How to make a billion-barrel oil field in offshore California commercial
The major obstacles and challenges involved in exploration and development of a giant deep-water low-gravity oil field are exemplified in the undeveloped Sword field of offshore southern California. In 1979, Conoco Exploration identified a northeast-southwest-trending basement high in the 800 to 2000-ft deep federal waters 12 mi southwest of Pt. Conception at the western end of the Santa Barbara Channel. The intended reservoir was fractured Miocene Monterey chert, silicic shales/siltstones, and dolomites that are draped over the axially faulted structure. Drilling of the initial well in OCS P-0322 in 1982 resulted in discovering the giant Sword field. A confirmation well drilled in OCS P-0320 indicates in-place reserves of well over 1 billion bbl. While the discovered potential is significant, the low gravity (8.5/degree/-10.5/degree/ API) of the oils discovered to date, along with water depths in excess of 1500 ft, currently pose economic challenges to successful field development. Conoco and its partners are addressing the current economic barriers on a number of fronts. Three-dimensional seismic surveys are being conducted to better delineate reservoir geometry and to define probable variations in lithology, fracturing, and oil gravity. A market feasibility study will be undertaken to assess the demand for low-gravity crude from offshore California.
- Research Organization:
- Conoco, Inc., Houston, TX (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5879142
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-880301-
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bull.; (United States), Vol. 72:2; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Houston, TX, USA, 20-23 Mar 1988
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CALIFORNIA
OIL FIELDS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
EXPLORATION
DOLOMITE
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
LITHOLOGY
MIOCENE EPOCH
OFFSHORE SITES
OIL WELLS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SHALES
SILTSTONES
WELL DRILLING
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CENOZOIC ERA
DRILLING
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURVEYS
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration