Reservoir development in Brahaney northwest and Patricia fields, northern Midland basin, Texas
Porous pay zones in the Silurian-Devonian section of the northern Midland basin, Texas, vary stratigraphically, as well as structurally, with their locations beneath the pre-Woodford unconformity. These variations are related to at least two major periods of widespread pre-Woodford tectonism and erosion. A major unconformable surface, present at the top of the Lower Silurian Fusselman formation, was later modified by tectonism and erosion immediately preceding deposition of the Woodford Shale. In places where the Fusselman subcrops beneath the Woodford, its capacity for reservoir development is dependent upon the severity of geologic events that affected the formation during the two major tectonic/erosional events. Where the Wristen and Thirtyone formations subcrop, their reservoir capacity depends upon the extent of structuring and subsequent erosion immediately prior to Woodford deposition. Two pre-Woodford oil fields in the northern Midland basin illustrate geologic complexity that bears on the successful application of subsurface mapping in defining potential pay zones. Brahaney Northwest field in Yoakum County is productive from fractured, coarse crystalline Silurian-Devonian dolomites on subtle, fault-bounded structures. These structures, defined seismically on the base of the Woodford, do not reveal the more complex structural and stratigraphic variations within the reservoir itself. Patricia field in Dawson County is productive from Fusselman carbonates where upper Fusselman structural and topographic relief coincides with post-Woodford faulting and low-relief anticlinal closure as defined at the base of the Woodford.
- OSTI ID:
- 6989641
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9003145-; CODEN: AABUD
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Vol. 74:2; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) southwest section meeting, Wichita Falls, TX (USA), 11-13 Mar 1990; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
TEXAS
ANTICLINES
DEVONIAN PERIOD
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SHALES
SILURIAN PERIOD
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
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NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
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USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
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030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration