New Mexico Geological Society
Special Publication - 3
The San Andres Limestone: A Reservoir for Oil and Water

Frank E. Kottlowski, W. Kelly Summers, eds, 1969, 51 pages, (Reprinted 1996).

The San Andres Formation is one of the most prolific oil-producing sedimentary units in southeast New Mexico and west Texas and is the chief aquifer in the rich, agricultural, ground -water basin extending from Roswell southward to Artesia. This symposium on the San Andres, cosponsored by the New Mexico Geological Society and the Hobbs Geological Society, fittingly was held in Hobbs, near the center of both oil and water exploration in the carbonate formation. It is the hope of the Societies and the participants that this timely series of papers will make a significant and lasting contribution to the economic geologic knowledge of New Mexico and adjacent areas, as well as encouraging other detailed studies of the San Andres.

The approach of the symposium is evident from the table of contents. Edward Kinney's paper keynotes the subject, giving an over-all summary of the San Andres in southeast New Mexico. Frank Kottlowski carried the description to the outcrop areas of central, north -central, and western New Mexico. Edwin McKee and William Breed give details of the San Andres' Arizona correlative, the Kaibab Limestone. Forrest Miller discusses the economically important reef zone of the SanAndres. George Maddox summarizes the relat ions of ground water to the San Andres. Patrick Gratton and William LeMay describe exploration guides to the oil -producing fields in Chaves County. Roy Vann and Perry Hurlbut outline logging and coring aspects. As a fitting climax, Robert Yedlosky and James McNeal give details on the engineering and petrologic studies of one of the major SanAndres oil fields.

Without the full cooperation of the authors, neither the symposium talks nor the published papers could have been made available. We appreciate their work. Byron McKnight, President of the Hobbs Geological Society, and Larry Werts, President of the New Mexico Geological Society, aided greatly with the arrangements. Initial editing of the papers and attention to details was by Teri Ray. Final proofing and editing was by Stuart A. Northrop. The Societies owe them much thanks. Without the use of facilities and other personnel of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, U. S. Geological Survey, and Pan American Petroleum Corporation, this volume could not have been published.

Papers:

Table of Contents

The San Andres Formation in New Mexico

— Edward E. Kinney, pp. 3-4

San Andres Limestone west of the Sacramentos

— Frank E. Kottlowski, pp. 5-11

The Toroweap Formation and Kaibab Limestone

— Edwin D. McKee and William J. Breed, pp. 12-26

San Andres reef zone

— Forrest Miller, pp. 27-31

Relation of the San Andres Limestone to the "carbonate aquifer" in the Roswell basin, New Mexico

— George E. Maddox, pp. 32-36

San Andres oil east of the Pecos

— Patrick J. F. Gratton, pp. 37-43

Logging the San Andres Formation

— Roy Vann, pp. 44 (abs)

Coring the San Andres Formation

— PerryK.Hurlbut, pp. 45 (abs)

Geological engineering study of Cato field (San Andres), Chaves County, New Mexico

— Robert J. Yedlosky and James E. McNeal, pp. 46