ABSTRACT: Discovery of a New Field in the Trenton-Black River Interval, Northeastern Ohio

Peter Mackenzie and William A. Grubaugh, CGAS Exploration Inc., Columbus, OH

The Trenton-Black River interval in Ohio, Michigan, New York, and southern Ontario has historically been the most significant oil and gas-producing interval in the southeastern Great Lakes region. Although this interval is productive throughout the region, the reservoir properties are quite variable between the widely spaced fields. In this report we discus our current interpretation of the York Field, Saybrook Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio. The York Field is a fracture-related, predominately-gas producing field. One unique aspect of the York Field is the production of gas from paleokarst features that appear to be structurally controlled. We think that the karstification is related to Ordovician thrusting, which resulted in subaerial exposure of the Black River strata. Overprinting these Paleozoic structures are fractures that formed in a compression stress regime with an orientation similar to the current stress field. It is not clear at this time if some of the production in the York Field is from recent fractures, but we suspect that this may be the case. The York discovery well was drilled based on shallow mapping and 2D seismic. Current development of the field is founded in the 3D seismic analysis. The York Field currently has 6 producing Trenton-Black River wells, with plans for additional drilling and field extension using additional 3D seismic.

Search and Discovery Article #90907©2000 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, London, Ontario, Canada