Gas-producing submarine-fan channel-levee complexes in Forbes Formation, Arbuckle field, central Sacramento basin, California

Conference · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5950783

Imperato, D P; Nilsen, T H

The Campanian Forbes Formation was deposited as a south-prograding basin-plain, deep-sea fan and slope turbidite system in the Late Cretaceous Great Valley forearc basin of California. Gas production from the Arbuckle field is from the middle deep-sea fan deposits of the Forbes Formation at depths of 5500-7000 ft. The field is located approximately 7 mi east of the western erosional margin of the Sacramento basin, where the Forbes Formation crops out and dips steeply to the east. The field has a proven acreage of 3450 and contains 25 producing wells. A north-trending anticline, which is present on the regional easterly dip, provides 150-200 ft of closure in the southern part of the field. Detailed maps and cross sections of the gas-producing intervals of the Forbes Formation in the Arbuckle field have been constructed from correlation of 77 well logs and detailed examination of the nearby outcrops. Well-log correlations and sedimentary facies identified in outcrop indicate that the gas-producing intervals are chiefly channel-levee complexes in a mud-rich deep-sea fan system. These channel-level complexes trend southward, are slightly sinuous, and are as much as 1 mi wide. A comparison of structure-contour maps with net-sandstone maps and gas production data indicates that not all gas production is structurally controlled. Channel-axis sandstone that is as thick as 250 ft generally produces gas only within structural closure, whereas thinner, more shale-rich, channel-margin and levee deposits produce gas from updip stratigraphic pinch-outs into interchannel shale.

• Research Organization: Applied Earth Technology, Inc., Redwood City, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5950783
• Report Number(s): CONF-880301-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030200* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
ANTICLINES
CALIFORNIA
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
NORTH AMERICA
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
USA