Horizontal exploitation of the Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk of south Texas

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6796992

Borkowski, R; Hand, L; Dickerson, D; Bird, S ^[1]

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1. Oryx Energy Co., Dallas, TX (USA)

Horizontal drilling in the fractured Austin Chalk of south Texas has proven to be a viable technology for exploiting reserve opportunities in mature trends as well as in frontier areas. To date, the results of an interdisciplinary approach to the regional analysis of structure and stress regimes combined with studies of the depositional characteristics of the Austin Chalk and Eagleford Shale have been a success. Productive characteristics of the Austin Chalk indicate the influence of regional fractures on the preferential flow direction and partitioning in the Pearsall field area of the trend. Well bore orientation and inclination are designed such that multiple fracture swarms at several stratigraphic horizons are intersected with a single horizontal well bore. As a result of the greater frequency of fracture contacts with the well bore, there is a significant increase in the ultimate recovery of hydrocarbons in place. Conventional vertical drilling techniques are frequently ineffective at encountering these laterally partitioned fracture sets, resulting in lower volumes of recoverable hydrocarbons. Additionally, horizontal well bores may increase ultimate recovery of hydrocarbons by lowering the pressure gradient to the well bore and maximizing the reservoir energy.

• OSTI ID: 6796992
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 74:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
DRILLING
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
TEXAS
USA
WELL DRILLING
WELL PRESSURE