Geology of Avalon (Delaware) field, Eddy County, New Mexico

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

OSTI ID:6434218

Maxwell, T

The Avalon (Delaware) field is located along the northwestern margin of the Delaware basin, in Eddy County, New Mexico. Siliciclastic sediments at Avalon represent part of an extensive lowstand wedge deposit that interfingers on the north with shelf-margin carbonates of the ancient Goat Seep reef and extends to the south (basinward) for many tens of kilometers. These sediments were deposited by channelized sand underflows and silt-clay interflows flowing off the shelf edge into the basin through breaches in the shelf edge reef-carbonate bank complex. Best characterized as a basin-margin sand lobe, Avalon field is developed as a depositional high that was later enhanced both by differential compaction of the more peripheral finer grained sediments and by channel scouring along its flank. Production at Avalon is from the basinal quartz siltstones and sandstones of the Brushy Canyon and Cherry Canyon Formations. Three distinct lithofacies have been identified: (1) light-brown, very fine-grained, bioturbated sandstone, (2) medium-gray, very coarse-grained, finely laminated siltstone, and (3) dark-gray to black, medium to coarse-grained, clay-rich siltstone. Oil production is from bioturbated sandstones and finely laminated siltstones. Within the productive parts of these facies, primary intergranular porosities range to 20% and permeabilities to 25 md. Productive limits of the field cover approximately 1100 ac, and it is currently fully developed on 40-ac spacing. Since discovery in 1982, Avalon field had produced more than 1.6 million bbl of oil with an average production of 850 BOPD and water cuts of 60-65%.

• Research Organization: Exxon Co., Midland, TX (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6434218
• Report Number(s): CONF-8802107-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CARBONATE ROCKS
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILTSTONES
USA