Low-BTU gas in the Rocky Mountain region - Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah

Conference · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7054585

Tremain, C M ^[1]; Broadhead, R E ^[2]; Chidsey, Jr, T C ^[3]; Doelger, M ^[4]; Morgan, C D ^[3]

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1. Colorado Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
2. New Mexico Bureau of Miners and Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM (United States)
3. Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
4. Barrow Haun, Inc., Casper, WY (United States)

There are over 100 reservoirs in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah that produce or could produce low-BTU (heating value less than 900 BTU/ft[sup 3]) gas. Reservoirs range in age from Devonian to Cretaceous; reservoir lithologies include both carbonates and sandstones. Frequently, the low-BTU gas (CO[sub 2], N[sub 2], and He) is a byproduct of normal hydrocarbon production. CO[sub 2]-rich gas occurs in southwest to east-central Utah, in the southeastern Paradox basin (Utah and Colorado), in the North Park basin (Colorado), in southeast Colorado and northeast New Mexico, and in the Green River and Wind River basins (Wyoming). Five fields produce nearly pure (98%) CO[sub 2]. The 1990 annual CO[sub 2] production from these fields was North and South McCallum (Colorado), 1.7 bcf; McElmo (Colorado), 205 bcf; Sheep Mountain (Colorado), 70.7 bcf; and Bravo Dome (New Mexico), 119.7 bcf. Big Piney-LaBarge (Wyoming) produced 120 bcf of CO[sub 2] (at a concentration of 65%) in 1990. Most of the CO[sub 2] is used in enhanced oil recovery. Nitrogen-rich gas is found in the southern Green River basin (Utah and Wyoming), east flank of the San Rafael uplift (Utah), northern Paradox basin (Utah), Uncompahgre uplift (Utah and Colorado), Douglas Creek arch (Colorado), Hugoton embayment (Colorado), Las Animas arch (Colorado), Permian basin (New Mexico), and Four Corners platform (New Mexico). Helium is sometimes associated with the nitrogen and in concentrations of up to 8% in New Mexico and Colorado, 2.8% in Utah, and 1% in Wyoming.

• OSTI ID: 7054585
• Report Number(s): CONF-930947-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:8; Conference: Rocky Mountain section meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Salt Lake City, UT (United States), 12-15 Sep 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
COLORADO
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW MEXICO
UTAH
WYOMING
CARBON DIOXIDE
HELIUM
LITHOLOGY
LOW BTU GAS
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
MOUNTAINS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLOGY
RARE GASES
RESOURCES
USA
030200* - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration