Chlorine isotope distribution in formation waters, Texas and Louisiana

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6127114

Kaufmann, R S; Long, A; Campbell, D J

Theoretically, the chlorine isotope ratio, /sup 37/Cl//sup 35/Cl, can aid in identifying chloride sources and in distinguishing chloride-transport mechanisms among formation waters if ratio differences exist among samples. The authors measured the chlorine ratios of 18 formation-water samples from oil fields along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast representing depths between 2016 and 4267 m. Chloride concentrations of samples ranged from 4 to 94.874 g/L, the chlorine ratios ranged from -1.24 to 0.58 /per thousand/ (with respect to standard mean ocean chloride or SMOC, precision 0.12 /per thousand/) and enrichment of /sup 37/Cl correlates with increasing concentration. They also compared the isotope ratios of samples from within the Weeks Island salt dome with adjacent formation waters in Louisiana. All ratio measurements on the salt are between 0.1 and 0.3 /per thousand/, and for the formation waters are between 0.0 and -0.22 /per thousand/. The probability that the salt measurements differ from the waters is > 99%. They conclude that significant chlorine isotope ratio differences exist among formation waters and between the waters and potential sources in the Gulf Coast region, and that the chlorine ratio will be a valuable tool in interpreting chloride geochemistry in this region. 2 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6127114
• Journal Information: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States), Vol. 72:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
LOUISIANA
OIL WELLS
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
TEXAS
CHLORINE 35
CHLORINE 37
DISTRIBUTION
ISOTOPE RATIO
RESERVOIR ROCK
SALT DEPOSITS
CHLORINE ISOTOPES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
STABLE ISOTOPES
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration