Facies and fracture architecture of the Tensleep Sandstone, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming: Preliminary result of an outcrop and subsurface study

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · AAPG Bulletin

OSTI ID:6570801

Aviantara, A ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Tulsa, OK (United States)

The Middle Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian Tensleep Sandstone has been the most prolific producer in the state of Wyoming. Now in its advanced stages of production. it is critical to accurately characterize the Tensleep facies and fracture architecture. Two outcrop locations have been selected: Alkali Creek has cross-strata dip parallel exposures at close spacings for eolian facies architecture Ziesman Dome is an NW-SE trending asymmetric anticlinal closure with the SE axis having a marked dextral dislocation, and is selected for analysis of fracture architecture. Byron Field is also an anticlinal closure with NW-SE trend which is selected for location of subsurface study. Methods of study for outcrop includes high- precision electronic surveying, photomosaics, geologic mapping, and fracture spacing and orientation measurements. The subsurface study includes conventional wireline logs, cores, and porosity and permeability data. In addition, a microresistivity log was evaluated from the Lindsay 3H horizontal well. Tensleep facies architecture is defined by a hierarchy of elements. Parasequences are made up of marine to marginal marine dolomitic sandstones and sandy dolostones (<10[sup -2] to 10[sup 2] md) in the lower 20-50%, and eolian dune, interdune and large-scale deformed sandstones in the upper part. Eolian dune sandstones, the primary reservoir (2 to 3x10[sup 2] md), am characterized by very large-scale (up to 40 ft thick) tabular-planar cross strata with lower permeability wind ripple strata (1 to 2x10[sup 2] md, strongly anisotropic) concentrated above 1st- and 2nd-order bounding surfaces. Medium-scale trough cross stratified intrasets are common; however, their spatial dimensions and distribution pattern are uncertain at this time.

• OSTI ID: 6570801
• Report Number(s): CONF-960527--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Volume: 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
&amp; Exploration
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling &amp; Production
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOMETRY
MATHEMATICS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM
PRODUCTION
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
USA
WYOMING