Abstract The Anadarko Basin in southwestern Oklahoma is known to contain today areas of
extensive overpressures (pressures higher than hydrostatic pressure). Explaining the origin
and maintenance of overpressured pore-fluids in the basin over long periods of time cannot
be achieved by invoking classical, common causes, such as compaction disequilibrium or
gas generation. We propose a capillary sealing mechanism that is responsible for both
generating and maintaining almost all overpressure observed today in the Anadarko Basin …