Coal-bed methane resources and Fruitland Formation coal-bed geology, San Juan basin, New Mexico and Colorado

Conference · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:5695728

Fassett, J E ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA)

Coal-bed methane resources of the San Juan basin, New Mexico and Colorado, are contained in more than 215 billion tons of coal, nearly 95% of which (more than 200 billion tons) is in the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation. Fruitland coals, generally less than 4,000 ft deep, are estimated to contain 50 tcf of gas, of which 25 tcf or more is considered to be recoverable. The Fruitland contains hundreds of coal beds, varying in thickness from thin lenses to as much as 40-50 ft. Subsurface studies of the Fruitland and adjacent rock units have shown that Fruitland coal deposition was related to depositional patterns of the underlying Pictured Cliffs Sandstone; the model for Fruitland coal deposition indicates that thicker Fruitland coals are associated with thicker, laterally adjacent, upper shoreface sandstone beds of the Pictured Cliffs. Fruitland coals generally terminate abruptly northeastward (seaward) against stratigraphic rises of the laterally equivalent Pictured Cliffs; southwestward (landward) they generally split or thin. Fruitland coals are stratigraphically higher in the northeast part of the basin; in cross section their geometry is an imbricate pattern. The rank of Fruitland coals increases from subbituminous to medium-volatile bituminous toward the present basin axis (in the northeast part). Through 1987, the San Juan basin has produced 85 bcf of coal-bed gas from 11 gas fields and seems certain to be one of the giant coal-bed methane fields of North America.

• OSTI ID: 5695728
• Report Number(s): CONF-8910195--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 73:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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03 NATURAL GAS
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COAL DEPOSITS
COLORADO
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEPOSITION
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
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SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOURCE ROCKS
USA