investigate the Lopingian bedded salt formations of the Delaware Basin, part of the Greater Permian Basin in the United States. Focusing on the Castile and Salado Formations, the analysis identifies a zone of thickened and deformed strata associated with an intra-salt fold-thrust belt in the southwestern portion of the seismic volume. Adjacent to this fold-thrust belt lies a geophysically distinct region termed the buffer zone.
Petrophysical analysis of the Castile Formation within the buffer zone reveals a unique composition, deviating from the expected cyclical anhydrite-halite members. Instead, this zone consists exclusively of anhydrite. This compositional anomaly challenges previous interpretations that halite absence results from dissolution, suggesting instead that gypsum deposition followed by conversion to anhydrite may have occurred.
The overlying Salado Formation displays significant heterogeneity and karst features, highlighting potential geohazards and complexities for underground energy storage. These findings emphasize the necessity of combining geophysical and petrophysical approaches to accurately characterize subsurface conditions, assess risks, and optimize the placement of salt caverns for energy storage applications.
How to cite: Schuba, N., Moscardelli, L., Dooley, T., Martinez-Doñate, A., and Melani, L.: Geophysical and Petrophysical Insights into Bedded Salt Formations: Implications for Underground Energy Storage in the Delaware Basin, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-14303, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-14303, 2025.