Unconventional
Shale Gas Potential of the Floyd Shale in the
Totten, Matthew W.1, Albert S.
Oko1 (1)
The commercial success of Barnett Shale
gas production in the
Two distinct areas of prospective
production were delineated. The first is in the shallower, northern portion of
the basin where the Floyd Shale is encased by two dense limestone units,
comparable to the stratigraphic relationship needed to contain induced
fractures necessary to achieve production in the Barnett Shale. It is
relatively thick (>200 ft), organic rich (>3.0% TOC), but thermally
immature (<1.0% vitrinite reflectance). A second area within the deeper part
of the basin has thicker, organic-rich shale (~300 ft; >3.0% TOC), which is
also thermally mature (vitrinite reflectance >1.0%), but lacks the upper
limestone-bounding unit.
Patterns of maturation and burial-history
data indicate secondary cracking of original oil to gas in the deeper parts of
the basin. Like the analogous Barnett Shale, potential production will require
artificial stimulation. Production from the deeper portion of the basin could
be challenging due to the absence of the upper limestone fracture barrier.
AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California