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Title: Final report of special geological, geochemical, and petrological studies of the Devonian shales in the Appalachian Basin

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6542222

The purpose of this study was to describe the geology, petrology, lithology, sedimentology, and stratigraphy of the Devonian Shales in the Appalachian Basin in order to determine the potential for gas recovery. Specific study areas include Pine Mountain Overthrust, Brallier Formation, and Ohio Shale along Lake Erie. discussion is presented under the main headings: Chemical Characterization;composition, Fabric, Texture, Bedding, and paleontology; and Basin Analysis. Paleocurrent studies indicate that the depositional strike of the basin in upper Devonian time was north-south with but little variation and that sediment was uniformly derived from the east. The total volume of shale sequence in the Pine Mountain Overthrust is 254 cubic miles. The blowout zone of Young (1957) was identified stratigraphically. The siltstones of the Brallier Formation are of rather low primary reservoir quality. Similar tight siltstones in the Benson Field of West Virginia show moderate gas production. Mudrock in Brallier outcrops do not show promise as source rock. Stratigraphic units along Lake Erir, which contain abundant mudshales, siltshales, and siltstones, make the best gas reservoirs. All of these shale types contain quartz laminae and/or quartzase siltstone and siltshale beds which act as permeable reservoirs and conduits for gas even though some are cemented by carbonate. (DMC)

Research Organization:
Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA). H.N. Fisk Lab. of Sedimentology
DOE Contract Number:
AC21-76ET12140
OSTI ID:
6542222
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/12140-1346; ON: DE83006387
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfishe products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English