Ordovician Red River {open_quotes}B{close_quotes}: Horizontal oil play in the southern Williston basin
Recent application of horizontal drilling technology to the Ordovician Red River {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} zone in the southern Williston basin has resulted in a successful oil play, with more than 100 wells drilled in 1995 and 1996. The Red River {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} reservoir is a dolomitized laminated carbonate with microsucrosic porosity of 8-25% and permeabilities in the range of 1-66 md. It occurs within the middle of three depositional cycles ({open_quotes}A,{close_quotes} {open_quotes}B,{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}C{close_quotes}) that form the upper Red River Formation. Each cycle consists of a lower burrowed limestone, middle laminated member, and capping anhydrite or lime mudstone. The {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} reservoir is confined to the {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} laminated member and consists of an upper portion, characterized by better reservoir quality, and a lower, less permeable portion. Horizontal drilling has the advantage of significantly increasing well-bore exposure to the upper, more permeable portion. Well data indicate the total Red River {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} porosity zone has remarkable extent over parts of southwestern North Dakota, southeastern Montana, and northwestern South Dakota. Productivity from horizontal well displays considerable variation that can be correlated with structure/tectonic patterns and with reservoir petrophysical character.
- OSTI ID:
- 460072
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin, Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 81; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Improved recovery demonstration for Williston Basin carbonates. Quarterly report, July 1 - September 30, 1996
Reservoir characterization of the Ordovician Red River Formation in southwest Williston Basin Bowman County, ND and Harding County, SD