Abstract: Oil and Gas Resource Development through Targeted Technology for Texas Operators -- Project STARR in Action

VINING, M. R., R. TYLER, R. P. MAJOR, H. S. HAMLIN, M. H. HOLTZ, and S. P. DUTTON, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, Austin, TX

The Bureau of Economic Geology is providing advanced technical support to Texas oil and gas operators through the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery program (Project STARR). STARR researchers evaluate oil and gas development potential in fields containing State Lands mineral interest. Integrated geologic and engineering reservoir characterization studies have resulted in the identification of underexploited compartments of remaining hydrocarbons. These studies lead to optimized recovery strategies, including well deepening, recompletions, infill drilling, and waterflood pattern optimization.

Texas State Lands remaining resources are estimated at 1.6 billion barrels of mobile oil and nearly 10 trillion cubic feet of gas, mostly in the Gulf Coast and Permian Basin regions. Twelve fields have undergone characterization studies and continued development because of the STARR program: Ozona, Geraldine Ford, Ford West, Lockridge, Waha, Waha West, Keystone East, and Bar-Mar fields of West Texas; and Umbrella Point, Duval County Ranch, Trinity River Delta, and Copano Bay South fields of the Gulf Coast. To date, Project STARR has recommended 37 new wells and 28 recompletions.

Umbrella Point field exemplifies bypassed and deep potential in mature Frio and unexploited Vicksburg sandstones along the Texas Gulf Coast. Operated by Panaco, Inc., the field has yielded 17 million barrels of oil and 102 billion cubic feet of gas from 19 stacked and growth-faulted Frio sandstones. The Vicksburg sandstone is an active deep gas exploration play in the region. Stratigraphic analysis, 3-D seismic interpretation, and production history analysis are being used to locate virgin and underexploited areas in these formations.

Ozona field exemplifies systematic step-out and exploration in deep-water Canyon sandstones of the Val Verde Basin of West Texas. Operated by Union Pacific Resources, this field has produced 979 billion cubic feet of gas from more than 2,000 wells in multiple-pay, lobate and channelized turbidites. Analysis of depositional architecture and mapping of reservoir trends have enabled the operator to focus new drilling programs in optimal areas.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90936©1998 AAPG Southwest Section Meeting, Wichita Falls, Texas