Detailed Seismic Characterization of a Heavily Karsted Zone

Fernandez, Alfredo; Marfurt, Kurt

Producing hydrocarbons in karsted and fractured zones is a very risky procedure. This is the case of the source and reservoir Barnett Shale Formation that is overlying the highly karsted and fractured limestone of the Ellenburger Group in the Fort Worth Basin. Typically, karsted and fractured zones had been avoided because of the potential of the faults to connect with the water in the Ellenburger Group. I propose to generate a geological, geophysical and petrophysical model to delineate, characterize and quantify the effects of these karsted and fractures features on the production from the Barnett Shale Formation. Specifically, I will correlate well production to proximity to geohazards and to the elastic properties of the Ellenburger Group dolomite. Ideally, I will be able to identify areas where the Ellenburger Group serves as an acceptable barrier to hydraulic fractures.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90163©2013AAPG 2013 Annual Convention and Exhibition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 19-22, 2013