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• 1. [Article] Subsurface geology of the southeastern Cuyama Valley, southern Coast Ranges, California

  The southeastern Cuyama Valley is located in the southern Coast Ranges, west of Bakersfield, California. Subsurface geologic mapping using data from 62 prospect wells was integrated with surface mapping to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Subsurface geology of the southeastern Cuyama Valley, southern Coast Ranges, California Author: Spitz, Herbert M. The southeastern Cuyama Valley is located in the southern Coast Ranges, west of Bakersfield, California. Subsurface geologic mapping using data from 62 prospect wells was integrated with surface mapping to determine the depositional and deformational history of this part of the Neogene Cuyama basin. The northwest-trending Russell fault system was active from late Oligocene to Pliocene time. Deformation along this major wrench system began during deposition of the late Oligocene to early Miocene Soda Lake Shale Member of the Vaqueros Formation and ended prior to deposition of the Plio-Pleistocene Morales Formation. The southern extension of this fault system remains uncertain, but it probably joins the Ozena fault southeast of the South Cuyama oil field. Removal of 16 to 18 miles of right-lateral offset on the Russell fault system restores the Ozena fault to a position directly east of the La Panza fault. These two faults were probably a single fault, designated the La Panza-Ozena fault, which was active, north-side down, during the Oligocene. Nonmarine conglomerates of the Simmler and lower Caliente formations were deposited north of this fault during the Oligocene, prior to the initiation of notion on the Russell fault system. Three major faults of the Cox fault zone on the west and the Lundstrom-Becker and Becker-Heller faults on the east define the margins of the Cox trough, a complex north- to northeast-trending graben north of the Russell fault which was active from Saucesian through Relizian time (early Miocene). The Saltos Shale Member of the Monterey Formation increases in thickness by 3 to 7 times across the margins of the trough. Growth faulting associated with the Cox trough ended prior to deposition of the middle Johnston sand on all faults except the Cox 46-5 fault, which was active through deposition of the Branch Canyon Sandstone. Post-Pliocene tectonism in the Cuyama basin was limited to folding and reverse-faulting in response to regional north-south compression. The Central Cuyama dome and associated north-dipping reverse faults formed during an early episode of this deformation. Subsequent deformation occurred on the Morales fault, the South Cuyama fault, and the rejuvenated Ozena fault. This Quaternary thrusting obscured the structures of the older wrench-tectonic regime and resulted in the formation of the Caliente and Sierra Madre Ranges and the present-day Cuyama Valley. Title: Subsurface geology of the southeastern Cuyama Valley, southern Coast Ranges, California Author: Spitz, Herbert M. The southeastern Cuyama Valley is located in the southern Coast Ranges, west of Bakersfield, California. Subsurface geologic mapping using data from 62 prospect wells was integrated with surface mapping to determine the depositional and deformational history of this part of the Neogene Cuyama basin. The northwest-trending Russell fault system was active from late Oligocene to Pliocene time. Deformation along this major wrench system began during deposition of the late Oligocene to early Miocene Soda Lake Shale Member of the Vaqueros Formation and ended prior to deposition of the Plio-Pleistocene Morales Formation. The southern extension of this fault system remains uncertain, but it probably joins the Ozena fault southeast of the South Cuyama oil field. Removal of 16 to 18 miles of right-lateral offset on the Russell fault system restores the Ozena fault to a position directly east of the La Panza fault. These two faults were probably a single fault, designated the La Panza-Ozena fault, which was active, north-side down, during the Oligocene. Nonmarine conglomerates of the Simmler and lower Caliente formations were deposited north of this fault during the Oligocene, prior to the initiation of notion on the Russell fault system. Three major faults of the Cox fault zone on the west and the Lundstrom-Becker and Becker-Heller faults on the east define the margins of the Cox trough, a complex north- to northeast-trending graben north of the Russell fault which was active from Saucesian through Relizian time (early Miocene). The Saltos Shale Member of the Monterey Formation increases in thickness by 3 to 7 times across the margins of the trough. Growth faulting associated with the Cox trough ended prior to deposition of the middle Johnston sand on all faults except the Cox 46-5 fault, which was active through deposition of the Branch Canyon Sandstone. Post-Pliocene tectonism in the Cuyama basin was limited to folding and reverse-faulting in response to regional north-south compression. The Central Cuyama dome and associated north-dipping reverse faults formed during an early episode of this deformation. Subsequent deformation occurred on the Morales fault, the South Cuyama fault, and the rejuvenated Ozena fault. This Quaternary thrusting obscured the structures of the older wrench-tectonic regime and resulted in the formation of the Caliente and Sierra Madre Ranges and the present-day Cuyama Valley. Close