OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Volume 62 • No. 8 • August 2013
Well Log Printing Solutions /FVSBMPH QSPWJEFT QVSQPTF CVJMU XFMM MPH QSJOUJOH TPMVUJPOT GPS UPEBZ T HFPTDJFOUJTUT 0VS QSJOUFST SFRVJSF OP BEE PO TPGUXBSF GPS BVUPNBUJDBMMZ TFOTJOH UPQ PG GPSN QSJOUJOH "VUPNBUFE QBQFS IBOEMJOH SFEVDFT VTFS JOUFSGFSFODF BOE TBWFT ZPV UJNF NPOFZ
t 1VSQPTF CVJMU XFMM MPH QSJOUFST t "VUPNBUFE QBQFS IBOEMJOH t 5PQ PG GPSN MPH QSJOUT t 1SJOUJOH TPGUXBSF JODMVEFE t 0OF ZFBS XBSSBOUZ JODMVEFE
For More Information Visit Us Summer NAPE www.Neuralog.com
Vol. 62, No.8
2
August 2013
OUTCROP
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 910 16th Street • Suite 1125 • Denver, CO 80202 • 303-573-8621 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.
2013 Officers and Board of Directors RMAG Staff
Executive Director Emily Tompkins etompkins@rmag.org Office & Programs Manager Carrie Veatch, MA cveatch@rmag.org
President – Debra Higley-Feldman higley@usgs.gov
Treasurer – Mike Kozimko mkozimko@yatespetroleum.com
President-Elect – Matt Silverman MSilverman@bayless-cos.com
Treasurer Elect – Reed Johnson reed.johnson@cometridgeresources.com
Accountant Carol Dalton cdalton@rmag.org
Secretary – Jacinda Nettik Brown jacinda@caerusoilandgas.com
Kristine Peterson k.peterson@laramidegeo.com
OUTCROP ADVERTISING RATES
Holly Sell holly.sell@yahoo.com Ron Pritchett pritchett61@msn.com
Cheryl Whitney c.whitney@laramidegeo.com
Design/Production
Wednesday Noon Luncheon Reservations
RMAG Office: 303-573-8621 Fax: 303-628-0546 staff@rmag.org www.rmag.org
Counselor (1 Year) – John Ladd john.ladd@fmr.com
2nd Vice-President – Laura Mauro Johnson lmauro@newfield.com
Co-Editors
Debbie Downs debradowns@att.net
Counselor (2 Year) – Laura L. Wray laura.wray@wpxenergy.com
1st Vice-President – Larry Rasmussen larryr@whiting.com
Ad Size
Cost Per Insertion 1 Time
2 Times (each)
6 Times (each) 12 Times (each)
Full page
$330
$310
$285
$270
2/3 page
$220
$200
$185
$185
1/2 page
$175
$165
$155
$145
1/3 page
$165
$125
$115
$100
1/6 page
$75
$60
$55
$50
Business Card
$17
$17
$14
$12
Advertising rates apply to either black and white or color ads. Submit color ads in RGB color to be compatible with web format.
ADVERTISING
Borders are recommended for advertisements that comprise less than one half page. Digital files must be PC compatible submitted in png, jpg, tif, pdf or eps formats at a minimum of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, please call the RMAG office at 303-573-8621.
HELPFUL HINTS
Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS Will be actual size. Both black and white, and color art will be accepted. If you are submitting digital files, please save in PC format. Please submit png, jpg, eps, pdf or tif files for ads, artwork or photos at a minimum of 300 dpi. When saving pdf files, export at the highest quality available. An advertising agreement will be sent to you.
OUTCROP
DEADLINES: ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month's publication. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 910 16th Street, Suite 1125• Denver, CO 80202
3
www.rmag.org
RMAG June Board of Directors Meeting
By Jacinda Nettik Brown, Secretary (jacinda@caerusoilandgas.com) The Board of Directors meeting was held on June 19th, 2013 at the RMAG office. We began this meeting with approval of last month’s minutes and Mike Kozimko followed up with the Financial Report. An email written by current RMAG President Debra Higley and President Elect Matt Silverman went out to our expired members. It was well received and renewals picked up during the month. RMAG currently has 731 expired members and 1,876 current members. Contacting our expired members has been a priority over the last couple of months. The Publications Committee is working on a Colorado Oil & Gas Field Publications. We are currently looking for individuals, companies and foundations interested in sponsoring this publication. A resource such as this one will bring value to Colorado oil and gas companies. A motion was passed to move forward with contract and pricing for GeoScienceWorld e-journals to include RMAG’s Mountain Geologist. This could provide a new revenue stream for RMAG as well as provide a cost effective
way for Mountain Geologist to be provided to our nonmember subscribers. The upfront costs can be budgeted and paid in 2014. The Continuing Education committee is excited about their Sussex Core Workshop being offered in October. Look for details to come. Also, if your company would like to sponsor this workshop that will likely sellout contact the RMAG staff. Last, for those of you who attended the One Day Carbonate Ichnology Course I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I walked away with new ideas on what facies of carbonates provide the best permeability for gas production. George Pemberton gave us many great quotes throughout the day, but one of my favorites was one by Aristotle, “Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” Pemberton definitely understood well enough to teach. He provided great case studies throughout the day that had me wanting to run back to the office to do some carbonate exploration.
The Publications Committee is working on a Colorado Oil & Gas Field Publications. We are currently looking for individuals, companies and foundations interested in sponsoring this publication
»
DONOVAN BROTHERS INCORPORATED Wellsite Drilling Engineering • Well Plans • Geomechanics Formation Evaluation • Optimize Drilling Using Logs
Bill Donovan
Geologist • Petroleum Engineer • PE
780 E. Phillips Dr. S. • Littleton, CO 80122 (720) 351-7470 (voice) • (303) 794-7470 (message) donovan@petroleum-eng.com www.petroleum-eng.com
Vol. 62, No.8
4
August 2013
OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
CONTENTS Features
34 Connect with RMAG Online! 38 Submit a Manuscript to The Mountain Geologist 40 2013 Scheduled Onthe-Rocks Field Trips 42 Studies in Geology 65
8 Lead Story: Reservoir Connectivity and Stimulated Gas Flow in Tight Sands
Association News
13 Authors and Editors Needed 15 September RMAG Onthe-Rocks Field Trip 18 On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin 28 The 20th Anniversary 3D Seismic Symposium 29 Have you written a book? 30 Thank you to 2012 RMAG Foundation Donors 31 RMAG 2013 Summit Sponsors
Departments
COVER PHOTO Eagle Rock in the east flank of the South Park in Colorado; an erosional remnant of Precambrian metamorphic rocks that rise up through the veneer of Tertiary cover and looks like it is a volcanic neck, which it is not. The meandering stream in the foreground is Tarryall Creek; photo taken a short distance above Tarryall Reservoir on October 31, 2010 by Dean Dubois.
4 RMAG June Board of Directors Meeting 6 President's Column 29 Check it out! 32 New Members 35 RMAG Luncheon Program 40 In the Pipeline 43 Advertisers Index 43 Calendar of Events
Volume 62 • No. 8 • August 2013
OUTCROP
5
www.rmag.org
President’s Column By Debra Higley
Amazing Field Trips on the Horizon Saturday August 17th will be the RMAG “On the Rocks” field trip to the Medicine Bow Mountains and Snowy Range of southeast Wyoming. This is a gorgeous trip of mountains, glacial features, stromatolites, and complex tectonics.
and State and Federal organizations that have allowed their geoscientists to be involved with RMAG planning and goals. These are busy times and your generosity towards RMAG members, events, and the community is very valuable. RMAG would not exist without you and other volunteers. You allow us to provide our publications, continuing education and social events, field trips, networking, technological and prospect events, scholarships, and other contributions. I have received more than I have given by volunteering for RMAG; I’ve learned how to better network and organize projects, the intricacies of publishing and event planning, and that people are very giving of their time and expertise. RMAG volunteers are focused on project goals, instead of themselves. Thank you for your generosity and support. I volunteer several times a year for face painting kids that have Celiac disease (an immune reaction to eating gluten.) Kids have such perfect skin, which always seems to have a dusting of food crumbs. Amazing how they can wait patiently in line for an hour and then fidget once I start painting their face red (Spiderman) or other colors. I’m getting pretty good at drawing webs on moving targets. My favorite was a Halloween party in which most of the kids wanted to be morphed into zombies. One lovely little girl wore a glittery green mermaid outfit, and she wanted her face painted like a skull with fangs and dripping blood. I made $40 in tips from another gig, so maybe this is a pending second career? Volunteering for RMAG and other organizations has been rewarding.
The September field trip will be on the 7th to vineyards and outcrops of western Colorado. Check the events site on the RMAG website for trip details. The AAPG-SPE-SEG URTeC conference (American Association of Petroleum Geologists - Society of Petroleum Engineers – Society of Economic Geologists – Unconventional Resources Technology Conference) on unconventional resources will be held on August 12-14 in Denver (and is all indoors so they won’t get to see rocks in their natural environments). I want to thank all of you who volunteer your time and expertise to RMAG and other organizations. Based on Bureau of Labor statistics, 26.5% of the people in the U.S. volunteered in 2012. A somewhat smaller number volunteered for RMAG of course. I also wish to acknowledge the numerous companies, academia,
»
Vol. 62, No.8
6
August 2013
12–14 AUGUST 2013 The integrated event for unconventional resource teams
COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER | DENVER
URTEC.ORG
“URTEC is a first of its kind meeting that brings all the disciplines together to talk about unconventionals. Unlocking the code for unconventionals requires a team approach. The technical program has something for everyone!” Stephen A. Sonnenberg Colorado School of Mines
Register now at URTeC.org or in Lobby F at the Colorado Convention Center beginning Sunday, 11 August at 8:00 a.m. t Learn from industry experts who are finding technical and financial solutions for unconventionals. t Discover what works in all the important plays. t Connect with leading suppliers and funding groups for unconventional resources.
SPONSORS
urtecAUGUSTrmag.indd 1
OUTCROP
7/3/13 3:09 PM
7
www.rmag.org
LEAD STORY Reservoir Connectivity and Stimulated Gas Flow in Tight Sands By Dag Nummedal, Director, Colorado Energy Research Institute, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO and Kent Perry, VP Onshore Programs, RPSEA, 1650 Highway 6, Suite 325, Sugar Land, TX A comprehensive research reservoir-equivalent strata, the project consisting of multiple team also made sure that all tasks in geology, geophysics, relevant outcrop information was petroleum engineering and integrated into the project. rock mechanics, all designed to What follows is a summary explore the relationships between of selected findings from the the architecture of tight gas project. Those interested in the reservoirs in the Piceance Basin, comprehensive final report are Colorado, and their fluid flow directed to: characteristics was performed by w w w. d r o p b o x . c o m / s h / a consortium of researchers led tiezr0du53b66l5/ctyV2HlZC6 by Colorado School of Mines. Data and analysis of the Photo of cliff in the Piceance basin courtesy of Tom The overall project goal was structural and stratigraphic Davis, Colorado School of Mines. to improve the predictability in controls for static reservoir exploration for and the completion and production of models were focused on the Mamm Creek Field, these reservoirs. The culture of open exchange of data, specifically, yet the data that were collected and analyzed ideas and insights between several research universities are of equivalent value also to most other gas fields and organizations and the many companies operating across the Piceance basin. Outcrop-to-subsurface in the region played a huge role in the overall success correlation proved to be a particularly powerful of the project. approach to document the size, shape and connectivity More than 6,000 well logs, several 2-D seismic lines, of key gas-bearing sandstones in the Williams Fork and 3-D seismic data cubes for the Mamm Creek and Formation, the key gas-bearing interval in the basin. Rulison fields were made available to the investigators This knowledge about sandstone body characteristics on this team, from a combination of donated industrial was then applied in the modeling of reservoir sandstone data bases and public resources. Given the unique bodies as documented in a 3D seismic data cube and situation of having a number of large natural gas logs for parts of the Mamm Creek gas field. A quite fields, surrounded on all sides by excellent outcrops of Continued on page 11 Âť Summit Mudlogging Services
1 and 2 man Mudlogging Gas Referencing™ Geosteering
Mike Barber
Manager Serving the Rocky Mountain Region
230 Airport Rd. Unit D Heber City, Utah 84032
Ph (435)657-0586 Cell (435)640-1382 email: mbarber@summitmudlog.com www.summitmudlog.com
Vol. 62, No. 8
8
August 2013
OUTCROP
9
www.rmag.org
AS OUR TOUCH GETS LIGHTER…
THE OPPORTUNITIES GROW LARGER.
YOUR AD HERE
(Professional Card Ad Size)
Our business is about more than exploration and production. It’s about improving the lives of those around us by helping the communities in which we live and work grow and prosper. It’s about providing our employees with opportunities to make positive contributions and constantly challenging ourselves to ffi ind better solutions. It’s about continuously striving to be a better industry partner and leaving behind a legacy of sustainability wherever we can.
Energizing the World, Bettering People’s Lives ®�
Only $144.00 per year
www.nobleenergyinc.com
Vol. 62, No.8
10
August 2013
Lead Story
Continued from page 8
fundamental discovery was that most of the gas bearing fluvial sandstone bodies in this field are smaller than the distance between wells drilled at 10 acres spacing (labeled “pay” in figure below). Thus, how they are distributed and whether or not multiple sandstone bodies are connected are crucial to the optimal development of the field. Also investigated were the larger scales of architecture, at the scale of the basin rather than the scale of the reservoir. The largest scale explored was that of the formation of the entire paleogeography of the region at the time of deposition of these gas-bearing strata, at about 80 to 70 million years ago. Connected-volume images for all sandstone, at 10 acre, 40 acre and 160 acre well spacing. Subduction of a (now entirely Calculated connectivity (expressed as a %) of the total interval is notated in bold. Figure consumed) oceanic plate, the from Matt Pranter, University of Colorado. Farallon plate, pulled the western of data for research because most basins do not have margin of North America down at the time, creating a that degree of well control. 1000-mile-wide seaway which connected the Gulf of These comprehensive stratigraphic studies document Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. The Piceance Basin today the basin-specific distribution of reservoirs, seals, occupies a location just west of the western shoreline of and potential migration pathways. They also provide this ocean, where sediments were deposited in deltas, profound new insights into gas charge distribution, role related shorelines and river systems draining mountains of stratigraphic as well as structural traps, and the timing farther west (in today’s central Utah). The structural of gas generation from the major source rocks (mostly deformation of the region, both before and after the deposition of these sediments, is equally important to Continued on page 12 » the understanding of today’s hydrocarbon distribution because it is the vertical movement of the basin over time and the changing temperatures within the basin sediments that determine which organic ‘source rocks’ were cooked to produce gas, when they were so cooked, and how and when they migrated to the gas bearing intervals from where we produce them today. Several reports prepared as part of this very comprehensive research effort were built on the huge digital well log data set that the industrial partners in this research program provided. Very few research teams have been fortunate enough to get access to this kind OUTCROP
11
www.rmag.org
Lead Story Continued from page 11
coals just above the Rollins Sandstone). I wouldThe likestudies to place a 1/6 paid advertisement in the August Outcrop. indicate that stratigraphic trapping may play a role in the gas distribution, in addition to the previous conventional thinking that pressure gradients alone provided the dominant control on gas distribution. Also examined were the oldest of all well logging tools, the SP (self-potenti1al) tool. This was pursued because of the curious observation that there is a distinct SP deflection at the abrupt top of overpressure in the gas column and that this Independent Geologist signal commonly goes away after Prospect Generation, Field Development several years of gas production and pressure relief. This change is found Currently marketing prospects/plays: Also: to be the consequence of a change • Spearfish fairway NPV= $2.5 Billion • Large potential and multiin the streaming potential (the (resource-play) (Undiscounted) zone Eagle Basin oil and gas part of the SP signal that records NPV= $975 Million acreage; Bottineau play; Northwest Colorado (Discounted 10%) County, North Dakota current related to fluid movement from the rocks to/from the well Currently marketing prospects/plays: 720-530-1387 cell • 303-279-0817 • 1800 Washington Ave., Golden, CO 80401 bore) as the pressure differential cknight@alumni.mines.edu across the stratigraphic seal on top  Large potential and multi zone Eagle Basin of the gas column decreases during oil and gas play; Northwest Colorado production. Recognition of potential new NPV= $2.5 Billion (Undiscounted) stratigraphic gas traps would further NPV= $975 Million (Discounted 10%) enhance the predictability (and hence cost effectiveness) of basin OUR COMMITMENT gas production, above and beyond  Spearfish fairway (resource-play) acreage; ‡ 3URYLGH KLJKHVW TXDOLW\ RI what we are already learning from JHRORJLFDO ZHOOVLWH VHUYLFHV reservoir connectivity analysis. Bottineau County, North Dakota WR RXU FOLHQWV Yet another research focus was on dynamic models to properly and ‡ 2IIHU UHDO WLPH LQWHUSUHWDWLYH understand flow connectivity in a LQWHJUDWHG VHUYLFHV VXFK portion of the Mamm Creek Field. DV JHRVWHHULQJ Gas and other fluids drain through a reservoir during production both ‡ ,QWHJUDWH FRRUGLQDWH ORQJ via connected sandstone bodies as ~ Since 1980 ~ WHUP UHVRXUFH SODQQLQJ ZLWK well as through natural and induced FOLHQWV fractures. For most unconventional ‡ :HOOVLWH *HRORJ\ oil and gas reser voirs, these ‡ ,QWHURSHUDWH PRUH ZLWK JHRORJ\ DQG GULOOLQJ fracture pathways are keys to ‡ 0XG /RJJLQJ RSHUDWLRQV DQG H[SORUDWLRQ optimal reservoir production. The WHDPV effectiveness of such fractures in ‡ 5HPRWH 2Q VLWH conducting fluids from reservoir Info: *HRVWHHULQJ to well bore also changes over
Connie Dodge Knight, PhD
Well Site Geological Consulting
Mudlogging Services
Continued on page 14 Âť
Vol. 62, No.8
‡ 0DVV 6SHFWURPHWU\
ZZZ FROXPELQHORJJLQJ FRP
12
August 2013
Authors and Editors Needed: RMAG Oil & Gas Fields of Colorado! RMAG is working toward the publication of a guidebook dedicated to short field studies of a set of selected oil and gas fields in Colorado. In large part the format will be similar to earlier publications of this type: a several page article that will include a one page summary with a small set of maps and cross-sections adequate to give the reader a lot of information in a short amount of time. The RMAG committee working on this publication has selected 85 fields for review. In addition, we expect to have extended discussion around several large “resource play” areas such as the Piceance Basin or the Greater Wattenberg complex including the recent horizontal Niobrara play. The committee is currently looking for authors to do field studies and to put together material for publication. Each author may contribute one or multiple field studies. We will also need a group of editors for both technical and copy (grammatical and graphical) review. Please volunteer! Committee contacts below: Dean DuBois, Committee Chair 720-876-5366 dean.dubois@encana.com
Marshall Deacon 303-228-4215 mdeacon@nobleenergyinc.com
James Milne 303-894-2100 x5117 james.milne@state.co.us
Tom Feldkamp 303-228-4146 tfeldkamp@NobleEnergyInc. com
James Rogers 303-832-2328 jim_rogers1@comcast.net
Chris Martin 720-440-6134 CMartin@bonanzacrk.com
Steve Cumella 720-979-0718 steve.cumella@endeavourcorp.com
Logs Since 1971
L OG S G S LO LOGS OVER 6 MILLION WELL LOGS FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE GULF OF MEXICO
CAMP
WOLF
CAR
DIU
M
EAGLEFORD Y
LBAN NEW A
MONTNEY FAY ETT EVI L
ORKS
EF THRE
BAKKEN
JLog® Petrophysical Software Consulting and Training
WOODFORD
RIVER N R HO
LE
DUVERN
BARNETT N IOBRARA UTICA
www.mjlogs.com 1-800-310-6451
Jack Bowler – Bowler Petrophysics, Inc. 303 860 1641 www.jlog.biz jack@bowler-petrophysics.com OUTCROP
ILLE
SV HAYNE
AY
For Independents and Small Companies • •
R
13
www.rmag.org
Lead Story
Continued from page 12
time during field production as pressures change and fractures ‘evolve’. The performed research demonstrates how an integrated approach leads to more realistic 3D geologic and dynamic models that are consistent with static data and historical production performance. Such models are useful for estimating the impact of complex sandstone connectivity on early and long-time performance, including well interference, long-term recovery and optimal spacing. When the dynamic (flow) simulation runs for the Mamm Creek Field were validated against historical production data, and tied back to the static models of sandstone body distribution, it was found that the best match was obtained by considering only clean sandstones in depositional systems such as point bars, channel fills and marine sand bodies as pay.
allow prediction of the actual mechanical conditions for crack initiation, the effects of varying volumes of weak vs. strong rock layers, confining pressures, porosity of different beds, and bedding geometry. Included in this comprehensive study of tight gas sandstone reservoirs in the Piceance Basin are four geophysical studies built around an evaluation of vertical seismic profiling for improved reservoir imaging, improved accuracy in locating microseismic events and understanding of the fundamental properties of the self-potential field in basin-center gas accumulations and the advancement of seismic shear wave anisotropy analysis to characterize fracture orientation and possibly other anisotropic reservoir properties. 3-D VSP (vertical seismic profiling) using shear waves were assessed and found that this tool offers significant data improvements compared to recording by
Bcf/Acre An additional research effort was to move reservoir connectivity analysis beyond the empirical and towards a predictive science based on the mechanics of failure in rocks subject Continued on page 16 Âť to stress. Predicting failure, and the geometry of resulting fractures, is greatly complicated by the fact that real rocks have very heterogeneous composition in terms of mineral grains, cement bonding strength and size and shape of connecting pores. To approximate these complexities, we chose discrete element models (DEMs) for the numerical modeling of such rocks because these codes are designed to handle complex mechanisms, material heterogeneity and failure events at a range of scales. The models now in A 3D dynamic simulation technique was developed based on detailed static geologic and petrophysical place as a result of models and hydraulic fracture properties. Figure from Reinaldo Michelena, iReservoir.com. this RPSEA project do Vol. 62, No.8
14
August 2013
September RMAG On-the-Rocks Field Trip
Vineyards and Adobes and Gravels - Oh My!
The beautiful North Fork Valley, with its laccolith sentinels, Mount Lamborn and Landsend Peak. Photo by Dave Noe.
A Wine-Tasting and Geologic Exploration of the North Fork Valley By Sandra Mark Trip Leader: Dave Noe, Colorado Geological Survey Date: September 7, 2013 Noe will share descriptions of the geology of the varied landscapes, and knowledge gained from mapping in the area by the Colorado Geological Survey.
Western Colorado's North Fork Valley is home to the West Elks American Viticultural Area, and some of the highest vineyards in North America. High elevation, low humidity, warm days, cool nights, and a short growing season impart a distinctive character to the red and white wines produced here. This climate is also conducive to a vibrant fruit growing and organic farming and ranching industry. Not surprisingly, the geology and landscapes of the North Fork Valley have a great influence on the terroir, or the effects of the local environment upon the wines and agricultural products. The valley contains many landscapes, ranging from river canyons to bleak, "Adobe" clay badlands to pyramidal laccolith peaks, to remnant river terraces and extensive gravel fans. This field trip features the best of the valley. We will enjoy wine tasting at several of the area's foremost vineyards. Our lunch stop will include fruit-picking at an orchard. Along the way, at scenic overlooks, Dr. Dave
Continued on page 17 »
LOCATION we’ll lease it, permit it, gather it and sell it
»
your ideas - we make them happen LEASING - PERMITTING - DAMAGES - ROW
303-279-0789 OUTCROP
15
www.rmag.org
Lead Story
Continued from page 14
means of surface geophones. These advantages include: 1) improved image quality from VSP records because of their broader bandwidth and the low noise environment as compared to surface seismic recordings; 2) the depth migrated images tie better with the well logs; 3) the VSP images discern more
subtle stratigraphic features, and 4) there is better imaging of structural features, especially faults, which were previously unnoticed on surface seismic data, and 5) differences in reflection amplitudes between sets of split shear waves appear to indicate fractured zones. Microseismic tools to locate seismic events during fracturing operations were investigated because this a p p r o a c h has become ubiquitous, yet rarely critically examined from g e o p hy s i c a l o r
Quality Mudlogging Geologic Interpretation Wellsite Geology | Geo-Steering | Coring Supervision Serving the Williston Basin and Rocky Mountain Region
Horizontal Bakken, Mission Canyon, Red River, Dupero, Three Forks and Ratcliff formations Joseph H. Large
geological perspectives. A critical geophy-sical issue was addressed in this study, in which the investigator developed a new approach to determine the precise location of each microseismic event (its ‘hypocenter’). Traditionally, people pick P and S wave arrival times at multiple receivers and then triangulate to determine the location of the event’s hypocenter. The data is usually quite noisy, however, so hypocenter locations become prone to substantial errors. Instead, the new method developed in this study is based on reconstructing the entire wave field as seen from sets of receivers sensing waves arriving from different directions. What still remains is an open question, however, it is the determination of what exactly the seismic event represents. Does it truly record the location of a fracture tip, or does it represent a seismic shock wave associated with stress release that did not necessarily result in an open fracture? There was a very large team of professional researchers and students from many Colorado institutions engaged in this project, of which the following must be mentioned. Paul Weimer and Matt Pranter (University of Colorado, Boulder), Rex Cole (Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO), Jim Gilman and Reinaldo Michelena (iReservoir.com), Piret Plink-Bjorklund, Jen Aschoff, Bruce Trudgill, John Berger, Graham Mustoe, Tom Davis, Paul Sava, Andre Revil, Ilya Tsvankin (Colorado School of Mines).
»
President
www.rpmconsultinginc.com 1600 Broadway, Suite 1510, Denver, CO 80202 (Office) 303 595 7625 | (Fax) 303 595 7628
Vol. 62, No.8
16
August 2013
September RMAG On-the-Rocks Field Trip
Continued from page 15
"Adobe" clay badlands at the western edge of the North Fork Valley. Grand Mesa to the right. Photo by Dave Noe.
The trip will begin and end in Paonia, Colorado, a delightful little coal-mining town where music, art, and locally raised food are abundant. We encourage participants to spend the night here after the field trip (especially after a day of imbibing wine!), to savor some more of the good life. We will provide you with information about local brew pubs, restaurants and cafes, and nightlife.
We will meet at the Paonia Public Library, 2 3rd Street, Paonia, CO 81428 at 9 am, September 7, 2013. Park along the street and not in the library lot. Bring jacket, sunscreen, water, camera. There will be short hikes that are not strenuous. We will return to the library at approximately 6 pm. Because wine tasting is a part of this field trip, the participants will be required to ride in rental vans
OUTCROP
17
to be driven by designated drivers. Unlike most RMAG On-the-Rocks field trips, there will be a fee for this trip to cover the rental vans and a box lunch. The fee is $55. The North Fork Valley is a 4.5 – 5 hour drive from the Denver metro area, so lodging or camping for one or two nights must be arranged and paid for by individual participants. A block of rooms at two area motels are being held until August 15 for the nights of September 6 and 7 under the name “RMAG”. There is also a campground with tent sites that will be convenient to the trip. Registration for the trip is via the RMAG website. Go to “Events”, then on the pull-down menu click “On the Rocks” to fill out your information and pay the fee. There is additional information on the website to assist you in making arrangements for lodging or camping, and area information on wineries and restaurants. Please contact Sandra Mark for logistical questions: sandra@themarkfarm. com or 303.810.7827.
»
www.rmag.org
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin By Connie Knight
On June 22, a group of RMAG geologists spent a day in the field investigating the Pennsylvanian-Permian aged Eagle Basin of central Colorado. The weather was perfect; the geology was magnificent; and the group synergy was brilliant! Continued Âť
Figure 1: Paleogeography of the Eagle basin region in Des Moines time (W.W. Mallory, 1971). Pattern areas show areas where Pennsylvanian rocks are not present. (Newer regional interpretations of Desmoinsian aged rocks have been presented by Ron Blakey, Chuck Kluth, and others. However, this map served as a handy reference guide for our field trip.) Vol. 62, No.8
18
August 2013
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Our field trip leader was Bob Raynolds. Field trip organizers were Ron Pritchett, Phyllis Scott, and Dennis Foley. The ancestral Eagle Basin formed between high mountain ranges of the Ancestral Rockies. Eagle Basin fill deposits include conglomerates, sandstones, limestone beds, black shale beds, and evaporites. Coarse redbed basin-fill sediments that formed on the flanks of the Eagle Basin grade into finer grained basincenter deposits of mudstones and evaporites. Field-trip participants studied the facies patterns proximal, intermediate, and distal to the ancestral mountain front. Figure 1 (previous page) shows our field trip area superimposed on W.W. Mallory’s 1971 interpretation of the ancestral Rocky Mountain uplifts and the Eagle Basin. Field trip geologists included Pennsylvanian rock veterans Don Rasmussen and Noel Waechter. Don gave the trip magnanimous thumbs up when he said: “Even I learned something new!” If you have not yet participated in an “On the Rocks” field excursion, I suggest that you sign up for one. You can’t beat the price – FREE. A big THANK YOU goes to Bob, Ron, Phyllis, and Dennis. (Photos on the following pages are by Ron Parker, Ron Pritchett, and Connie Knight.)
Continued from page 18
The dq1000 ® Quadrapole Mass Spectrometer The dq1000 ® is a portable quadrapole mass analyzer used on drilling wells that analyzes a range of petroleum species and other organic and inorganic compounds. The dq1000 ® delineates petroleum type, water saturation, fluid contacts and seals to a much greater extent than with conventional instrumentation.
Analysis
Applications
/iV V> Ê-«iVÃ
UÊÊ £ £äÊ«iÌÀ iÕ ÊëiV iÃÆÊÃÌ> `>À`Ê gas ratios
UÊ*>ÞÊ`i i>Ì ÆÊyÕ `ÊV Ì>VÌÃ
UÊ i à Ã\ÊÓÈÊÝÊÇ°xÊÝÊ£xÊ V iÃ
UÊÊ / 8ÊV « Õ `ÃÊ> `Ê À}> VÊ>V `Ã
UÊ*iÌÀ iÕ ÊÌÞ«iÊ> `ʵÕ> ÌÞ
UÊ7i } Ì\Êx£Ê LÃÊ« ÀÌ>L i®
UÊÊ À}> VÃÊ V Õ` }Ê Ó]Ê À]Ê"Ó]Ê Ó"]Ê
"Ó]Ê i]Ê> `Ê Ó
UÊ* À Ã ÌÞ]Ê«iÀ i>L ÌÞ
UÊÊ* ÜiÀ\Ênx ÓÈ{Ê6 ÊÎ°ä £°xÊ> «®]Ê{Ç ÈÎÊ âÊ ÌiÀ >Ì > ®
UÊÊ-Õ vÕÀÊLi>À }ÊV « Õ `ÃÊ V Õ` }Ê -"Ó]Ê "-]Ê> `Ê -Ó UÊÊ À >Ì Ê}>ÃÊÛðÊ`À }Ê Õ`Ê> `Ê additives UÊ ÌÊ}i iÀ>Ìi`Ê}>à UÊÊ äÊÃiV `ÊVÞV iÊÌ iÆÊ£äÊ««LÊÃi Ã Ì Û ÌÞ UÊ i«Ì L>Ãi`Ê> `ÊÌ i L>Ãi`Ê`>Ì>
Continued on page 20 »
UÊÊ / 8Ê > ÃÊ«À Ý ÌÞÊÌ Ê«>Þ®Ê> `Ê-Ü UÊ «>ÀÌ i Ì> â>Ì UÊ-i> Ã]ÊvÀ>VÌÕÀiÃÊ> `Êv>Õ Ìà UÊ-ÜiiÌÊë ÌÃÊ ÊÕ V Ûi Ì > à UÊÊ*À>VÌ V> Ê`>Ì>ÊÌ Ê «À ÛiÊÜi Ê completions UÊÊ,i`ÕV }Ê`À }ÊV ÃÌÊÜ Ì ÊL ÌÊ}>ÃÊ monitoring
UÊ ÊÃ>Ìi ÌiÊ> `Ê ÌiÀ iÌÊi >L i` UÊÊ-i à ÀÃ\Ê i«Ì ]Ê ÀVÕ >Ì ]Ê> `Ê*Õ «Ê-ÌÀ ià UÊÊ ` ÕÃÌ>L iÊVÞV iÊÌ i\Ê£xÃÊ ÊÎÈäÃÊ£ÓäÃÊ > ® UÊÊ > Þà Ã\Ê Õ> Ê` vviÀi Ì > ®Ê ÀÊ- } iÊ* ÀÌÊ >ÃÊ-ÌÀi> UÊÊ ÌiÀv>ViÊv ÀÊ Ã ÌiV ½ÃÊ Ã ÌÕLiÊ>ÕÌ >`iÀ
Fluid Inclusion Technologies
ÓÓ£ÇÊ °Ê9i Ü `Ê Ûi°ÊUÊ À i Ê ÀÀ Ü]Ê" ÊÇ{ä£ÓÊ1- £n {È£ n n{ÊUÊwÌJwÌÌÕ Ã>°V
www.fittulsa.com
OUTCROP
19
FIT_dq1000®Ad_4.875x9.25.indd 1
www.rmag.org 3/19/13 1:43 PM
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Continued from page 19
Passive margin deposits of the Cambrian Sawatch Quartzite, Redcliff Area.
Mount Holy Cross, Sawatch Range. Vol. 62, No. No.88
20
August 2013
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Noel Waechter points to the contact between the Precambrian basement and the Cambrian Sawatch Quartzite. Who says old boys can’t learn new tricks --- or wear tights? Continued on page 22 »
OUTCROP
21
www.rmag.org
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Continued from page 21
Geologists study the steeply dipping “proximal� facies of the Minturn Formation. Proximal to the Ancestral Rocky Mountain Front Range, the Minturn Fm. is dominantly comprised of sandstone beds. Distal to the ancestral mountain front, in the subsurface, Minturn equivalent rocks produce oil and gas from a succession of penesaline carbonate, black shale, and anyhydrite rocks. This thick section of Desmoinesian aged rocks is considered a large underdeveloped resource play for oil, condensate, and high NGL gas.
Gilman Mine and Ron Parker
Spectacular example of tower karst topography at the top of the Mississippian Leadville Formation, along the Colorado River. Vol. 62, No. 8
22
August 2013
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Al Heinrich points to the coarse grained basin fill strata of the clastic Maroon Formation, which occurs statigraphically above the Minturn Formation.
Our dedicated and fearless Leader Bob Raynolds.
John Webb shares his interpretations and insights.
The Pennsylvanian Belden Formation, near Dotsero, is comprised of black shale and carbonate beds. In areas, such as the Colorado mining district, the Belden Formation is over-mature as a hydrocarbon source rock. However at other locations the Belden is considered a potential shalegas reservoir. Continued on page 25 Âť
OUTCROP
23
www.rmag.org
PTTC Workshops Come to Workshops Before and After the URTeC Conference in August!! Stimulating Shale Oil/Gas Wells: Permeabilities from Matching Microseismic and Gas Rates, Defining the Fracture Network, and Implications for Proppant Sunday August 11, 2013, 1:00pm – 5:00 pm, Denver Athletic Club Fee: $75 (includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate) Instructor: Dr. Ian Palmer (Higgs-Palmer Technologies)
Confessions of a Frac Engineer: 200 Field Studies Prove our Frac Jobs are Not Optimized
Thursday August 15, 2013, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Denver Athletic Club, Fee: $250 (includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate) Instructor: Mike Vincent, Fracwell, LLC
Come Join PTTC at RMS-AAPG in Salt Lake City, Utah Register online: http://rmsaapg2013.com/
Pre-Convention Short Course #2: Petrophysical Evaluation of Unconventional Resources Sunday, September 22th 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (Morning and afternoon snacks provided) Fee: $225 (Professionals) $125 (Students); Instructors: Robert Cluff, The Discovery Group, Inc.; Michael Holmes, Digital Formation, Inc. Limit: 60 persons
Course description: The course will cover the petrophysical approaches to the evaluation of Shale Oil, Tight Gas Sands, and Shale Gas Techniques using both open and cased hole logs. Attendees will learn basic interpretation procedures to determine porosity, hydrocarbon saturation, TOC, volumes of in-place hydrocarbons, recoverable hydrocarbon estimates, and net pay criteria. Worked examples from a number of North American reservoirs will be part of a comprehensive workshop manual to be provided to all attendees.
PETRA – Intermediate Mapping
Monday-Tuesday, October 14 and 15, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Colorado School of Mines, Berthoud Hall room 201 Fee: $500, includes food at breaks, workbook, and PDH certificate. Limit 20 people Instructor: Jewel Wellborn, Hydrocarbon Exploration & Development, Inc. The Intermediate Mapping class is designed for those participants who have completed the Petra Introductory course and are ready to advance their use of mapping features, gridding, and computational options available in the PETRA Map module. Workflows using contouring algorithms, gird to grid manipulations, computations, residual and curvature processes will be discussed. Map options such as directional well posting, drainage radii, rose diagram and lineament analysis, dip and strike calculation and presentation, 3D visualization, and posting of engineering data may be offered as class participants request. A discussion of overlay options and management may also be reviewed. (This class is designed with professional Geoscientist in mind). Class Descriptions and Register Online: www.pttcrockies.org For more information, contact Mary Carr, 303.273.3107, mcarr@mines.edu
Vol. 62, No.8
24
August 2013
On-the-Rocks Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin
Group shot. Basin centered evaporite facies north of the town of Gypsum.
OTR Field Trip to the Ancestral Eagle Basin...the weather was perfect; the geology was magnificent; and the group synergy was brilliant!
Continued from page 23
Our field trip organizers: left to right – Ron Pritchett (black shirt), Phyllis Scott (foreground), and Dennis Foley.
Get More
from
your
Core
With reservoirs becoming increasingly complex, you need the most accurate information you can get to better understand your reservoir. Weatherford Labs helps you get more from your core by combining an unsurpassed global team of geoscientists, engineers, technicians and researchers with the industry’s most comprehensive, integrated laboratory services worldwide. From core analysis, sorption, geochemistry and isotopic composition to detailed basin modeling and comprehensive data packages, we provide you with real reservoir SPDL BOE çVJE JOGPSNBUJPO UIBU IBTOnU CFFO EJTUJMMFE CZ B TJNVMBUPS PS JUFSBUFE by software.
Don Rasmussen, who has spent much of his career studying Desmoinsean aged Pennsylvanian rocks, particularly those of the coeval Paradox Basin.
We call it “The Ground Truth™” – giving you the accurate answers you need for better reservoir understanding. You’ll call it a better return on your reservoir investment. To learn more, contact TheGroundTruth@weatherfordlabs.com.
weatherfordlabs.com
© 2013 Weatherford. All rights reserved. Incorporates proprietary and patented Weatherford technology.
MoreCore_4.875x4.875_BW.indd 1
OUTCROP
25
3/8/2013 8:29:07 AM
www.rmag.org
Vol. 62, No.8
26
August 2013
#BLLFO 5ISFF 'PSLT /JPCSBSB &BHMFGPSE (SBOJUF 8BTI 8PPECJOF 1FSNJBO )BZOFTWJMMF #BSOFUU 8PPEGPSE FUD
Neil H. Whitehead, III Consulting Geologist PhD
CPG-AIPG
PG WY
Rocky Mountain Basins Wellsite to Petroleum Systems ArcGIS 303-679-8573
fax 303-679-8574
AAPG-RMS
31634 Black Widow Way
SALT LAKE CITY
Conifer, CO
neil3@q.com 80433-9610
AAPG - Rocky Mountain Section Annual Meeting
2013
Salt Lake City, Utah - September 22-24, 2013
rmsaapg2013.com SEPTEMBER 22-24
Technical Program Highlights • Lacustrine Basins • Microbial Carbonates: Modern and Ancient • Great Oil/Gas Fields of the Rocky Mountains: A Historical Perspective • Unconventional Resource Plays • Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage • New Resource Plays • Geothermal Resources of the Rocky Mountains
Registration Now Open OUTCROP
photo credit: Eric Schramm
Other Convention Events • 5 Utah-based eld trips and 4 short courses • ACL: Roving the Red Planet: A Field Geologist Explores Gale Crater Dr. Rebecca Williams, Mars Scientist, Planetary Science Institute
• Night at the new Natural History Museum of Utah • Guest hospitality suite and 3 days of special activities
27
www.rmag.org
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and the Denver Geophysical Society
Cordially invite you to
Save the Date for a very special event:
The 20th Anniversary 3D Seismic Symposium Friday, February 14, 2014 Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel Denver, CO Join us for a celebration of all things 3D Seismic! Same venue as this past year, with expanded exhibitor and social area. More details Autumn, 2013. To discuss or submit a presentation: Jim Thorson jim.thorson@catamountexploration.com
Vol. 62, No. 8
For general information: staff@rmag.org (303) 573-8621
28
August 2013
The Insider, Tisha Schuller’s Journey from environmental activist to industry champion in the fracking wars. Westward, June 13-19, Volume 36, Number 42. Westword.com. Midnight Sun, Artic Moon: Mapping the Wild Heart of Alaska, Mary Albanese, Smashwords Edition, 2012. Available on Amazon.com, $14.95.
Advisors to the Resource Sector... Leading with Ideas!
Check it out!
»
Have you written a book?
We would like to do a feature on books written by RMAG members in a future issue. Send the editors a scan of the book cover with a brief summary of the topic, publication date, publisher, price and availability. »
OUTCROP
200+ studies for all formations and zones covering the US, Western Canada and beyond: » » » » » » »
Spearfish Oil Bakken North Dakota, Saskatchewan Williston Basin Hydrogeology Sanish/Three Forks Green River, Wind River Basins Milk River Hydrogeology Shallow Gas, Western Plains
Subscribe to a Library Membership or purchase single studies www.canadiandiscovery.com
29
Canadian Discovery Ltd.
www.rmag.org
THANK YOU TO 2012 RMAG FOUNDATION DONORS The Trustees of the RMAG Foundation wish to acknowledge the generous support of the Foundation’s donors in 2012. Approximately $35,000 was raised for student scholarships and the general fund which supports geologic endeavors within the geologic community at large. The Foundation, a tax-exempt organization under section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code (Tax ID # 84-0730294), relies on these donations for its ongoing contributions which are made each year from the interest accrued by the fund. In addition to the individuals, companies, and corporations on the facing page who gave in 2012, the Foundation would like to recognize a major gift to the scholarship funds by the RMAG Golf Tournament contributors. Thank you to all who organized and played in that tournament! If any donor has failed to be thanked individually by letter, please contact:
Vol. 62, No. No.88
RMAG Foundation, #165 Independence Plaza 1001 16th Street, B-180 Denver, CO 80265
30
August 2013
OUTCROP OUTCROP
31 31
www.rmag.org www.rmag.org
New Members
Welcome to New RMAG Members...
John Bilbo works for Norwest Corporation in Palisade, CO.
Oren Gottlieb is a Senior Geologist with Cypress Energy LLC in Carmel, IN.
Thomas Belis is a Geologic Advisor for Cabot Oil & Gas.
Dr. Ali Jaffri works for Applied Stratgraphix.
Erik Borchardt is an Engineer with Schlumberger.
Troy Johnson is a Senior Geologist with Chesapeake Energy in Oklahoma City, OK.
Richard Boyce is a Geologist in Dallas, TX.
Chad Killcrease lives in Brighton, CO.
Travis Call is a Geologist with Newfield Exploration.
Steve Ladner is a District Geologist with Range Resources in Oklahoma City, OK.
Julie Daughtery is an Account Manager with LMK Resources. Michael Delvaux lives in Denver, CO.
Ray Mays works for SES in Houston, TX.
John Dodds is a Geologist with Chesapeake Energy Co. in Oklahoma City, OK.
Craig Phillips works for Weatherford Wireline. Benjamin Schupp lives in Superior, CO.
Dan Driscoll lives in Pueblo, CO.
Hunter Snyder lives in Denver, CO.
Lisa Fisher works for Escalante Mines Inc, Tomassuk Natural Resources LLC.
Mark Tomasso works for Merit Energy CO in Dallas, TX. William Whitty works for Freeport-McMoRoan Copper & Gold in Oro Valley, AZ.
Alex Gibson is a Graduate Student at the Colorado School of Mines.
Brett Wisler works for CGG in Houston, TX.
Antara Goswami works for ION Geophysical in Houston, TX.
Mark Zellman works for Fugro William Lettis and Associates. »
Project Planning | Acquisition | Permitting | Surveying | Safety Compliant | Results All crews utilizing OYO GSX Wireless System and AHV-IV 364 Commander Vibrators or Shothole
www.breckex.com Texas Office • Ph: 254-559-7566 • Fax: 254-559-6337 2301 US Hwy 180 East • P.O. Box 789 • Breckenridge, TX 76424 Denver Office • Ph: 303-563-5301 • Fax: 303.260.6401 600 17th Street, Suite 2800 S • Denver, CO 80202
Vol. 62, No.8
32
August 2013
How do we ensure that every Weatherford mudlogger performs at the same high standards around the globe?
They all have to get past our man Wayland.
EXCELLENCE FROM THE GROUND UP
TM
Weatherford is passionate about training, and that’s where Wayland comes in. His mudlogging training program begins with hands-on classroom instruction and ends with rigorous tests at the wellsite. We call it Competency-Based Training. You’ll call it another benefit of working with Weatherford. With courses for basic and advanced mudlogging, as well as for specialized services, Wayland’s program helps mitigate hazards and enhance data accuracy. It’s just one more way Weatherford Mudlogging is committed to Excellence from the Ground Up.
SURFACE LOGGING SYSTEMS www.weatherford.com/surfacelogging mudlogging.services@weatherford.com
OUTCROP
33
www.rmag.org
Geochemistry for Energy Breaking News: COGCC Rule 609 requires Baseline Water Quality Monitoring.
ŽīĞƌƐ stable isotope analysis of dissolved hydrocarbons in water samples. Our Services:
Stable Isotope Lab ŽŶƐƵůƟŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ Basin Studies
YOUR AD HERE (Professional Card Ad Size)
Only $144.00 per year
Connect with RMAG Online! You can now connect to the RMAG on Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook.
CONNECT WITH US ON LINKEDIN! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
Learn More
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!
digforenergy.com 303.531.2030 Vol. 62, No.8
34
August 2013
RMAG Luncheon Programs – August 7th & September 4th
U.S. Geological Survey Assessment of Undiscovered Resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota, 2013 By Stephanie B. Gaswirth and Kristen R. Marra, August 7
For unconventional oil resources, the USGS estimated a total mean resource of 3.65 billion barrels of oil (BBO), and 4 MMBO for conventional resources.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has reassessed the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of the U.S. Williston Basin in the DevonianMississippian Bakken Formation. The Bakken Formation was last assessed by the USGS in 2008, and required a reevaluation due to improved geologic knowledge and increased production information related to the substantial growth in the number of Bakken wells since 2008. The underlying Devonian Three Forks Formation was not assessed by the USGS in 2008, and similarly warranted assessment based on significant increases in drilling and production in this formation. Since the 2008 USGS assessment, over 600 million barrels of oil (MMBO) has been produced from the Bakken and Three Forks Formations in the United States. In 2008, five unconventional (continuous) assessment units and one conventional assessment unit (AU) were defined for the Bakken Formation. These AU lines were based on structural elements, source rock maturity of the Upper Bakken Shale, and resistivity data. For unconventional oil resources, the USGS estimated a total mean resource of 3.65 billion barrels of oil (BBO), and 4 MMBO for conventional resources. The reassessment of the Bakken Formation redefines the AUs based on updated thermal maturity data, structural controls, and the mapped extent of Bakken source rocks. Continuous assessment units are refined using new production and Continued on page 36 »
Luncheon Reservations & Information Luncheon will be held at the Marriott City Center at California and 17th St. Please check the event listing in the lobby for the room. Check-in/walk-in registration begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch is served at 12:00 noon, and the talk begins at 12:20 p.m. The luncheon price is $30.00. To listen only to the talk, walk-in price is $10.00. If you make a reservation and do not attend the luncheon, you will be billed for the luncheon. Online registration closes at 4:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the luncheon. Cancellations are not guaranteed after that time.
» OUTCROP
35
»
Your attendance is welcomed and encouraged. Bring a guest or new member!
Call 303-573-8621, email staff@rmag.org, or register online.
www.rmag.org
RMAG Luncheon Programs – August 7th & September 4th
Continued from page 35
geologic data, especially in the areas of the central basin, northeast Montana, and northwest North Dakota. The Parshall and Sanish fields have also been substantially developed since 2008, providing longer production histories and more accurate estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) data. The Three Forks Formation assessment also incorporates thermal maturity data, extent of the Three Forks Formation subcrop, and structural controls to define assessment unit boundaries. One continuous AU and one hypothetical conventional AU were defined for the Three Forks Formation. The technically recoverable undiscovered oil resource was estimated to be a mean of 3.6 BBO for the Bakken and 3.7 BBO for the Three Forks, for a combined resource assessment total of 7.4 BBO.
RMAG Luncheon Programs – August 7th & September 4th
MaxG Basin Temperature Modelling By Ian Deighton and Pete Dotsey with TGS, September 4
We can apply a lithologic thermal conductivity shift to the interval geothermal gradient layers to more closely approximate formation temperature, if necessary.
A new methodology for basin temperature modelling has been developed that utilizes a large amount of properly indexed and QC’d bottom-hole temperature data for a basin or area. To construct the temperature volume, we first define a curve (depth varying function) that depicts the envelope of the maximum bottom hole temperature cloud for each major lithostratigraphic unit to define the interval geothermal gradient. We then construct the temperature volume by stacking the interval geothermal gradient layers for the basin or area. We can apply a lithologic thermal conductivity shift to the interval geothermal gradient layers to more closely approximate formation temperature, if necessary. Results for the Delaware and Midland Basins are shown. Biography Pete Dotsey is the North and South America Business Development Manager for the TGS Geological Products Division. Pete attained an MS in Geology from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1983. His professional career includes: • 3 years working for Sohio Petroleum Company in exploration; • 9 Years working in the environmental field as a hyrdo-geologist and project manager; • 4 years working for Landmark Graphics Corporation as a geoscience application consultant; and • 13 years working with his current employer, TGS. »
Vol. 62, No.8
36
August 2013
PetroFecta® from Fluid Inclusion Technologies is a unique approach combining XRF (PDQ-XRF ®), Trapped Fluid Analysis (FIS ®), and High Resolution Photography (RockEye ®) of the entire wellbore from well cuttings or core samples of any age. All analyses are conducted on the same 1 gram sample (up to 575 samples per well) with an analytical cycle of four days. Data provided on a DVD with previewer software. Information about PetroFecta ® and the umbrella of FIT services, call 918.461.8984 or visit www.fittulsa.com
FIT_UnconvUmbrella_Outcrop.indd 1
OUTCROP
3/19/13 1:24 PM
37
www.rmag.org
o t t ip r c s u n a M a Submit viewed , online, peer-re ly er rt a u q a is Geologist eologists The Mountain Association of G in ta n ou M ky ountain by the Roc itors for The M d E journal published . 0 0 6 2 t ou geology culation is ab on or relate to s since 1964. Cir cu fo at th ts p me manuscri Geologist welco environs. ntain region and ou , please M ky oc R . .S ntain Geologist ou of the U M e Th r fo t p manuscri d under When writing a le G u id e ” fo u n ty S r o th u “A te: www. w n lo a d a b le the RMAG websi re fe r to th e d o on ” st gi lo eo G g to this The Mountain uscript accordin “Publications – an m r u yo te ri w d editors. por tant to both authors an rmag.org It is im r fo e m ti on si quiries to itigate revi ; please send in style guide to m 3 1 0 2 in ed at d ublished is being up refer to issues p The style guide or om l.c ao r@ ditor at jtpet the Executive E ise. hen questions ar in 2012-2013 w te (1964the RMAG websi Back Issues on e bl la ai av is d index .org). See A bibliography an age, www.rmag p eb w st gi lo eo Geologist, Mountain G to The Mountain 2009, see The ex d In d an hy ly 2011, e Bibliograp tain Geologist, Ju n also, “Cumulativ ou M e Th , op h Michele Bis 1999-2010” by Mountain 9-80 . v. 48, no. 3, p. 5 ble on DVD (The la ai av e ar al rn the jou Mountain Back issues of 22, no. 4; The v. , 5 8 9 1 t p ce rough the -2005 ex o. 4) available th Geologist 1964 n , 2 2 v. , 5 8 9 1 te. Some -2010 with the RMAG websi Geologist 2006 on e lin on or , 1 2 3-573-86 RMAG office for e th om fr RMAG office, 30 le b la avai copies are also issues in hard $15.
»
Vol. 62, No.8
38
August 2013
August 5 Ͳ 8, 2013 at the CSM: Risk, Uncertainty & Economic Analysis for Resource Assessment & Production Forecasting in Shale and Tight Clastic Plays x Covers the assessment methods required for the technical and economic evaluation of drilling programs in Unconventional resource plays x Designed for Geoscientists, Engineers, and Business Analysts charged with creating value from unconventional resources x Uses realistic games and exercises to illustrate principles of good estimating as well as analytical procedures used to identify, quantify and manage the uncertainty and risk associated with Unconventional resource assessment, development and production
Open Enrollment Tuition: $2,600 per registrant 10% discount with three or more registrations
http://www.roseassoc.com/Open_Enrollment_Courses.html lisaward@roseassoc.com 713 528 8422
OUTCROP
39
www.rmag.org
In the Pipeline August 5, 2013
August 15, 2013 PTTC Course. “Confessions of a Frac Engineer,” Speaker Mike Vincent. Denver Athletic Club.
COGA 27th Annual Golf Tournament. August 5-8, 2013
August 15-16, 2013
COGA Rocky Mountain Energy Summit. Colorado Convention Center. August 5-8, 2013
Denver SPE Continuing Education. “Mastering the Art of Negotiation.”
PTTC Course. “Risk, Uncertainty & Economic Analysis for Resource Assessment & Production Forecasting in Shale, Tight Clastics and Coal,” CSM, Golden, CO.
RMAG On the Rocks Field Trip. Medicine Bow, Snowy Range, WY.
August 17, 2013
August 7, 2013
August 21, 2013
RMAG Luncheon. "U.S. Geological Survey of Undiscovered Resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota, 2013." Speaker: Stephanie Gaswirth, Denver City Center Marriott. Check in 11:30 a.m., lunch 12:00 p.m., talk 12:20 p.m. Please note: online registration for this event closes on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 4:00 p.m.!
Oilfield Christian Fellowship Luncheon. To RSVP call Barb Burrell at 303-675-2602 or e-mail OCFDenverChapter@pxd.com.
»
If you have any events that you would like to post in this column, please submit via email to Holly Sell at holly.sell@yahoo.com or to the RMAG office at rmagdenver@aol.com for consideration.
August 8, 2013 DGS Luncheon. August 11, 2013 PTTC Course. Instructor Dr. Ian Palmer. “Stimulating Shale Oil/Gas Wells.” Denver Athletic Club. August 13, 2013 Desk and Derrick Luncheon. For reservations, please contact RSVP@ deskandderrick.org. August 14-16, 2013 TX.
NAPE Summer Expo. Houston,
2013 SCHEDULED ON-THE-ROCKS FIELD TRIPS Month/Day
Topic/Destination
Leader(s)
RMAG OTR Logistics Contact
August 17th
Medicine Bow, Snowy Range, WY
Art Snoke, University of Wyoming
Cat Campbell
Sept. 7th
Vineyards, Adobes, and Gravels – Oh My! Wine-tasting and geologic exploration of the North Fork Valley of the Gunnison, Western Slope, CO
Dave Noe, Colorado Geological Survey
Sandra Mark
Vol. 62, No.8
40
August 2013
OUTCROP
41
www.rmag.org
Coming in the near future!
Studies in Geology 65
Application of Structural Methods to Rocky Mountain Hydrocarbon Exploration and Development Edited by C. Knight, J. Cuzella, & L. Cress
Co-published by Tulsa, OK and Denver, CO www.aapg.org/www.rmag.org
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
With increasing industry emphasis on developing “unconventional” tight reservoirs and on enhancing recovery from existing fields, geologists are facing new challenges. Identifying fracture characteristics within petroleum systems is essential. Understanding the timing of tectonics and the formation of structures is
important, as these factors strongly influence hydrocarbon generation, migration, entrapment, and preservation. As a means of addressing complex interrelationships between structural geology and hydrocarbon exploration and development, the editors are pleased to present this compilation of key papers.
Studies in Geology 65 Table of Contents
• Using Free-hand 3-D Drawings to Clarify and Verify Subsurface Structural Interpretations — D. Stone • Introduction to Low-temperature Thermochronologic Techniques, Methodology, and Applications — S. L. Peyton & B. Carrapa • Overview of Low-temperature Thermochronology in the Rocky Mountains and its Application to Petroleum System Analysis — S. L. Peyton & B. Carrapa • Using Detrital Zircon Geochronology to Solve Complex Structural Problems: Application with Pitfalls in the Helena Salient of the Montana Disturbed Belt, West Central Montana — P. T. Doughty, K. R. Chamberlain, & M. C. Pope Vol. 62, No.8
• Regional and Local Fractures of the Bakken Petroleum System, Williston Basin: Integrating Field Studies and 3-D Seismic Analysis — S. Angster & F. Sarg • Role of Wrench Faults and Fractures in Creating “Sweet Spots” in Tight Gas Exploration and Production at Rulison Field Colorado — T. L. Davis & R. D. Benson • Fracture Control of P-wave Azimuthal Anisotrophy in a Laramide Basement-cored Anticline at Casper Arch, Wyoming: Insights from Correlations with Surface Analogs and Curvature Analyses — R. D. Cooley & E. Erslev
42
• Natural Fractures and Strain Accommodation in the Tensleep Formation at Beer Mug Anticline — S. P. Cooper • Natural Fracture Patterns in Folded Tensleep Reservoirs, Wyoming — S. P. Cooper & J. C. Lorenz • Fractures, Hydraulic Injections, and Strain Accommodation in the Tensleep Formation at Flat Top Anticline, Carbon County, Wyoming — J. C. Lorenz • Beaver Creek Detachment System: Syn-Laramide Gravity Detachment and Folding Oblique to Regional Compression — S. Smaltz & E. Erslev
August 2013
Advertisers Index AAPG.....................................7, 27, 41
Karo, James C................................ 15
Rose & Associates.......................39
Bowler Petrophysics...................... 13
Kestrel Geoscience, LLC............... 40
SEG.................................................. 7
Breckenridge Expl. Inc.................. 32
Kluth and Associates..................... 11
SPE.................................................. 7
Canadian Discovery....................... 29
Knight, Connie Dodge, PhD........... 12
Stoner Engineering, LLC..............26
Columbine Logging........................ 14
Leaverite Exploration Inc.............. 16
Summit Mudlogging Services....... 8
Decollement Consulting, Inc........ 29
MJ Systems.................................... 13
TGS.................................................. 9
The Discovery Group, Inc..................6
Mazzullo Energy Corp.....................17
Dolan Integration Group................ 34
Neurolog............................................2
Vista GeoScience, David Seneshen............................. 4
Donovan Brothers Inc.......................4
Noble Energy.................................. 10
Vista GeoScience, John V. Fontana............................ 27
Donze, Terry.......................................8
PTTC................................................ 24
Weatherford Laboratories.... 25, 33
Fluid Inclusion Technologies.. 19, 37
Quantum Water Consulting........... 15
Weber Law Firm, LLC...................12
Geosteering.....................................27
RMS/AAPG......................................27
Whitehead, Neil H., III.................. 27
Horizontal Solutions Intl..........10, 34
RPM Geologic, LLC........................ 16
August 2013 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
4
5 COGA 27th 6 Annual Golf Tournament
1
7
RMAG Luncheon: Stephanie Gaswirth
8
DGS Luncheon
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
2
3
9
10
COGA Rocky Mt. Energy Summit PTTC Course
11
12
PTTC Course
18
19
13
Desk & Derrick Luncheon
20
PTTC 16 Course NAPE Summer Expo Denver SPE Continuing Education
14
15
17 On-the-Rocks Field Trip
21 Oilfield
22
23
24
28
29
30
31
Christian Fellowship Luncheon
25
26
OUTCROP
27
43
www.rmag.org