Depositional, diagenetic, and tectonic controls on Frontier Formation reservoir characteristics: Moxa Arch, southwestern Wyoming
The Frontier Formation of the Moxa Arch in Southwestern Wyoming provides an excellent example of the interplay among sedimentation, diagenesis, and tectonics on reservoir quality and performance. During the Cretaceous, thrust uplift and crustal loading occurred in the Sevier Orogenic Belt to the west of the foreland basin. The thrust sheets provided ample sediment to the Moxa Arch area during Frontier time. These sediments accumulated in wave-dominated deltaic, strandplain, coastalplain, and incised valley-fill depositional environments. The tectonic activity in the Sevier Orogenic Belt caused recurrent differential movement of orthogonally-shaped basement blocks along the Moxa Arch. These Movements created fractured lineaments at block boundaries. In addition, the recurrent movements of basement blocks influenced paleostructuring, diagenetic fluid migration paths, and sediment dispersal patterns of the Frontier. The depositional facies of Frontier sediments control the primary porosity and permeability trends of Frontier reservoirs along the Moxa Arch. Post depositional fractures caused by recurrent differential movements along zones of weakness at basement block boundaries secondarily enhance permeability and performance characteristics of Frontier reservoirs. Both the depositional facies and post-depositional fracturing of the Frontier influence the diagenetic trends affecting secondary porosity and permeability characteristics of Frontier reservoirs along the Moxa Arch. It is this complicated interplay of depositional, tectonic, and diagenetic influences that control the characteristics of Frontier reservoirs along the Moxa Arch.
- OSTI ID:
- 170069
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950331-; TRN: IM9605%%88
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Joint Rocky Mountain regional meeting and low-permeability reservoirs symposium and exhibition, Denver, CO (United States), 20-22 Mar 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Joint Rocky Mountain meeting/low-permeability reservoirs symposium: Proceedings; PB: 592 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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