PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH
Abstract
Over 400 million barrels (64 million m{sup 3}) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m{sup 3}) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m{sup 3}) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because currentmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Utah Geological Survey (US)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- (US)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 835836
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-00BC15128
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Dec 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 02 PETROLEUM; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; CARBONATES; COMPARTMENTS; DISTURBANCES; DRILLING; EVALUATION; OIL FIELDS; PARADOX BASIN; PRODUCTION; STREAMS
Citation Formats
Chidsey, Jr, Thomas C. PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH. United States: N. p., 2003.
Web. doi:10.2172/835836.
Chidsey, Jr, Thomas C. PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/835836
Chidsey, Jr, Thomas C. 2003.
"PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/835836. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/835836.
@article{osti_835836,
title = {PRODUCTION ANALYSIS: CHEROKEE AND BUG FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH},
author = {Chidsey, Jr, Thomas C},
abstractNote = {Over 400 million barrels (64 million m{sup 3}) of oil have been produced from the shallow-shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado. With the exception of the giant Greater Aneth field, the other 100 plus oil fields in the basin typically contain 2 to 10 million barrels (0.3-1.6 million m{sup 3}) of original oil in place. Most of these fields are characterized by high initial production rates followed by a very short productive life (primary), and hence premature abandonment. Only 15 to 25 percent of the original oil in place is recoverable during primary production from conventional vertical wells. An extensive and successful horizontal drilling program has been conducted in the giant Greater Aneth field. However, to date, only two horizontal wells have been drilled in small Ismay and Desert Creek fields. The results from these wells were disappointing due to poor understanding of the carbonate facies and diagenetic fabrics that create reservoir heterogeneity. These small fields, and similar fields in the basin, are at high risk of premature abandonment. At least 200 million barrels (31.8 million m{sup 3}) of oil will be left behind in these small fields because current development practices leave compartments of the heterogeneous reservoirs undrained. Through proper geological evaluation of the reservoirs, production may be increased by 20 to 50 percent through the drilling of low-cost single or multilateral horizontal legs from existing vertical development wells. In addition, horizontal drilling from existing wells minimizes surface disturbances and costs for field development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive areas of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.},
doi = {10.2172/835836},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/835836},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}