Exploiting the self-sourcing Cane Creek zone of the paradox formation with horizontal wells

Conference · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:6683388

Grummon, M ^[1]

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1. Coastal Oil Gas Corp., Denver, CO (United States)

The Cane Creek zone of the Paradox Formation produces oil and gas from fracture-induced permeability and porosity in the Big Flat/Lisbon area of the Paradox basin. Only one of approximately 110 vertical wildcats has been a commercial Cane Creek success, having recovered more than 900,000 bbl oil. Horizontal drilling significantly improves a wildcat success rate by increasing well-bore contact with near-vertical fractures. Six horizontal Cane Creek wells resulted in three discoveries, each with initial flow rates in excess of 1000 BOPD and potential reserves in excess of 500,000 bbl of oil per well. The Cane Creek Shale is the thickest and most productive of the 29 clastic intervals in the Paradox Formation. The reservoir is self-sourced from interbedded black sapropellic dolomites with up to 28% total organic carbon. Micro- and macrofractures, along with some matrix porosity, contribute to reservoir storage capacity, although the relative importance of each remains undetermined. Matrix permeability is very low. Overlying and underlying salt beds provide very effective seals. Well-bore communication with a network of natural fractures is essential to establishing commercial hydrocarbon production. Silty and sandy carbonates are the most fracture-prone lithofacies. The middle silty carbonate zone of the Cane Creek is the primary target for horizontal drilling because of the relative thickness of fracture-prone lithologies, the absence of interbedded anhydrites, and the presence of the best source-rock facies.

• OSTI ID: 6683388
• Report Number(s): CONF-930947--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Journal Volume: 77:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NATURAL GAS FIELDS
OIL FIELDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARADOX BASIN
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS