Book Description

The objective of this project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through strategic placement of infill wells and geologically based field development. Project objectives are divided into two major phases. The objectives of the reservoir characterization phase of the project are to provide a detailed understanding of the architecture and heterogeneity of two fields, the Ford Geraldine unit and Ford West field, which produce from the Bell Canyon and Cherry Canyon Formations, respectively, of the Delaware Mountain Group and to compare Bell Canyon and Cherry Canyon reservoirs. Reservoir characterization will utilize 3-D seismic data, high-resolution sequence stratigraphy, subsurface field studies, outcrop characterization, and other techniques. One the reservoir-characterization study of both field is completed, a pilot area of approximately 1 mi2 in one of the fields will be chosen for reservoir simulation. The objectives of the implementation phase of the project are to: (1) apply the knowledge gained from reservoir characterization and simulation studies to increase recovery from the pilot area; (2) demonstrate that economically significant unrecovered oil remains in geologically resolvable untapped compartments; and (3) test the accuracy of reservoir characterization and flow simulation as predictive tools in resource preservation of mature fields. A geologically designed, enhanced recovery program (CO2 flood, waterflood, or polymer flood) and well-completion program will be developed, and one to three infill well will be drilled and cored. Technical progress is summarized for: geophysical characterization; reservoir characterization; outcrop characterization; and producibility problem characterization.