Identification of crude oil source facies in Railroad Valley, Nevada, using multivariate analysis of crude oil and hydrous pyrolysis data from the Meridian Spencer Federal 32-29 well

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5583588

Conlan, L M; Francis, R D ^[1]

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1. California State Univ., Long Beach (United States)

Comparison of biological markers of a hydrous pyrolyzate of Mississippian-Chainman Shale from the Meridian Spencer Federal 32-29 well with two crude oils produced from the same well and crude oils produced from Trap Springs, Grant Canyon, Bacon Flats, and Eagle Springs fields indicate the possibility of three distinct crude oil source facies within Railroad Valley, Nevada. The two crude oil samples produced in the Meridian Spencer Federal 32-29 well are from the Eocene Sheep Pass Formation (MSF-SP) at 10,570 ft and the Joana Limestone (MSF-J) at 13,943 ft; the pyrolyzate is from the Chainman Shale at 10,700 ft. The Chainman Shale pyrolyzate has a similar composition to oils produced in Trap Springs and Grant Canyon fields. Applying multivariate statistical analysis to biological marker data shows that the Chainman Shale is a possible source for oil produced at Trap Springs because of the similarities between Trap Springs oils and the Chainman Shale pyrolyzate. It is also apparent that MSF-SP and oils produced in the Eagle Springs field have been generated from a different source (probably the Sheep Pass Formation) because of the presence of gammacerane (C{sub 30}). MSF-J and Bacon Flats appear to be either sourced from a pre-Mississippian unit or from a different facies within the Chainman Shale because of the apparent differences between MSF-J and Chainman Shale pyrolyzate.

• OSTI ID: 5583588
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
NEVADA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
GEOCHEMISTRY
SOURCE ROCKS
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EOCENE EPOCH
HYDROCARBONS
MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS
OIL WELLS
RESERVOIR ROCK
SHALES
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FEDERAL REGION IX
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATHEMATICS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STATISTICS
TERTIARY PERIOD
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
023000 - Petroleum- Properties & Composition
580000 - Geosciences