--> Abstract: Hydrocarbon Potential of the South Carolina Coastal Plain, by Douglas E. Wyatt; #90039 (2005)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Hydrocarbon Potential of the South Carolina Coastal Plain

Douglas E. Wyatt
EG&G Technical Services, Clemson University, Aiken, SC

The southeastern Atlantic Coastal plain does not routinely come to mind as a potential new area for traditional oil and gas exploration or production. In South Carolina, and adjacent portions of Georgia, and to some extent North Carolina, historic exploration has included several onshore and offshore explorations wells with oil shows, deep groundwater wells with oil shows, 2-D seismic, and regional soil gas geochemical surveys. Several oil and gas production tests were drilled on potential structures but there was no sustained oil and gas production.

During the late 1980's and through the 1990's, new regional geological and geophysical data were obtained to support ongoing studies for the US DOE Savannah River Site. These studies included the acquisitions of new higher resolution seismic data, new regional soil gas data, deep basement borings with high quality geophysical logs, and the application of GIS techniques to review the relationships. Additionally, existing gravity, aeromagnetic, and seismic data were expanded, re-processed and re-evaluated to provide an improved subsurface understanding of the coastal plain geology.

From this work, subsurface features and trends were discovered that might have hydrocarbon potential and meet the requirements of a petroleum system. These trends include the eastern edge of the Dunbarton Triassic Basin and its connection with other basins in southeast Georgia, possible stratigraphic or fault terminated subcrops (probably Cretaceous but possibly Jurassic), and the southern structural flanks of the Cape Fear Arch.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005