Seismic detection of Upper Cretaceous stratigraphic oil traps in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Miscellaneous · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7181708

Fuller, B N

Upper Cretaceous sand ridges that serve as stratigraphic oil traps in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming have been difficult to find by standard seismic techniques, largely because the sands average less than 10 m in thickness. A direct detection approach to seismic exploration for the sands was taken by using amplitude-with-offset and pattern recognition analyses of seismic reflection data. The seismic data presented were recorded at Hartzog Draw oil field where oil is produced from a sand ridge complex that is enveloped in marine shells. Known reservoir sands a thin a 5 m were detected by the amplitude-with-offset method. The amplitude-with-offset variation was caused by a large difference in Poisson's ratio between the reservoir sands and the enveloping marine shale; reflection coefficients are known to vary significantly with angle of incidence when a large change in Poisson's ratio occurs upon crossing a reflecting boundary. The pattern recognition analysis was carried out to test the effectiveness of the pattern recognition method in defining the edges of oil fields and in recognizing prospective new hydrocarbon reserves. The pattern recognition software performed well in precisely identifying the western edge of Hartzog Draw field and in recognizing a large part of the eastern side of the field. The methods discussed have promise for seismic exploration and exploitation around the world.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Univ., Laramie, WY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7181708
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
SEISMIC DETECTION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
POWDER RIVER BASIN
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPLORATION
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM
SAND
THICKNESS
WYOMING
DETECTION
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
SURVEYS
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration