Native sulfur deposition in the Castile Formation, Culberson County, Texas

Late diagenetic indicators of buried oil and gas

“…The unusual carbon isotopic compositions of replacement carbonate minerals and authigenic cements in sedimentary rocks resulting from the oxidation of hydrocarbons is well documented (Thode and others, 1953;Feely and Kulp, 1957;Hathaway and Degens, 1968;Davis and Bray, 1969;Mamchur, 1969;Davis and Kirkland, 1970;Kirkland and Evans, 1976). However, few investigations have been published describing the complex interrelationship between anomalous carbon and oxygen isotopic variations in carbonate minerals over oil fields (Cheney, 1964;Donovan, 1974;Donovan and others, 1974).…”

Anhydrite deposits of the United States and characteristics of anhydrite important for storage of radioactive wastes

“…Native sulfur occurs in gypsum, anhydrite, limestone, and dolomite of the cap rock overlying salt domes in the Gulf coastal plain (Ellison, 1971). Bacteria that live on hydrocarbons reduce the sulfate from gypsum and anhydrite to hydrogen sulfide, which then is reoxidized to native sulfur, possibly by reaction with sulfate (Feely and Kulp, 1957), but more likely by reaction with elemental oxygen (Davis and Kirkland, 1970;Kirkland and Evans, 1976). In this same reaction calcite is formed, as in the following reaction (Davis and Kirkland, 1970):…”

“…Hypothetically, vertical pathways were formed either from artesian ground-water from the underlying Delaware Mountain Group aquifer or from water in the unsaturated zone working down from the surface. Castile Spring and Stinking Spring on the outcrop of the Castile Formation may be derived from artesian water of the Delaware Mountain aquifer (Davis and Kirkland, 1970).…”

Petrography of a sulfur occurrence in the Castile Formation, Southwest Texas

“…In a mechanism discussed by Davis and Kirkland (1970), sulfate-reducing bacteria, in the presence of brine, consumed the gypsum and petroleum to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The carbon dioxide reacted with calcium in solution to produce secondary calcite.…”

“…The biogenic origin of native sulfur in the Castile Formation of southwest Texas by sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfovibrio desulfuricans) was documented by Davis and Kirkland (1970).…”