Geometry of thrusting in the Wilburton gas field and surrounding areas, Arkoma Basin, Oklahoma: Implications for gas exploration in the Spiro Sandstone reservoirs

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · AAPG Bulletin

OSTI ID:159918

Ibrahim, C; Zuhair, A S; Forrest, H ^[1]

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1. Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK (United States); and others

The Arkoma basin is an arcuate structural feature located in southern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. It is recognized as a foreland basin of the Ouachita fold and thrust belt and is one of the most prolific gas producing basins in North America. The Choctaw fault is the leading-edge thrust of the Ouachita frontal belt. The Wilburton gas field is located in the central part of the basin and produces mostly from the Pennsylvanian (Atokan) Spiro Sandstone. We have constructed many balanced structural cross sections in the Wilburton gas field and adjacent areas to determine the detailed geometry and structural history of the thrusting. The cross sections are perpendicular to the tectonic transport direction and are based on updated surface geology by the Oklahoma geological Survey, wire-line well log data, and our interpretation of several seismic profiles donated by the EXXON oil company. The restored cross sections suggest about 40% shortening in the Wilburton gas field area. In the Wilburton area, the cross sections suggest a shallow triangle zone floored by the Lower Atokan detachment and flanked by the south-dipping Choctaw thrust to the south and north-dipping Carbon fault to the north. The foot wall of the Choctaw contains duplexes that are located between Springer detachment (the lower detachment) and the Lower Atokan Detachment (the upper detachment). These duplexes contain overpressured Spiro sandstone gas reservoirs. There is a rough correlation between the pressure data in the Spiro reservoirs and the duplex structures. The highest pressure-depth gradients are found in the Spiro reservoirs that were brought to structurally higher positions by the thrust faults in the duplex structures. Structurally lower reservoirs exhibit lower pressure-depth gradients. Therefore, we suggest that the thrusting in the duplex structures may have formed seals that isolated the Spiro Sandstone gas reservoirs.

• OSTI ID: 159918
• Report Number(s): CONF-951094--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin, Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 79; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
ARKANSAS
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOMETRY
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
OKLAHOMA
PRODUCTION
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY