Detection of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon microseepage in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming using isotopic, biogeochemical, and spectral reflectance techniques

Miscellaneous · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5701864

Bammel, B H

A stable isotope, biogeochemical, and gebotanical reflectance study was conducted at five areas in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming. Three of the areas are active hydrocarbon producing fields, including Little Buffalo Basin, Bonanza, and Enigma oil fields. One area contains no surface or subsurface hydrocarbons, the Cody Base area. One area, Trapper Canyon, is a surface tar sand deposit. In each area numerous reflectance spectra were measured and leaf samples collected from sagebrush over and surrounding the fields. At Bonanza and Trapper Canyon, sagebrush plants were also growing directly in hydrocarbon impregnated formations. Unusually low [delta][sup 13]C values of calcite were found in calcite-bearing samples over the Little Buffalo Basin Field. The systematic distribution of these low [delta][sup 13]C values is correlated with the subsurface oil and gas production axis. Significant distinctions between the surface hydrocarbon occurrences at Trapper Canyon and Bonanza Seeps are highlighted by chemical differences in sagebrush leaves. At Trapper Canyon relatively high concentrations of aluminum and iron are found. Sagebrush leaves at the Bonanza Seeps contain relatively low concentrations of calcium and potassium, and a relatively high amount of organic material. Analyses from sagebrush growing over subsurface commercial hydrocarbon deposits tend to be relatively low in magnesium and relatively high in sodium. The increase in sodium may indicate subsurface reservoirs without regard to their hydrocarbon content. The results of the geobotanical reflectance study shows that a significant blue shift of the green peak and red trough positions is the most reliable indicator of hydrocarbon-induced stress in sagebrush plants, and can only be detected where the sage is actually growing in visible surface or near-surface hydrocarbons. Spectral reflectance intensity data have no significant correlation with the presence of surface or subsurface hydrocarbons.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5701864
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
58 GEOSCIENCES
HYDROCARBONS
DETECTION
LEAVES
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
WYOMING
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
GEOBOTANY
ISOTOPE RATIO
CARBON 13
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
OIL FIELDS
OIL SANDS
SEEPS
STABLE ISOTOPES
BIOLOGY
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BOTANY
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESOURCES
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
040200 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
580000 - Geosciences