Pyrolysis and hydrocarbon source bed potential of the Upper Devonian Woodford Shale, Hovey Channel, southern Permian basin, west Texas
- Sul Ross State Univ., Alpine, TX (United States)
The Upper Devonian Woodford Shale in the Hovey Channel area, southern Permian basin, is 50 m thick and composed largely of brown to black, pyritic, spore-bearing, organic-rich, fissile shale an chert. Total organic carbon, distillable hydrocarbons, genetic potential, organic carbon index, hydrogen index, temperature of maximum hydrocarbon generation, and kerogen transformation index of the Woodford Shale suggest a matured to overmatured, gas-generating source bed. The total organic carbon content of the formation ranged from a low of 0.77% in the cherty samples to a high of 4.59% in a shaley sample, averaging 2.18%. Distillable hydrocarbon content of the samples is fairly high (averaging 1.72 mg HC/gm{degree} rock), varying from 0.90 mg HC/gm{degree} rock to 3.22 mg HC/gm{degree} rock. Genetic potential evaluated in terms of both residual and total generative potential showed above average potential, averaging 3.25 mg HC/gm{degree} rock for the residual and 4.90 mg HC/gm{degree} rock for the total, respectively. Live organic carbon index values ranged from 11-28%, characterizing the formation as a moderate to good source bed. Hydrogen index values ranged from 73 mg HC/gm{degree} C org to 155 mg HC/gm{degree} C org, suggesting overmaturity and gas-generation potential of the source bed. Temperature of maximum hydrocarbon generation values and kerogen transformation ratio values (averaging 0.34) also indicate overmatured nature of the Woodford Shale.
- OSTI ID:
- 5793628
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910403--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 75:3; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Laminated black shale-chert cyclicity in Woodford formation (Upper Devonian of Southern Mid-Continent)
Related Subjects
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBON
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVONIAN PERIOD
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
MATTER
MATURATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC MATTER
PALEOZOIC ERA
PERMIAN BASIN
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS
TEXAS
USA