Abstract:

“Syndepositional Sandstone Channels”

The Singleton field in Banner Co., Nebraska was acquired by Elk Petroleum in response their tertiary recovery business model. Several other fields in Wyoming and Colorado were also evaluated based on waterflood success and reservoir heterogeneities. An aggressive transportation plan would pipe CO2 from Midwest ethanol plants to Singleton and points west including the Powder River Basin. A reservoir study was conducted to determine the nature of reservoir heterogeneities between the Singleton and adjoining Raymond fields. Correlations suggest fluvial and esturarine sandstone reservoirs may be associated with syndepositional structural lows. Paleovalleys apparently formed along linear depressions, possibly related to Permian salt dissolution along basement fracture zones. Work in the Powder River Basin suggests salt dissolution and attendant downwarping occurred in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.

A recent WGA-SPE field trip visited a similar syndepositional channel in the Muddy Fm. at Jones Draw in western Wind River Basin. The channel geometry suggests reservoir-quality sandstone development within an actively downwarping paleovalley. The channel sandstone is oil-saturated and may correlate with the Grieve field located 15 miles to the east.

Bio:

Currently, Mark is a geologist with Triangle G Consulting LLC. He is also a geology and history instructor at Casper College, and ski instructor at Hogadon Basin. Mark and Sandra's son Eric and wife Jenna have grandchildren Claire and Andrew. Mark has worked as a geologist since 1974, after having served in the U. S. Air Force. His professional fields have included engineering geology, petroleum geology, and field geology.