The Duchesne Lineament - Utah and Colorado

Abstract

The Lineament is a deep-seated structural lineament which trends E-W across the Uinta and Piceance basins. Although it is a major tectonic feature, its present surface expression is remarkably subtle. The lineament is characterized by persistent but low-level structural activity and has exerted significant influence on the development of the Uinta Basin in particular. Structural activity along the lineament has not been uniform with respect to the timing and style of deformation. The effects on related structural and stratigraphical environments is quite varied along its length, as evidenced by late Cretaceous and Tertiary events. Because of its controlling influence over adjacent developing structural and depositional environments, the lineament has been of great significance to oil and gas exploration in the region, and to the nature and extent of oil shale and gilsonite deposits. -Author