--> Abstract: Petroleum Hydrodynamic Applications in West Texas, by G. Ward; #90994 (1993).

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WARD, GRANT, Ward Hydrodynamics Ltd., Kalispell, MT

ABSTRACT: Petroleum Hydrodynamic Applications in West Texas

Petroleum hydrodynamics has not been widely used as an exploration tool in west Texas. This has been partly due to the operator-controlled data sets and the limited ability of early techniques. Private data collection of original drill-stem test reports and fluid analyses have been made over the past eight years. Although small in size, they represent sufficient data sets, when supplemented with virgin pool data, to conduct hydrodynamic evaluations. Detailed evaluation of the original drill-stem test charts allows for proper extrapolation of the pressures and a subjective evaluation of the conclusiveness of the tests using current chart analytical techniques.

Recent major advances in petroleum hydrodynamics have provided concepts explaining the controlling factors of pressure and fluid distributions in the deep subsurface. Practical applications of these new concepts have proven to be of significant exploration importance in many basins. Application requires integration of data on pressures, fluid chemistries, formation temperatures, and geology. Reconstruction of the reservoir evolution is made, including source determination, maturation histories, preferred migration pathways, and hydraulically assisted entrapment sites. Exploration play concepts are developed for structural traps along preferred migration pathways and stratigraphic/hydraulic traps where opposing flow occurs along sealed subcrop edges.

Evaluations in west Texas are in their initial stages. To date, they have explained the symmetry and position of many of the existing pools and have directed attention to new play concepts.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90994©1993 AAPG Southwest Section Meeting, Fort Worth, Texas, February 21-23, 1993.