Selected characteristics of limestone and dolomite reservoirs in the United States

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6505627

Schmoker, J W; Halley, R B; Krystinik, K B

Data from the United States Oil and Gas File (TOTL) developed by the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, are used to characterize the lithology, location (state and basin), geologic age, year of discovery, depth to top of pay, porosity, permeability, water saturation, volume of crude oil and nonassociated gas originally in place, and net-pay thickness of limestone and dolomite reservoirs in the United States. Distributions of these parameters, representing thousands of reservoirs, establish a framework to which individual carbonate reservoirs can be compared, and provide insights into geologic processes affecting reservoir characteristics. Limestone reservoirs are more numerous in the United States than dolomite reservoirs (by a ratio of about 3 to 1) because limestones are more abundant than dolomites. However, in the eight states that account for over 90% of United States carbonate reservoirs, there is a statistical tendency for carbonate reservoirs to occur preferentially in dolomites. Dolomite reservoirs, on the average, are larger and deeper than those of limestone, yet they often have lower matrix porosities and permeabilities. This line of investigation offers supplemental evidence that dolomitization tends to improve the reservoir properties of a given formation, and that effective fracture systems at reservoir depths are more likely to occur in dolomites than in limestones.

• Research Organization: U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO
• OSTI ID: 6505627
• Journal Information: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 69:5; ISSN AAPGB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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& Exploration
AGE ESTIMATION
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOLOMITE
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
LIMESTONE
LITHOLOGY
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POROSITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS