Alton A. Brown, "Regional Controls on Pennsylvanian Fort Worth Basin and Eastern Shelf Deposition"

The Desmoinesian transition from the foreland Fort Worth Basin (FWB) to the passive margin Eastern Shelf (ES) was first recognized by Cheney over 70 years ago. Since then, industry and academic studies have deepened our understanding of tectonics responsible for this change as well as the tectonic and eustatic controls on sediment sources during FWB-ES sedimentation. This is an overview of these data and an interpretation of large-scale tectonic, eustatic, and sediment supply controls on sedimentation.

Maximum FWB subsidence rate shifted from west of the Muenster arch (Mississippian) to west of the Ouachita tectonic belt (Morrow-Early Desmoinesian) as growth rates of these structures changed. Foreland subsidence patterns terminated in early Desmoinesian, marking the end of the FWB deposition. Subsidence patterns indicate FWB origin by intraplate stress rather than with foreland loading.

Relatively high Late Desmoinesian – Canyon subsidence south of the Red River Uplift created a shelf basin (Knox-Baylor Trough)…