Estimating exploration potential in mature producing area, Northwest shelf of Delaware basin, New Mexico

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · AAPG Bull. (See CODEN: AAPGB); (United States)

OSTI ID:6406897

Kumar, N

The case history presented here describes an investigation of the Northwest shelf of the Delaware basin carried out in 1979 for estimating the potential of finding new reserves and a follow-up study to measure predictions against results. A total of 191 new-field wildcats had been drilled during 1974-1979 in the study area. An analysis of target zones and success ratios showed that the best chances of drilling a successful test were in the San Andres (Permian) and SilurianDevonian. However, cumulative frequency plots of existing fields in these two intervals showed that the chance of finding a field larger than 1 million bbl (159,000 mT) in either of these zones was relatively low. As a result of the 1979 analysis, three prospective areas representing 8% of the total study area were high graded, or rated as having a higher potential than other parts of the study area. The 1980-1983 drilling results show that the original high-graded areas contain 52% of the 21 successful San Andres tests and the only discovery in the SilurianDevonian. However, as predicted by the analysis, all of these discoveries appear to be small.

• Research Organization: ARCO Alaska Inc., Anchorage, AK
• OSTI ID: 6406897
• Journal Information: AAPG Bull. (See CODEN: AAPGB); (United States), Vol. 69:11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
NEW MEXICO
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
DATA ANALYSIS
DEVONIAN PERIOD
EXPLORATORY WELLS
FORECASTING
PERMIAN PERIOD
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration