Sour gas resources in western Wyoming basins and adjacent Overthrust belt

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6413695

Everett, A G

Sour gas is widely distributed in the Big Horn, western Wind River, and greater Green River basins, and the eastern part of the Overthrust belt in Wyoming. In adjacent parts of Idaho and Utah, available data to evaluate the probable occurrence of sour gas diminished rapidly west of the Wyoming border. Principal geologic and geochemical factors in the formation of sour gas include (1) hydrocarbon reactions with sulfates in source and reservoir rocks and formation fluids, (2) thermal desulfurization of crude oil at temperatures in excess of 100/sup 0/C (212/sup 0/F) and depths of 3000 m (9842 ft) or greater, and (3) catagenic decomposition of kerogen to form CH/sub 4/ and H/sub 2/S at temperatures of about 350/sup 0/C (662/sup 0/F) and depths of 7000 m (22,965 ft) or more. Sour gas is found with an increasing probability of occurrence from the Chugwater Formation (Triassic) to the Madison Group (Mississippian). It also occurs in lower Paleozoic rocks, but the few reported occurrences preclude estimation of its resource potential at this time. Based on both surface and subsurface evidence, sour gas is closely associated with carbonate-evaporite sequences from cyclic depositional environments from subtidal through supratidal-sabkha that are present in western Wyoming from the Mississippian through the Triassic. In the three basins and the Overthrust belt, sour gas resources are estimated to have a mean volume of 20 to 27 tcf, with a 95 to 5% probability range of 7.5 to 56 tcf. The distribution by basin is estimated to be the following: Big Horn, 17%; western Wind River, 13%; greater Green River, 45%; and eastern Overthrust belt, 25%.

• Research Organization: Everett and Assoc., Rockville, MD
• OSTI ID: 6413695
• Report Number(s): CONF-8304200-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 67:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030100* -- Natural Gas-- Reserves-- (-1989)
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NORTH AMERICA
RESERVES
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SULFUR CONTENT
USA
WYOMING