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Development of Incised Valley Systems in a Proximal Foreland Basin Setting, Lower Cretaceous Kootenai Formation, Northwest Montana

Casey Reid
Montana State University, Department of Earth Sciences
Bozeman, Montana United States of America
[email protected]

Incised valley systems in the Western Interior Basin (WIB) of North America have proven to be prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs for both Montana and Canada. The importance of incised valley systems were poorly understood until the proliferation of sequence stratigraphy. Still, only a handful of Canadian publications characterizing the unique stratigraphic expression of incised valley systems within the WIB exist. The main objective of the proposed study is to delineate the stratigraphic architecture and geologic controls on the development of incised valley systems in the Kootenai Formation in the northwestern Montana portion of the WIB. This study provides a unique opportunity to investigate the controls on incised valley systems in a relatively proximal setting of a nascent foreland basin system, while producing results with practical applications towards predictive exploration models and discerning the applicability of utilizing CO2 as a stimulant for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

The practical application of this study will grow from development of a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework in an integrated model that will promote better exploration strategies and advance EOR opportunities. In order to develop a successful reservoir model capable of predicting: 1) reservoir shape and size, 2) degree of continuity of valley fill sandstones and interconnectedness of interbedded mudstones, and 3) hierarchy of channel bodies within the valley “container”, a strong understanding of the geologic setting is essential. This research will not only benefit energy exploration and CO2 sequestration, but it will further the understanding of the geology of incised valley systems in northwestern Montana.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90183©2013 AAPG Foundation 2013 Grants-in-Aid Projects