Horizontal drilling potential of the Cane Creek Shale, Paradox Formation, Utah
- Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, Salt Lake City (United States)
The Cane Creek shale of the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation is a well-defined target for horizontal drilling. This unit is naturally fractures and consists of organic-rich marine shale with interbedded dolomitic siltstone and anhydrite. Six fields have produced oil from the Cane Creek shale in the Paradox basin fold-and-fault belt. The regional structural trend is north-northwest with productive fractures occurring along the crest and flanks of both the larger and more subtle smaller anticlines. The Long Canyon, Cane Creek, Bartlett Flat, and Shafer Canyon fields are located on large anticlines, while Lion Mesa and Wilson Canyon fields produce from subtle structural noses. The Cane Creek shale is similar to the highly productive Bakken Shale in the Williston basin. Both are (1) proven producers of high-gravity oil, (2) highly fractured organic-rich source rocks, (3) overpressured, (4) regionally extensive, and (5) solution-gas driven with little or no associated water. Even though all production from the Cane Creek shale has been from conventional vertical wells, the Long Canyon 1 well has produced nearly 1 million bbl of high-gravity, low-sulfur oil. Horizontal drilling may result in the development of new fields, enhance recovery in producing fields, and revive production in abandoned fields. In addition, several other regionally extensive organic-rich shale beds occur in the Paradox Formation. The Gothic and Chimney Rock shales for example, offer additional potential lying above the Cane Creek shale.
- OSTI ID:
- 6011841
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9107109-; CODEN: AABUD
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:6; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Rocky Mountain Section meeting, Billings, MT (United States), 28-31 Jul 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Horizontal drilling potential in Utah
Liquid-Rich Shale Potential of Utah’s Uinta and Paradox Basins: Reservoir Characterization and Development Optimization
Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
COAL
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
PETROLOGY
COAL SEAMS
DEGASSING
NEW MEXICO
COAL DEPOSITS
ASH CONTENT
CALORIFIC VALUE
DESORPTION
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MACERALS
MINERALOGY
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
COHERENT SCATTERING
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIFFRACTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESOURCES
SCATTERING
USA
010600* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Properties & Composition
011000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
580000 - Geosciences