STRATIGRAPHY AND BASIN ANALYSIS OF THE DEVONIAN RHINESTREET SHALE IN THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN BASIN

The Rhinestreet Shale Member of the West Falls Formation in West Virginia contains many highly correlative and continuous organic-rich shale facies. Mappable subsurface gamma-ray log signatures signify a changing depositional pattern and is shown within the internal stratigraphy including: 3 to 5 foot sporadic organic-rich units interbedded with siltstone/organic-poor facies at the top of the member; a continuous 30-foot thick sequence in the middle of the member that occurs across the entire western geographic region of West Virginia; and intermittent organic-rich beds coupled with intertonguing organic-poor units and/or siltstone in the lower part of the member. Furthermore, the Rhinestreet Shale in the western part of the state is in contact with a major subaerial unconformity. Towards the east a pronounced deltaic sub-environment interfingers with the organic-rich facies.

Strict attention has been given to mapping the boundary layer shared between the subaerial unconformity and the Rhinestreet Shale Member delineating the basin shape, showing low topographical relief restricting the basin and promoting poor circulation. The Rhinestreet Shale Member has inspired many depositional models, and consequently, many uncertainties still exist in Late Devonian (Frasnian) reconstructions. As the demand for fossil fuels continues to rise, the organic-rich shale facies continues to be a viable exploration target. As additional well data becomes available so should our understanding of Appalachian geology. Revisiting many of these black shale facies can aid in analyzing paleoenvironmental and intrinsic controls within the basin.