The relationship of natural and artificial maturation: Evidence for pressure compartmentalization, and for coal as a source of petroleum

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5757361

MacGowan, D B; Britton, D R; Surdam, R C ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics

In the Greater Green River Basin (GRB), the Almond Fm. is an important reservoir, having yielded cumulative production of 100 MBO and 0.7 TCFG through 1986. A regional study of Almond Fm. shales and coals in wells from the northwestern to the southeastern GRB was undertaken. Core samples from the Almond Fm. were subjected to: anhydrous pyrolysis, total organic carbon, vitrinite reflectance, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The Almond appears to be a moderate to rich source rock, and in the oil window over the depth range of sampling (4,500 - 14,500 ft.). Additionally, a series of hydrous pyrolysis experiments were conducted on Almond coal samples at temperatures of 290 to 360 C. The organic-geochemical analyses performed on the core samples were also performed on these coal samples. These experiments show that Almond coal may be a significant source of liquid hydrocarbons (27 mg oil/g coal) as well as a prolific source of natural gas (7.52 x 10[sup [minus]6] moles natural gas/g coal). Gas production from tight gas sands accounts for about 20% of gas production from the Almond; almost all of this production is from overpressured reservoirs that produce little or not water, conditions characteristic of compartmentalized, abnormally-pressured sandstones. Comparison of maturation trends observed in the well core data with the hydrous pyrolysis data suggest that this mechanism also may operate in the Almond Fm. in the GRB.

• OSTI ID: 5757361
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COAL DEPOSITS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GREEN RIVER FORMATION
MATURATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES