Abstract: 3-D Seismic Redevelopment of Louisiana's Tuscaloosa Trend, Port Hudson Field Case History

Chip Story

The Port Hudson field is a salt-cored anticline which produces from the Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Formation 15 miles north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Approximately 480 BCF and 45 MMBO have been produced in the last 18 years from depths between 15,400 and 17,400 feet. An extensive grid of 2-D seismic was acquired over the field during the 1970's and early 1980's. In October of 1994 interpretation of a new 60 sq. mile 3-D dataset was completed.

The Amoco Tuscaloosa asset group to date has defined 9 new prospect locations based primarily on the highly detailed structural and stratigraphic mapping possible with the new dataset. Seven of the locations have been drilled with a 100 percent success ratio and added new proven gross reserves of 200 to 300 BCFE. The remaining 2 locations will be drilled by the spring of 1996 and bring the total drilling investment to $50 million. The key learning point to be made with this case history is that the tremendous improvement in imaging with 3-D can lead to entirely new depositional and structural models even in heavily drilled areas.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90950©1996 AAPG GCAGS 46th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas