Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas

Gale, Julia F. W.; Fall, András; Yurchenko, Inessa A.; Ali, Walaa A.; Laubach, Stephen E.; Eichhubl, Peter; Bodnar, Robert J.

doi:10.1306/01062219274

Title: Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas

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Abstract

Relative timing of fracturing is a key input for predictive fracture models, but timing information for fractures is commonly difficult to obtain. In this study, we used crosscutting relations and fluid inclusion assemblage temperatures from fracture cements from a few well-documented sampled fractures, combined with a one-dimensional burial history model, to establish timing for three generations of opening-mode fractures in a Barnett Shale core from the southern part of the Delaware Basin, Pecos County, West Texas. A burial history model is presented for the cored well and matched to measured vitrinite reflectance in samples from the core, and bottomhole temperature in the well. Here, the earliest fractures (group 1) likely formed due to early fluid-expulsion events (ca. 300 Ma) and were folded during host-rock compaction. Later group 2 fractures are sealed with fibrous barite containing primary, liquid hydrocarbon inclusions (mean homogenization temperature [T_h] = –9°C) and aqueous fluid inclusions (mean T_h = 108.1°C). Group 2 fractures likely formed in response to fluid overpressure associated with cracking of type II kerogen to oil. Group 3 vertical fractures are up to 2 m in height with kinematic apertures ranging from less than 0.05 to 1.4 mm, partly open, and strike dominantly 010°–020°.more »« less

Authors:

Gale, Julia F. W. ^[1]; Fall, András ^[1]; Yurchenko, Inessa A. ^[1]; Ali, Walaa A. ^[2]; Laubach, Stephen E. ^[1]; Eichhubl, Peter ^[1]; Bodnar, Robert J. ^[3]

Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Matrouh Univ. (Egypt)
Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

Publication Date:: Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022

Research Org.:: Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1909833

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-03ER15430; SC0022968

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: AAPG Bulletin

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 106; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1423

Publisher:: AAPG

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 02 PETROLEUM; shale; Barnett Shale; burial; Carboniferous; cementation; compaction; cores; Delaware Basin; diagenesis; erosion; fluid inclusions; Fort Worth Basin; fractures; geometry; inclusions; kerogen; Mississippian; Paleozoic; petroleum; pore pressure; porosity; Raman spectra; reservoir properties; sealing; spectra; Texas; United States; West Texas

Citation Formats


                    Gale, Julia F. W., Fall, András, Yurchenko, Inessa A., Ali, Walaa A., Laubach, Stephen E., Eichhubl, Peter, and Bodnar, Robert J. Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas.  United States: N. p., 2022. 
Web.  doi:10.1306/01062219274.

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                    Gale, Julia F. W., Fall, András, Yurchenko, Inessa A., Ali, Walaa A., Laubach, Stephen E., Eichhubl, Peter, & Bodnar, Robert J. Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1306/01062219274

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                    Gale, Julia F. W., Fall, András, Yurchenko, Inessa A., Ali, Walaa A., Laubach, Stephen E., Eichhubl, Peter, and Bodnar, Robert J. Sat .  
"Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1306/01062219274.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1909833.

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@article{osti_1909833,

  title        = {Opening-mode fracturing and cementation during hydrocarbon generation in shale: An example from the Barnett Shale, Delaware Basin, West Texas},

  author       = {Gale, Julia F. W. and Fall, András and Yurchenko, Inessa A. and Ali, Walaa A. and Laubach, Stephen E. and Eichhubl, Peter and Bodnar, Robert J.},

  abstractNote = {Relative timing of fracturing is a key input for predictive fracture models, but timing information for fractures is commonly difficult to obtain. In this study, we used crosscutting relations and fluid inclusion assemblage temperatures from fracture cements from a few well-documented sampled fractures, combined with a one-dimensional burial history model, to establish timing for three generations of opening-mode fractures in a Barnett Shale core from the southern part of the Delaware Basin, Pecos County, West Texas. A burial history model is presented for the cored well and matched to measured vitrinite reflectance in samples from the core, and bottomhole temperature in the well. Here, the earliest fractures (group 1) likely formed due to early fluid-expulsion events (ca. 300 Ma) and were folded during host-rock compaction. Later group 2 fractures are sealed with fibrous barite containing primary, liquid hydrocarbon inclusions (mean homogenization temperature [Th] = –9°C) and aqueous fluid inclusions (mean Th = 108.1°C). Group 2 fractures likely formed in response to fluid overpressure associated with cracking of type II kerogen to oil. Group 3 vertical fractures are up to 2 m in height with kinematic apertures ranging from less than 0.05 to 1.4 mm, partly open, and strike dominantly 010°–020°. Sequentially trapped aqueous fluid inclusions in fracture-spanning quartz cement bridges (mean Th = 110°C in crack-seal texture and 128°C in post-crack-seal fracture cement) record fracture opening under increasing temperature, inferred to reflect increasing burial, with continued overpressuring during the Triassic to Late Cretaceous. Some group 3 fractures may have continued to fill during Cenozoic uplift.},

  doi          = {10.1306/01062219274},

  journal      = {AAPG Bulletin},

  number       = 10,

  volume       = 106,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022},

  month        = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022}

}

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