Reservoir characterization of heavy oil and tar sand reservoirs - an example from the Tertiary of the Uinta Basin, Utah
- Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
Significant quantities of heavy hydrocarbons occur in marginal lacustrine and fluvial sandstones of the Tertiary Green River and Colton formations, Uinta Basin, Utah. The largest of the these deposits, the 6 billion-barrel in place Sunnyside deposit, was examined to determine if reservoir properties would hamper recovery operations. The sandstones are mainly fluvial channel and marginal lacustrine deposits with variable hydrocarbon saturations, based on visual examination. Spatial variability in hydrocarbon saturation is due mainly to control by types of preserved stratification and diagenesis. Diagenetically, the hydrocarbon-bearing sandstones are complex. Petrographic and SEM studies have shown that the framework grains are commonly coated with a variety of clay minerals, including nearly pure smectite, illite, illite/smectite, and chlorite. Kaolinite occurs as a pore-lining cement and as a replacement of detrital feldspars. Other authigenic minerals include several zeolites (analcime, chabazite, erionite) and carbonates (calcite, dolomite, ankerite). The variability in hydrocarbon saturation caused by sedimentologic and diagenetic heterogeneity, the diversity in pore morphology caused by authigenic mineralization, and the presence of smectiti combine to indicate that recovery of heavy hydrocarbons from these sandstones by in-situ processes would be difficult. Recovery fluids could cause the translocation of clays and other authigenic minerals, resulting in decreased permeability and recovery; swelling and further growth of authigenic smectite during in-situ recovery likewise could result in significant permeability loss.
- OSTI ID:
- 6066773
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930306--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 77:2; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
CLAYS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIAGENESIS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
POROSITY
PRIMARY RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
STRATIFICATION
SUNNYSIDE DEPOSIT
TERTIARY PERIOD
UINTA BASIN
USA
UTAH
ZEOLITES