--> ABSTRACT: Delineation of Basement Structures in the Piceance Basin, Western Colorado Using Multiple Source Data Sets; Implications for Fractured Reservoir Exploration, by Alan L. Klawitter and Thomas E. Hoak; #91020 (1995).

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Delineation of Basement Structures in the Piceance Basin, Western Colorado Using Multiple Source Data Sets; Implications for Fractured Reservoir Exploration

Alan L. Klawitter and Thomas E. Hoak

Remote sensing imagery interpretation from Landsat Thematic Mapper, airborne radar SLAR, and aerial photography integrated with recently-acquired aeromagnetic data, subsurface geologic mapping, and surficial fracture mapping, has permitted a new interpretation of basement structures in the southeastern portion of the Piceance Basin. Most importantly, this new interpretation demonstrates the importance of basement structures on the nucleation and development of overlying structures and associated natural fractures in the hydrocarbon-bearing section. Some basement structures m the eastern basin appear to have localized coal deposition.

Parachute, Rulison, Divide Creek, and Wolf Creek fields produce gas from fractured tight gas sand and coal reservoirs within the Mesaverde Group. Gas contained within the reservoirs was sourced from either Mesaverde coals or the underlying Mancos shale. Tectonic fracturing involving basement structures is responsible for significant permeability within the reservoirs, and probably provided the pathways for gas migration into reservoir sands. Therefore, the importance of detecting natural fractures using this integrated fracture detection technique is critical to developing tight gas resources. Structural styles to the west of the aforementioned fields appear to be significantly different. The E/W-trending styles of the western basin contrasts sharply with NW-trending styles observed in the eastern basin.

Integration of data from widely-available, relatively inexpensive sources provide excellent data sets to incorporate into an overall methodology for targeting fractured reservoirs.

Confirmation of fracture significance to productivity and field development economics can be confirmed by more expensive exploration methods applied to a smaller area.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91020©1995 AAPG Annual Convention, Houston, Texas, May 5-8, 1995