Geothermics of the thrust belt in north-central Utah

Miscellaneous · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6962591

Deming, D

Bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data from the Pineview (PN), Anschutz Ranch (AR), Cave Creek (CC) and Anschutz Ranch East (ARE) oil/gas fields in the Utah-Wyoming thrust belt in the western US are corrected by means of a Horner plot and a new depth-time correction. Analysis of corrected BHTs, through inversion of a layered-earth model, yields estimates of formation thermal gradients and temperature fields that are stable and unique; average precision of estimated temperature at the AR-CC and ARE fields is estimated to be 2{degree} to 3{degree}C. Thermal conductivity measurements were made on 660 drill-cutting samples representing 16 thrust-belt formations; in situ conductivity is estimated using porosity from calibrated well logs. Regional heat flow, estimated from two-dimensional finite-element models, is found to be 60 ({plus minus}8), 60 ({plus minus}8), and 58 ({plus minus}8) mW/m{sup 2} at the PN, AR-CC, and ARE fields, respectively. The thermal history in the vicinity of the PN field is modeled with a one-dimensional, time-dependent, finite-difference scheme incorporating a heterogeneous thermal conductivity structure, radioactive heat generation, sediment compaction, variable basal heat flow and the thermal effects of sedimentation, erosion and thrust faulting.

• Research Organization: Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6962591
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
MATURATION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
UTAH
WYOMING
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
SEDIMENTATION
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
ITERATIVE METHODS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESOURCES
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration