Petroleum exploration and production in Nebraska: Historical and Geological Patterns

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

OSTI ID:5895263

Carlson, M P ^[1]

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1. Nebraska Geological Survey, Lincoln (United States)

Nebraska recently celebrated petroleum anniversaries: 100 years of exploration and 50 years of production. The Forest City basin recorded the state's first production in 1939. Shale-to-carbonate facies change occurs for both Devonian- and Ordovician-age reservoirs in a belt transverse to anticlinal structures which represent basement reactivation. Cumulative production from the Nebraska portion of the Forest City basin is almost 11 million bbl. Oil was discovered along the Cambridge arch in southwestern Nebraska in 1948, although it wasn't until 1959 that significant exploration/production occurred. Most fields produce from Pennsylvanian carbonates. However, Nebraska's largest field (Sleepy Hollow) also produces from a basal sand which was reworked and isolated during Pennsylvanian time. Other Pennsylvanian and Cambrian sands are productive in the area but at much lower rates. Cumulative production for southwestern Nebraska is almost 103 million bbl of oil. Only minimal gas is produced. Production was established in 1949 in the Denver basin from the bar and channel sands in the upper Dakota (Cretaceous). A cumulative of over 330 million bbl of oil and nearly 280 billion ft{sup 3} of gas has been produced. Exploration and enhanced recovery continue in these reservoirs. Wildcat drilling in Nebraska has provided sufficient data to outline stratigraphic relationships and delineate major structures. Reservoir conditions are excellent, both stratigraphic and structural traps are present, and the requirement for an oil window may be overcome by the current popularity of long-distance migration.

• OSTI ID: 5895263
• Report Number(s): CONF-9109239--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Journal Volume: 75:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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& Exploration
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION VII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOLOGY
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NEBRASKA
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
USA