The Permian Basin


Book Description







Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin


Book Description

Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin: The Permian Basin, USA By any standard, the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a "super basin." With cumulative oil production of nearly 40 billion barrels (Bbbl) and annual production of nearly 2 Bbbl, it's currently one of the most important hydrocarbon-producing basins in the world. More than 29 Bbbl of this production have come from conventional (carbonate and sandstone) reservoirs, about 75 percent from carbonate reservoirs. Approximately 9-10 Bbbl of the basin's cumulative oil production have come from unconventional targets-primarily organic-matter-rich mudrocks and associated facies-during the last 10 years. The Permian Basin contains perhaps a greater volume of these mudrocks than that of any other basin, a major reason for its current global prominence among hydrocarbon-producing basins. The Permian Basin also contains one of the most extensive data sets in terms of wells drilled, cored wells, and adjacent outcrop analogs, providing a basis for studies that not only helps define the distribution of hydrocarbons but also serves as an excellent laboratory for examining basin-forming processes.This two-volume Bureau of Economic Geology Report of Investigations and AAPG Memoir contains 26 papers covering a breadth of Permian Basin topics, including 4 papers on the basin's structural geology, tectonics, and Precambrian geology; 4 papers on its paleontology and biostratigraphy; 16 on its sedimentology and stratigraphy; 1 on its reservoir systems; and 1 that provides a history and synthesis of the major depositional and deformational events that formed the basin. The goal of this set of papers is to capture, in a single publication, the wealth of information and knowledge about Permian Basin geology that has been generated over the 60 years that have passed since John Galley's early comprehensive paper on the basin in 1958.




Reservior Characterization of West Waha and Worsham-Bayer Fields


Book Description

Master's Thesis from the year 2010 in the subject Geography / Earth Science - Geology, Mineralogy, Soil Science, grade: 700, University of Ibadan, language: English, abstract: West Waha and Worsham-Bayer fields are located in the Southeastern Delaware Basin, West Texas. For several decades, these fields have been experiencing problem of low natural gas recovery in contrast to their large estimated reserves. This study involved the integration of interpreted three data sets namely; 10 well logs, 20-sq- miles 3D seismic and production data. The principal objectives for this study were to determine the impact of thin-beds on reservoir petrophysical analysis and to assess the impact of estimated recoverable reserve on the interpreted reservoirs (R1 [Lower Ordovician Ellenburger group], R2 [Silurian Fusselman formation], R3 [Devonian Thirtyone Formation] and R4 [Undifferentiated Mississippian Limestone]. Reservoir characterization method employed were: well log correlation, petrophysical analysis to calculate porosity and Movable Hydrocarbon Index (MHI), reservoir attribute analysis for thickness estimation, seismic-to- well ties to detect the reservoirs of interest, fault mapping, 3D seismic interpretation, generation of time-depth structure maps for prospect mapping, volumetric analysis for recoverable reserve estimation and production record interpretation. Well log correlation revealed complex thrust faulting, structural rotation and left- lateral strike-slip which serves as major traps in some areas of the fields. The reservoirs were thickening to Northeastern direction towards Texas arch and thinning Northwestern and the log motifs depict carbonate depositional environment type. The mean porosities for R1, R2, R3 and R4 reservoirs are 23.7%, 16.3%, 26.1% and 26.0% respectively, while the fields' mean porosity value is 23.1% showing excellent porosity value for natural gas flow. Wells 29, 36, 37 and 38 have MHI of >20%. R1 reservoir had the highest thickness value