Michigan Basin
The Michigan Basin is a geologic basin centered on the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The feature is represented by a nearly circular pattern of geologic sedimentary strata in the area with a nearly uniform structural dip toward the center of the peninsula.
Geology
The basin is centered in
On the north in the
The
The basin appears to have subsided concurrently with sediment infilling. These sediments were found to be mainly shallow-water sediments, many of which are richly fossiliferous. The location was on a geologically passive portion of crust. The development of the basin and the surrounding arches were likely affected by the
Within the Precambrian rocks beneath and just west of the center of the basin lies a generally north to northwest trending linear feature that appears to be an ancient rift in the Earth's crust. This rift appears to be contiguous with the rift zone under Lake Superior. This, the Midcontinent Rift System, turns west under Lake Superior and then southwest through southern Minnesota, central and western Iowa and southeastern Nebraska and into eastern Kansas.
Natural resources
Some minerals that have been mined from rocks in the basin include
Michigan Basin | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Region | Northern Michigan |
Location | Northern Michigan |
Offshore/onshore | Onshore |
Operators | Chevron Corporation |
Production | |
Producing formations | Michigan Basin |
Oil and gas
The rocks of the Michigan Basin are the source of commercial quantities of petroleum. The most actively drilled-for source of natural gas in recent years has been shale gas from the Devonian Antrim Shale in the northern part of the basin.
The Michigan basin extends into Ontario, Canada, where oil and gas regulators are studying its potential. It is considered to be one of "America's most promising oil and gas plays."[4] In May 2010, a Michigan public land auction attracted the attention of the largest North American natural gas corporations, such as Encana (now Ovintiv) and Chesapeake Energy. From 2008 through 2010, Encana accumulated a "large land position" (250,000 net acres)[4] in a shale gas play in Michigan's Middle Ordovician Collingwood shale. Encana focused activities in Cheboygan, Kalkaska, and Missaukee counties in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula.[5] Natural gas is produced from both Utica and Collingwood shale (called Utica Collingwood). Collingwood is a shaly limestone about 40 feet thick that lies just above the Ordovician Trenton formation. Utica shale overlies the Collingwood.[5]
References
- ^ Blakey, Ron. "Paleogeography and Geologic Evolution of North America". Global Plate Tectonics and Paleogeography. Northern Arizona University.
- ^ Manos, E.Z. (February 2003). "Detroit salt mine-past and future". pp. 15–19.
- ^ George I. Smith and others (1973) Evaporites and brines, in United States Mineral Resources, US Geological Survey, Professional Paper 820, p.197-216.
- ^ a b Grow, Brian; Schneyer, Joshua; Roberts, Janet (June 25, 2012). "Special Report: Chesapeake and rival plotted to suppress land prices". Reuters. Gaylord, Michigan.
- ^ a b Petzet, Alan (May 7, 2010). "Explorations: Michigan Collingwood-Utica gas play emerging". Oil & Gas Journal. Houston, Texas.