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  | isbn    = 0-89181-602-X

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Overburden rock is the total stratigraphic section above the [[source rock]].<ref name=ch04r61>Magoon, L., B., Dow, W., G., 1994, The Petroleum System--From Source to Trap: [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=1022 AAPG Memoir 60], p. 3–24.</ref> The thickness and age of overburden rock provides a history of the rate of burial of a source rock toward and through the increasing temperature domains of the basin. This includes the range of temperatures necessary for cracking kerogens into hydrocarbons.

Overburden rock is the total stratigraphic section above the [[source rock]].<ref name=ch04r61>Magoon, L., B., Dow, W., G., 1994, The Petroleum System--From Source to Trap: [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=1022 AAPG Memoir 60], p. 3–24.</ref> The thickness and age of overburden rock provides a history of the rate of burial of a [[source rock]] toward and through the increasing temperature domains of the basin. This includes the range of temperatures necessary for cracking kerogens into hydrocarbons. See also [[Kerogen type and hydrocarbon generation]].)

Because the depth to the probable [[source rocks]] of the East Breaks 160-161 field hydrocarbons is unknown, multiple working hypotheses must be considered. Four intervals of identified source rock are reported by Gross et al..<ref name=ch04r40>Gross, O., P., Hood, K., C., Wenger, L., M., Harrison, S., C., 1995, Seismic imaging and analysis of source and [[migration]] within an integrated hydrocarbon system study, northern Gulf of Mexico basin: Abstracts, 1st Latin American Geophysical conference, p. 1–4.</ref> (Figure 4-5) and are plotted on Figure 4-45. Also plotted is the speculated middle Miocene source rock of Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29>Dow, W., G., Yukler, M., A., Senftle, J., T., Kennicutt, M. C. II, Armentrout, J., M., 1990, Miocene oil source beds in the East Breaks basin, Flex-Trend, offshore Texas: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 9th Annual Research conference, p. 139–150.</ref> Gross et al.<ref name=ch04r40 />) consider the petroleum of the East Breaks area to have been sourced by Jurassic marine mudstones for the oil and Paleogene marine mudstones for the gas. Alternatively, Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29 />) suggest middle Miocene marine mudstones as the probable source rock, although Taylor and Armentrout<ref name=ch04r93>Taylor, G., S., Armentrout, J., M., 1990, Rock geochemistry and relationships to produced oils from upper Pliocene turbidites, High Island area, Gulf of Mexico: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 9th Annual Research conference, p. 151–161.</ref> believe the source rock facies to be older than the Miocene slope mudstones.

Because the depth to the probable [[source rocks]] of the East Breaks 160-161 field hydrocarbons is unknown, multiple working hypotheses must be considered. Four intervals of identified source rock are reported by Gross et al..<ref name=ch04r40>Gross, O., P., Hood, K., C., Wenger, L., M., Harrison, S., C., 1995, Seismic imaging and analysis of source and migration within an integrated hydrocarbon system study, northern Gulf of Mexico basin: Abstracts, 1st Latin American Geophysical conference, p. 1–4.</ref> (Figure 4-5) and are plotted on Figure 4-45. Also plotted is the speculated middle Miocene source rock of Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29>Dow, W., G., Yukler, M., A., Senftle, J., T., Kennicutt, M. C. II, Armentrout, J., M., 1990, Miocene oil source beds in the East Breaks basin, Flex-Trend, offshore Texas: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 9th Annual Research conference, p. 139–150.</ref> Gross et al.<ref name=ch04r40 />) consider the petroleum of the East Breaks area to have been sourced by [[Jurassic]] marine mudstones for the oil and [[Paleogene]] marine mudstones for the gas. Alternatively, Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29 />) suggest middle [[Miocene]] marine mudstones as the probable source rock, although Taylor and Armentrout<ref name=ch04r93>Taylor, G., S., Armentrout, J., M., 1990, Rock geochemistry and relationships to produced oils from upper Pliocene turbidites, High Island area, Gulf of Mexico: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 9th Annual Research conference, p. 151–161.</ref> believe the source rock facies to be older than the Miocene slope mudstones.

==Rate of accumulation==

==Rate of accumulation==

Accumulation of overburden above these five potential source rocks is shown by a dashed line on the events chart (Figure 4-45), indicating no specific rate of accumulation until the interval of late Pliocene to Recent sedimentation where rate variation is shown as defined by Piggott and Pulham.<ref name=ch04r75>Piggott, N., Pulham, A., 1993, Sedimentation rate as the control on hydrocarbon sourcing, generation, and migration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 14th Annual Research conference, p. 179–191.</ref> Figures 4-32 and 4-33 indicate a major increase in rate of sediment accumulation occurred 6 Ma, which would accelerate burial of potential source rocks into the thermal zone for [[Petroleum generation|hydrocarbon generation]].

Accumulation of overburden above these five potential source rocks is shown by a dashed line on the events chart (Figure 4-45), indicating no specific rate of accumulation until the interval of late [[Pliocene]] to [[Holocene]] sedimentation where rate variation is shown as defined by Piggott and Pulham.<ref name=ch04r75>Piggott, N., Pulham, A., 1993, Sedimentation rate as the control on hydrocarbon sourcing, generation, and migration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico: Proceedings, Gulf Coast Section SEPM 14th Annual Research conference, p. 179–191.</ref> Figures 4-32 and 4-33 indicate a major increase in rate of sediment accumulation occurred 6 Ma, which would accelerate burial of potential source rocks into the thermal zone for [[Petroleum generation|hydrocarbon generation]].

==Amount==

==Amount==

Drilling has documented that the East Breaks depocenter in the vicinity of the 160-161 field contains at least [[depth::15,000 ft]] (5000 m) of late Miocene to Recent sediment (Figure 4-43). Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29 />) use this thickness in calculating [[maturation]] and generation models. The thickness of overburden rock for any one of the older potential source rock intervals will be greater than [[depth::15,000 ft]] (5000 m), but the exact amount is highly speculative.

Drilling has documented that the East Breaks depocenter in the vicinity of the 160-161 field contains at least [[depth::15,000 ft]] (5000 m) of upper Miocene to Holocene sediment (Figure 4-43). Dow et al.<ref name=ch04r29 />) use this thickness in calculating [[maturation]] and generation models. The thickness of overburden rock for any one of the older potential source rock intervals will be greater than [[depth::15,000 ft]] (5000 m), but the exact amount is highly speculative.

==See also==

==See also==