Lithofacies and cyclicity of the Yates Formation, Permian basin: Implications for reservoir heterogeneity

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5595604

Borer, J M; Harris, P M ^[1]

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1. Chevron Oil Field Research Co., La Habra, CA (United States)

Siliciclastics of the Yates Formation (Permian, upper Guadalupian) are significant hydrocarbon reservoirs in the US Permian basin. Subsurface and outcrop data show that the most porous lithofacies occur in a clastic-dominated middle shelf and that evaporitic inner shelf and carbonate outer shelf equivalents are mostly nonporous. Lithofacies relations and much of the heterogeneity in Yates reservoirs are related to the stacking of depositional sequences (i.e., siliciclastic-carbonate alternations and sandstone-argillaceous siltstone alternations) in response to three orders of orbitally forced, low-amplitude, eustatic variation. In general, siliciclastics dominated the Yates shelf during lowstand parts of asymmetric, 400-k.y. sea level fluctuations, whereas carbonates were deposited during sea level highstands. The character and position of sand depocenters on the Yates shelf during these lowstands were controlled by a longer duration third-order sea level variation. Shorter duration cycles controlled the heterogeneity within the 400-k.y. depositional sequences. The variation in cycle packaging, lithology, and reservoir quality between the Central Basin platform and Northwest shelf may be a response of eustatic variation on parts of the shelf with different slopes or subsidence profiles. The lithofacies described from the Yates Formation and the deposition model proposed to explain the stratigraphy may be valuable as analogs in other basins containing mixed siliciclastic-carbonate settings.

• OSTI ID: 5595604
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:4; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
NEW MEXICO
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
LITHOLOGY
STRATIGRAPHY
TEXAS
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEPOSITION
EVAPORITES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
PERMIAN BASIN
PERMIAN PERIOD
RESERVOIR ROCK
SANDSTONES
SHALES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
580000* - Geosciences
020200 - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration