Vitrinite reflectance study of the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation, San Juan basin, New Mexico

Conference · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5877146

Pawlewicz, M J; Nuccio, V F ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

In 1988, a cooperative project between the New Mexico Oil conservation Division and US Geological Survey was established to better understand the thermal maturity of coal beds in the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation throughout the New Mexico portion of the San Juan basin. The first product of this project was US Geological Survey Open-File Report 90-290, which presented vitrinite reflectance values for 125 coal samples. More recently, 300 additional vitrinite reflectance samples from wells throughout the area have been analyzed. Vitrinite isoreflectance maps, structure contour maps,and cross sections, which combine the old and new data, were constructed to illustrate thermal maturation patterns of the Fruitland Formation across the San Juan basin in New Mexico. Vitrinite reflectance (R{sub m}) values for the Fruitland Formation increase from south to north and generally follow the structural configuration of the basin. This pattern is directly related to depth of burial in the basin and indicates that maximum maturity (0.40% along the southern margin of the basin to 1.30% near the New Mexico-Colorado border) was established prior to final uplift. In the New Mexico part of the San Juan basin, Fruitland Formation coals produce methane at maturities corresponding to R{sub m} values between 0.60% and about 1.30% at depths of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 ft (915 to 1,220 m), respectively. Using vitrinite reflectance data, the authors have mapped areas of optimum potential for coal-bed methane production in the New Mexico portion of the San Juan basin that generally include the areas between R4-10W and from T27N northward to the New Mexico-Colorado border.

• OSTI ID: 5877146
• Report Number(s): CONF-9107109--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Journal Volume: 75:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
011000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALKANES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL SEAMS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CORRELATIONS
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEGASSING
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FEDERAL REGION VI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HYDROCARBONS
MACERALS
MAPS
MATERIALS
MATURATION
MESOZOIC ERA
METHANE
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PRODUCTION
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
US DOI
US GS
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VITRINITE