The Occurrences Of Petroleum In Eastern Mexico As Contrasted With Those In Texas And Louisiana (ec808e16-9964-4f51-a22d-65c267b353f7)

Discussion of the paper of E. T. DUMBLE, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 104, August, 1915, pp. .1623 to 1638. E. L. DEGOLYER, Norman, Okla. (communIcatIon to the Secretary*).-Referring to Mr. Dumble's description of the stratigraphy of eastern Mexico, I should like to question the classification of the ?Papagallos? or ?Mendez? shales as being of Cretaceous age and the so-called overlapping of the Papagallos or Mendez shales by the Alazan shales; the classification of the San Felipe series as Cretaceous, and the correlation of the San Felipe series with the San Juan limestones. Mr. Durable apparently recognizes the continuity of the great shale formation by his use of the terms "Papagallos" and "Mendez," as equivalent and interchangeable, since the Papagallos Hills in the State of Nuevo Leon and Mendez Station in Northern Vera Cruz, localities at which the shale formation outcrops, and from which the formation names are taken, are approximately 250 miles apart and on opposite sides of the Tamaulipas barrier. The Papagallos shales (evidently referring here to the northern extension only) are said to be non-fossiliferous and no reason for .their Cretaceous classification is given, though in a previous article' they are classified as Cretaceous because at their northernmost outcrop they "have the same relation toward the overlying Tertiary that the Escondido (Cretaceous) has through its whole extent." The Alazan fossil locality was found by me and the first collections from it were sent to Dr. Dall; about 17 species of marine invertebrates were recognized by him, the fauna noted as having a distinct Pacific tincture, and the age of the formation from which they cause pronounced lower Eocene. The outcrop of the shale formation has been traced continuously from this point by me and my assistants into the Panuco River region, where Eocene fossils are reported at a depth of 1,810 ft. in a well at Topila.2 From Topila the formation has been traced continuously north to the Padilla-Jiminez region in Central Tamaulipas. Lithologically, the formation is fairly constant and though I am only generally acquainted with it north of the Padilla-Jiminez region, until definite evidence of the Cretaceous age of the Papagallos shale in its type localities, or of an overlap, is available, it seems to me more logical to consider the shale formation a single stratigraphic unit of Eocene age.