Organic-matter content of Appalachian Devonian shales determined by use of wire-line logs: summary of work done 1976-1980. [Formation-density wire logs]

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6349952

Schmoker, J W

The organic-matter content of the Devonian shale of the Appalachian basin is an important characteristic for assessing the natural-gas resources of this shale, and patterns of organic-matter distribution convey information on sedimentary processes and depositional environments. In most of the western part of the Appalachian basin, the organic-matter content of the Devonian shale can be estimated from formation-density wire-line logs (density-log method) and from gamma-ray wire-line logs (gamma-ray method) by evaluation of equations which are presented in this report. The distribution of organic matter in the organic-matter-rich facies of the Devonian shale is characterized in the western part of the Appalachian basin by use of data derived from density logs. The thickness of organic-matter-rich facies ranges from less than 300 ft. (91 m) in east-central Kentucky to 1000 ft (305 m) along the Kentucky-West Virginia border. The average organic-matter content of the organic-matter-rich facies increases from 5% by volume in the central part of the Appalachian basin to 16% in east-central Kentucky. The histogram of organic-matter-content values within the organic-matter-rich facies is closely approximated by the exponential curve y = 1.1e/sup -0.288x/ in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, but in Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia, the histogram shifts towards hhgher values of organic-matter content and is not well represented by an exponential function. The net thickness of the blanket of organic matter contained in the organic-matter-rich facies ranges from about 20 to 80 ft (6.1 to 24.4 m) within the mapped area, and local depositional maxima are centered in Martin County, Kentucky, eastern Pike County, Ohio, and northern Ashland County, Ohio. 24 figures.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Reston, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AI01-76ET10136
• OSTI ID: 6349952
• Report Number(s): USGS-OFR-81-181; ON: DE83009061
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
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04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
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APPALACHIA
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
DATA
DEVONIAN PERIOD
DRILL CORES
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION III
FEDERAL REGION IV
FEDERAL REGION V
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAMMA LOGGING
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
INFORMATION
KENTUCKY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OHIO
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC MATTER
PALEOZOIC ERA
PENNSYLVANIA
RADIOACTIVITY LOGGING
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES
USA
VIRGINIA
WELL LOGGING
WEST VIRGINIA