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The Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group (Iles and Williams Fork Formations) in the southwestern Piceance Basin, Colorado consists of interbedded marine and nonmarine sandstones, siltstones, shale, coals, rare fresh-water algal limestones, and conglomerates. Both the Iles and Williams Fork Formations are significant producers of natural gas in the Piceance Basin. Two organizations have assessed the remaining gas resource in the Uinta- Piceance province. The USGS (2003) and Potential Gas Committee (2003) have reported mean values of 21 Tcf and 37 Tcf, respectively, of technically recoverable gas. The main gas fields in the southern Piceance Basin are directly down-dip of the proposed outcrops for this study and produce from the Iles and Williams Fork Formations.
This study represents an expansion of previous work on stratigraphic and reservoir-scale architecture of the Williams Fork Formation within the Piceance Basin. Previous studies by Cole (2003) involved detailed sedimentological analyses of the lower Williams Fork Formation and the Rollins Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation. Results included numerous measured sections, photomosaics, and quantitative measurements of the geometries of fluvial sandstone bodies.
This research addresses the distribution, connectivity, and internal heterogeneity of fluvial architectural elements. The study integrates field observations into stochastic reservoir models. This study involves the collection of additional field data, including lidar (LIght Detection And Ranging) data. Lidar images are high-resolution digital elevation and intensity models of outcrop faces. Lidar images and photomosaics are used to (1) define fluvial architectural elements and bounding surfaces, (2) extract detailed dimensional data for sandstone bodies, such as channel width and height, (3) evaluate sandstone/sand-body connectivity, and (4) describe the internal architecture of fluvial deposits. The focus is on both low net-to-gross and high net-to-gross outcrops in the vicinity of Palisade, Colorado. These data provide input into 3-D models that address the distribution, connectivity, and internal heterogeneity of fluvial architectural elements. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Mesa State College, and Colorado School of Mines have collaborated on the study.
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Supporting companies: Bill Barrett Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Dominion, EnCana, ExxonMobil, Hydro, Kerr McGee, Marathon, Oxy, Petro-Canada, Williams
Supporting organizations: American Chemical Society, Williams, Petroleum Research Fund
Software sponsoring companies: Merrick & Company
Fluvial and marginal marine deposits of the Williams Fork Formation, Coal Canyon, Colorado |
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