Santa Teresa Formation, Colombia
# Santa Teresa Formation, Colombia

The Santa Teresa Formation (Spanish: Formación Santa Teresa, Tist, Pgst) is a geological formation of the western Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes, west of the Bituima Fault, and the southern Middle Magdalena Valley. The formation spreads across the western part of Cundinamarca and the northern portion of Tolima. The formation consists of grey claystones intercalated by orange quartz siltstones and sandstones of small to conglomeratic grain size. The thickness at its type section has been measured to be 118 metres (387 ft) and a maximum thickness of 150 metres (490 ft) suggested.

In the formation, dated on the basis of its fossil content to the Late Oligocene, many leaf imprints and mollusks were found, suggesting a lacustrine to deltaic depositional environment with periodical marine incursions.

## Etymology

The formation was defined by De Porta in 1966 and named after the vereda Santa Teresa, San Juan de Rioseco.

## Description

The Santa Teresa Formation is the youngest unit outcropping in the Jerusalén-Guaduas synclinal, western Eastern Ranges, covering the San Juan de Río Seco Formation. The formation was formerly called La Cira Formation. In the Balú quebrada, the formation shows a thickness of 118 metres (387 ft), while the maximum thickness could reach 150 metres (490 ft).

The lower boundary of the formation is marked by the first occurrence of grey claystones, covering the light brown claystones of the San Juan de Río Seco Formation. The formation comprises grey claystones intercalated by orange quartz siltstones and sandstones of small to conglomeratic grain size. The roundness of the sandstone grains has been characterized as angular to subangular by Lamus Ochoa et al. in 2013. The claystones occur in thick layers with wavy lamination.

In these thick packages of claystones, the formation has provided fossil leaves in various forms and sizes, and to a lesser extent the remains of mollusks; gastropods and bivalves. The basal contacts of these beds are straight to transitional and most of the time are coarsening upward towards quartz arenites where the gastropods dominate. These facies sequences have a thickness of about 2 metres (6.6 ft). Locally, bioturbation, siderite nodules and coal beds occur in the formation. The sandstones occur in very thin to very thick beds, characterized by plain parallel lamination, in lenses and very locally in flasers. The cement of the arenites is calcareous. The grain composition of the lithic fraction comprises zircon, epidote, zoisite, clinozoisite and pyroxenes, which at the top of the formation amounts to 86 percent.

### Stratigraphy and depositional environment

The Santa Teresa Formation conformably overlies the San Juan de Río Seco Formation and is covered by subrecent alluvium. The formation is part of the sequence after the Eocene unconformity.

The age has been inferred to be Late Oligocene. The depositional environment has been interpreted as lacustrine with marine influence in the form of channels. The abundance of brackish and fresh water gastropods suggests these environmental conditions prevailed in the Oligocene of central Colombia.

In the type section at the Balú quebrada, facies traits that confirm this interpretation can be observed. The lacustrine areas were probably shallow water environments with reducing conditions and a continuous supply of siliciclastics by small deltas. The many leaf imprints and coal layers support the presence of a lush vegetation at the time of deposition. The abundance of lithic clasts near the top of the formation supports a renewed provenance area to the east; the uplift of the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes, due to activity of the La Salina Fault.

## Paleontology

The Santa Teresa Formation has provided fossil mollusks, described by De Porta and Solé De Porta in 1962 and De Porta Anodontites laciranus, Diplodon oponcintonis, Diplodon waringi, and Corbula sp., among other mollusks described by De Porta in 1966.

## Regional correlations

Stratigraphy of the Llanos Basin and surrounding provinces :

| Ma | Age | Regional events | Catatumbo | Cordillera | proximal Llanos | distal Llanos | Putumayo | VSM | Environments | Maximum thickness | Petroleum geology | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 0.01 | Holocene | Holocene volcanism Seismic activity | alluvium | alluvium | alluvium | alluvium | alluvium | alluvium | alluvium | | Overburden | |
| 1 | Pleistocene | Pleistocene volcanism Andean orogeny 3 Glaciations | Guayabo | Soatá Sabana | Necesidad | Guayabo | Gigante Neiva | Gigante Neiva | Alluvial to fluvial (Guayabo) | 550 m (1,800 ft) (Guayabo) | Overburden | |
| 2.6 | Pliocene | Pliocene volcanism Andean orogeny 3 GABI | Guayabo | Subachoque | Necesidad | Guayabo | Gigante Neiva | Gigante Neiva | Alluvial to fluvial (Guayabo) | 550 m (1,800 ft) (Guayabo) | Overburden | |
| 5.3 | Messinian | Andean orogeny 3 Foreland | Guayabo | Marichuela | Necesidad | Guayabo | Caimán | Honda | Alluvial to fluvial (Guayabo) | 550 m (1,800 ft) (Guayabo) | Overburden | |
| 13.5 | Langhian | Regional flooding | León | hiatus | Caja | León | Caimán | Honda | Lacustrine (León) | 400 m (1,300 ft) (León) | Seal | |
| 16.2 | Burdigalian | Miocene inundations Andean orogeny 2 | C1 | hiatus | Carbonera C1 | Carbonera C1 | Ospina | Honda | Proximal fluvio-deltaic (C1) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Reservoir | |
| 17.3 | Burdigalian | Miocene inundations Andean orogeny 2 | C2 | hiatus | Carbonera C2 | Carbonera C2 | Ospina | Honda | Distal lacustrine-deltaic (C2) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Seal | |
| 19 | Burdigalian | Miocene inundations Andean orogeny 2 | C3 | hiatus | Carbonera C3 | Carbonera C3 | Ospina | Honda | Proximal fluvio-deltaic (C3) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Reservoir | |
| 21 | Early Miocene | Pebas wetlands | C4 | hiatus | Carbonera C4 | Carbonera C4 | Ospina | Barzalosa | Distal fluvio-deltaic (C4) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Seal | |
| 23 | Late Oligocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | C5 | hiatus | Carbonera C5 | Carbonera C5 | Orito | Orito | Proximal fluvio-deltaic (C5) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Reservoir | |
| 25 | Late Oligocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | C6 | hiatus | Carbonera C6 | Carbonera C6 | Orito | Orito | Distal fluvio-lacustrine (C6) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Seal | |
| 28 | Early Oligocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | C7 | hiatus | C7 | | Pepino | Gualanday | Proximal deltaic-marine (C7) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Reservoir | |
| 32 | Oligo-Eocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | C8 | Usme | C8 | onlap | Pepino | Gualanday | Marine-deltaic (C8) | 850 m (2,790 ft) (Carbonera) | Seal Source | |
| 35 | Late Eocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | Mirador | Usme | Mirador | Mirador | Pepino | Gualanday | Coastal (Mirador) | 240 m (790 ft) (Mirador) | Reservoir | |
| 40 | Middle Eocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | Mirador | Regadera | Mirador | Mirador | Pepino | hiatus | Coastal (Mirador) | 240 m (790 ft) (Mirador) | Reservoir | |
| 45 | Middle Eocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | Mirador | Regadera | Mirador | Mirador | Pepino | hiatus | Coastal (Mirador) | 240 m (790 ft) (Mirador) | Reservoir | |
| 50 | Early Eocene | Andean orogeny 1 Foredeep | Socha | Regadera | Los Cuervos | Los Cuervos | Pepino | hiatus | Deltaic (Los Cuervos) | 260 m (850 ft) (Los Cuervos) | Seal Source | |
| 55 | Late Paleocene | PETM 2000 ppm $CO_2$ | Los Cuervos | Bogotá | Los Cuervos | Los Cuervos | Pepino | Gualanday | Deltaic (Los Cuervos) | 260 m (850 ft) (Los Cuervos) | Seal Source | |
| 60 | Early Paleocene | SALMA | Barco | Guaduas | Barco | Barco | Rumiyaco | Gualanday | Fluvial (Barco) | 225 m (738 ft) (Barco) | Reservoir | |
| 65 | Maastrichtian | KT extinction | Catatumbo | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Rumiyaco | Monserrate | Deltaic-fluvial (Guadalupe) | 750 m (2,460 ft) (Guadalupe) | Reservoir | |
| 72 | Campanian | End of rifting | Colón-Mito Juan | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Rumiyaco | Monserrate | Deltaic-fluvial (Guadalupe) | 750 m (2,460 ft) (Guadalupe) | Reservoir | |
| 83 | Santonian | End of rifting | Colón-Mito Juan | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Deltaic-fluvial (Guadalupe) | 750 m (2,460 ft) (Guadalupe) | Reservoir | |
| 86 | Coniacian | End of rifting | Colón-Mito Juan | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Guadalupe | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Deltaic-fluvial (Guadalupe) | 750 m (2,460 ft) (Guadalupe) | Reservoir | |
| 89 | Turonian | Cenomanian-Turonian anoxic event | La Luna | Chipaque | Gachetá | hiatus | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Restricted marine (all) | 500 m (1,600 ft) (Gachetá) | Source | |
| 93 | Cenomanian | Rift 2 | La Luna | Chipaque | Gachetá | hiatus | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Villeta/Güagüaquí | Restricted marine (all) | 500 m (1,600 ft) (Gachetá) | Source | |
| 100 | Albian | Rift 2 | La Luna | Une | Une | hiatus | Caballos | Caballos | Deltaic (Une) | 500 m (1,600 ft) (Une) | Reservoir | |
| 113 | Aptian | Rift 2 | Capacho | Fómeque | Une | hiatus | Motema | Yaví | Open marine (Fómeque) | 800 m (2,600 ft) (Fómeque) | Source (Fóm) | |
| 125 | Barremian | High biodiversity | Aguardiente | Paja | Une | hiatus | Motema | Yaví | Shallow to open marine (Paja) | 940 m (3,080 ft) (Paja) | Reservoir | |
| 129 | Hauterivian | Rift 1 | Tibú- Mercedes | Las Juntas | hiatus | hiatus | Motema | Yaví | Deltaic (Las Juntas) | 910 m (2,990 ft) (Las Juntas) | Reservoir (LJun) | |
| 133 | Valanginian | Rift 1 | Río Negro | Cáqueza Macanal Rosablanca | hiatus | hiatus | Motema | Yaví | Restricted marine (Macanal) | 2,935 m (9,629 ft) (Macanal) | Source (Mac) | |
| 140 | Berriasian | Rift 1 | Girón | Cáqueza Macanal Rosablanca | hiatus | hiatus | Motema | Yaví | Restricted marine (Macanal) | 2,935 m (9,629 ft) (Macanal) | Source (Mac) | |
| 145 | Tithonian | Break-up of Pangea | Jordán | Arcabuco | Buenavista Batá | hiatus | Saldaña | Saldaña | Alluvial, fluvial (Buenavista) | 110 m (360 ft) (Buenavista) | "Jurassic" | |
| 150 | Early-Mid Jurassic | Passive margin 2 | La Quinta | Montebel Noreán | hiatus | hiatus | Saldaña | Saldaña | Coastal tuff (La Quinta) | 100 m (330 ft) (La Quinta) | "Jurassic" | |
| 201 | Late Triassic | Passive margin 2 | Mucuchachi | Montebel Noreán | hiatus | hiatus | Payandé | Payandé | | | "Jurassic" | |
| 235 | Early Triassic | Pangea | | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | | | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 250 | Permian | Pangea | | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | | | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 300 | Late Carboniferous | Famatinian orogeny | | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | | Cerro Neiva | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 340 | Early Carboniferous | Fossil fish Romer's gap | | Cuche (355-385) | Farallones | hiatus | | Cerro Neiva | | Deltaic, estuarine (Cuche) | "Paleozoic" | 900 m (3,000 ft) (Cuche) |
| 360 | Late Devonian | Passive margin 1 | Río Cachirí (360-419) | Cuche (355-385) | Farallones | | | Ambicá | Alluvial-fluvial-reef (Farallones) | 2,400 m (7,900 ft) (Farallones) | "Paleozoic" | |
| 390 | Early Devonian | High biodiversity | Floresta (387-400) El Tíbet | Floresta (387-400) El Tíbet | | | | Ambicá | Shallow marine (Floresta) | 600 m (2,000 ft) (Floresta) | "Paleozoic" | |
| 410 | Late Silurian | Silurian mystery | Floresta (387-400) El Tíbet | Floresta (387-400) El Tíbet | | | | | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 425 | Early Silurian | Silurian mystery | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | hiatus | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 440 | Late Ordovician | Rich fauna in Bolivia | San Pedro (450-490) | | Duda | | | | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 470 | Early Ordovician | First fossils | San Pedro (450-490) | Busbanzá (>470±22) ChuscalesOtengá | Guape | | Río Nevado | HígadoAgua Blanca Venado (470-475) | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 488 | Late Cambrian | Regional intrusions | Chicamocha (490-515) | Quetame | Ariarí | | SJ del Guaviare (490-590) | San Isidro | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 515 | Early Cambrian | Cambrian explosion | | Quetame | | | SJ del Guaviare (490-590) | San Isidro | | | "Paleozoic" | |
| 542 | Ediacaran | Break-up of Rodinia | | pre-Quetame | | post-Parguaza | SJ del Guaviare (490-590) | El Barro | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 600 | Neoproterozoic | Cariri Velhos orogeny | Bucaramanga (600-1400) | pre-Quetame | | post-Parguaza | pre-Guaviare | El Barro | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 800 | Neoproterozoic | Snowball Earth | Bucaramanga (600-1400) | pre-Quetame | | post-Parguaza | pre-Guaviare | El Barro | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1000 | Mesoproterozoic | Sunsás orogeny | Bucaramanga (600-1400) | pre-Quetame | Ariarí (1000) | post-Parguaza | pre-Guaviare | La Urraca (1030-1100) | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1300 | Mesoproterozoic | Rondônia-Juruá orogeny | Bucaramanga (600-1400) | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | Parguaza (1300-1400) | pre-Guaviare | Garzón (1180-1550) | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1400 | Mesoproterozoic | Rondônia-Juruá orogeny | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | | pre-Guaviare | Garzón (1180-1550) | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1600 | Paleoproterozoic | Rondônia-Juruá orogeny | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | Maimachi (1500-1700) | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1800 | Paleoproterozoic | Tapajós orogeny | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | Mitú (1800) | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 1950 | Paleoproterozoic | Transamazonic orogeny | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | pre-Mitú | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 2200 | Paleoproterozoic | Columbia | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | pre-Mitú | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 2530 | Archean | Carajas-Imataca orogeny | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | pre-Mitú | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| 3100 | Archean | Kenorland | pre-Bucaramanga | pre-Quetame | pre-Ariarí | pre-Mitú | pre-Guaviare | pre-Garzón | Yellow: allochthonous basement (Chibcha Terrane) Green: autochthonous basement (Río Negro-Juruena Province) | | Basement | |
| Sources ||||||||||||||

### Legend

* group
* important formation
* fossiliferous formation
* minor formation
* (age in Ma)
* proximal Llanos (Medina)
* distal Llanos (Saltarin 1A well)
