Update on the Cane Creek Fractured Shale Play, Northern Paradox Basin, Grand County, Utah
Grummon, Mark L.
Samson Resources, Denver, CO
Recent drilling in the northern Paradox basin has re-energized
the Cane Creek Shale play. After the initial 1990's horizontal drilling
campaign collapsed, several companies attempted to extend the same
play concept farther south, while various others tried to establish
resource type shale plays in the Paradox Salt throughout the basin.
Organic rich source rocks interbedded with modest reservoir
quality sandstones and carbonates comprise a typical Paradox Salt
clastic break. The Cane Creek is the thickest and best developed of
these, but is not otherwise unique. Salt both above and below clastic
breaks provides critical sealing capacity that preserves over-pressure
generated during hydrocarbon maturation. Commercial production
requires well bore communication with un-mineralized open natural
fractures. Matrix porosity adds significantly to reservoir storage
capacity. Many dry holes, both vertical and horizontal, can be
ascribed to seal failure or the absence of open natural fractures.
Horizontal wells targeting fractured Cane Creek shale met with
spotty success. Two fracture-stimulated vertical wells were
commercial failures. Current operators' press releases provide
evidence that the Paradox Shale play extends over a large portion of
the northern Paradox basin. One company has begun using multistage
frac treatments on 1,000-ft thick gross clastic reservoir intervals
spread over 12 clastic intervals in vertical wells. Preliminary results
indicate potential for combined flow rates from 4 to 12 MMCFGD
and 500 BCPD.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90071 © 2007 AAPG Rocky Mountain Meeting, Snowbird, Utah