Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin
Abstract
The W. Williston Basin has produced gas since a 1913 discovery at Cedar Creek anticline, but during the past decade nearly all the gas found has been in solution in oil. In a sedimentary rock section averaging 10,000 ft in thickness, about one-third of the material, in approx. the lower half of the section, consists of carbonate and evaporites. The rest of the beds are principally sandstone and shale of shallow-marine deposition. All commercial gas in Paleozoic rocks is in solution in oil. Small gas reserves have been found in fractured siltstones of the Cretaceous Colorado shale at Hardin, and in the Shannon sandstone at Pumpkin Creek. Most of the gas in the W. Williston Basin is in nonassociated accumulations in and adjacent to the Cretaceous Judith River and Eagle formations. The trapping is related partly to folding, but also is at the extreme seaward limits of sandstone tongues. Porosity of less than 10% and low permeability values are characteristic of the reservoirs and fracturing is regarded as important in improving overall permeability of the reservoirs. At Cedar Creek anticline, 6 million cu ft a day of 90% nitrogen gas was treated in a Cambrian sandstone.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Standard Oil Co California; Chevron Oil Co
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5691577
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Mem. - Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.; (United States)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 2:9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 03 NATURAL GAS; NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS; GEOLOGY; NORTH DAKOTA; ANTICLINES; CAMBRIAN PERIOD; CRETACEOUS PERIOD; GEOLOGIC TRAPS; PALEOZOIC ERA; RESERVES; SEDIMENTARY ROCKS; GEOLOGIC AGES; GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; MESOZOIC ERA; MINERAL RESOURCES; NORTH AMERICA; RESOURCES; ROCKS; ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION; USA; 030200* - Natural Gas- Reserves, Geology, & Exploration
Citation Formats
McCrae, R O, and Swenson, R E. Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin. United States: N. p., 1968.
Web.
McCrae, R O, & Swenson, R E. Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin. United States.
McCrae, R O, and Swenson, R E. 1968.
"Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin". United States.
@article{osti_5691577,
title = {Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin},
author = {McCrae, R O and Swenson, R E},
abstractNote = {The W. Williston Basin has produced gas since a 1913 discovery at Cedar Creek anticline, but during the past decade nearly all the gas found has been in solution in oil. In a sedimentary rock section averaging 10,000 ft in thickness, about one-third of the material, in approx. the lower half of the section, consists of carbonate and evaporites. The rest of the beds are principally sandstone and shale of shallow-marine deposition. All commercial gas in Paleozoic rocks is in solution in oil. Small gas reserves have been found in fractured siltstones of the Cretaceous Colorado shale at Hardin, and in the Shannon sandstone at Pumpkin Creek. Most of the gas in the W. Williston Basin is in nonassociated accumulations in and adjacent to the Cretaceous Judith River and Eagle formations. The trapping is related partly to folding, but also is at the extreme seaward limits of sandstone tongues. Porosity of less than 10% and low permeability values are characteristic of the reservoirs and fracturing is regarded as important in improving overall permeability of the reservoirs. At Cedar Creek anticline, 6 million cu ft a day of 90% nitrogen gas was treated in a Cambrian sandstone.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5691577},
journal = {Mem. - Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 2:9,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1968},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1968}
}