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Isotopic composition of oil-field brines from Kettleman North Dome, California, and their geologic implications

January 1, 1973

Deuterium and O18 analyses were made on 25 formation-water samples from Miocene (Temblor Formation) and Eocene (McAdams Formation) reservoir rocks at Kettleman North Dome oil field, California, and on three surface water samples from Reef Ridge located about three miles to the west of the field. The δO18 values obtained generally increase with depth and most probably are due to temperature controlled exchange reactions with carbonate cement and dissolved carbonate species. The δD values obtained seem to be controlled primarily by the membrane behavior of shales modifying the assumed original values. The contribution of isotopic exchange between water and clays cannot be evaluated at present.

The isotopic data support the conclusions based on a detailed study of geology, hydrodynamics, and formation water geochemistry (Kharaka, 1971) which indicate that:

1. The Temblor Formation waters are probably meteoric in origin concentrated chemically and isotopically by shale membranes, and 2. The McAdams Formation waters were most probably obtained by squeezing the original interstitial marine connate waters of deposition from the underlying Mesozoic sediments.

Publication Year 1973
Title Isotopic composition of oil-field brines from Kettleman North Dome, California, and their geologic implications
DOI 10.1016/0016-7037(73)90148-8
Authors Y.K. Kharaka, F.A.F. Berry, I. Friedman
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Index ID 70010113
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse