Permeability Anisotropy Study of the Bluejacket Sandstone at OK-20 Road Cut in Eastern Mayes County, OK

Abstract

The Bluejacket Sandstone has been selected to study permeability anisotropy of complex sandstones oriented to bedding surfaces of sedimentary structures. This study will improve the understanding of conventional reservoirs that are difficult to exploit due to complex heterogeneities and permeability anisotropy. The Bluejacket is well exposed on two parallel road cuts straddling highway OK-20 in Mayes County, Oklahoma. Both outcrops are fifty feet high and over 300 feet long. Multiple whole cores of the Bluejacket Sandstone were taken behind the northern outcrop, and have been preserved for study. Martinez (1993 MS thesis, University of Tulsa) developed a meandering fluvial facies architectural hierarchy based on outcrop and core observations. Architectural elements of interest to this study are the lower channel fill medium scale trough cross stratified sandstones and the middle channel fill sandstones with lateral accretion surfaces and surface drapes. To study permeability anisotropy, standard dimension core plugs will be taken from the available cores. Core plugs will be specifically cut parallel to strike and dip and perpendicular to stratal planes of selected architectural elements. Core plug scale porosity and permeability will be measured using standard techniques. Smaller rock volumes will be analyzed with a probe permeameter. Arrangements are being made to acquire micro CT 3D imagery of the pore systems within the plugs.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90221 © 2015 Mid-Continent Section, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 4-6, 2015