Barnett Shale Gas System in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, U. S. A.

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2007 Vol.44, Issue 5 Preview Page

Barnett Shale Gas System in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, U. S. A. 미국 텍사스 주 포트워스 분지의 바넷 셰일 가스 시스템: 고재홍
Jaehong Ko

31 October 2007. pp. 455-473

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Abstract

The Mississippian Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas is a world-renowned, giant, unconventional, continuous, shale gas reservoir with its undiscovered, technically recoverable reserves of 26.2 Tcf of gas. As for other unconventional gas shales, it is extremely tight and impermeable, and for production extensive stimulation is required. It is different from known shale-gas systems where natural fractures play an important role in gas accumulation and form sweet spots. Natural fractures in Barnett Shale are healed and, thus, cannot transmit gas, and furthermore production is poorer in areas of high fracture density such as those near faults and structural flexures of folds. Barnett Shale serves as source and reservoir. Its matrix porosity and permeability are 1-5% and less than 0.001 md, respectively, and the total organic carbon (TOC) averages at ~4.5 wt.%. Critical factors for the productivity of Barnet Shale include thickness, TOC, thermal maturity, and the presence of upper and lower hydraulic fracture barriers (Pennsylvanian Marble Falls Limestone and Ordovician Viola/Simpson Group, respectively). The present cutoffs are thickness 30 m, TOC 2.5-3 wt.%, and vitrinite reflectance Ro≃1.1%. The estimated ultimate reserve (EUR) of the producing wells has the median 0.52 Bcf and the maximum 7 Bcf in the core production area, while 0.28 Bcf and 2.4 Bcf, respectively, in the extended area.

Keywords

Barnett

Mississippian

Fort Worth Basin

Unconventional

Shale gas

미국 텍사스주 포트워스 분지의 미시시피기 바넷 셰일은 세계적으로 알려진 거대, 비재래, 연속체, 셰일 가스 저류암으로 기술적으로 회수 가능한 가스 매장량이 26.2 Tcf에 달한다. 다른 비재래 가스 셰일과 마찬가지로 극도로 치밀하고 투과도가 불량하여 생산을 위해서는 대규모 자극이 필요하다. 바넷 셰일은 자연적 단열이 가스 집적에 중요한 역할을 하고 스위트스폿을 형성하는 다른 셰일 가스 시스템과 달리, 단층 또는 습곡 등 구조 가까이 높은 단열 밀도를 보이는 지역에서 생산이 저조하며, 대부분의 자연적 단열들은 교결물에 의해 막혀서 가스를 통과시키지 못한다. 바넷 셰일은 근원암과 저류암 역할을 동시에 수행한다. 매질 공극율과 투과도는 각각 1-5%, <0.001 md이며, 유기물 함량은 평균 ~4.5%이다. 바넷 셰일의 생산성을 좌우하는 주요 요소는 층후, 유기물 함량, 유기물 성숙도 및 상, 하부 수압파쇄 저지대 역할을 하는 펜실베이니아기 마블폴 석회암과 오르도비스기 비올라/심슨 그룹의 유무 등이다. 현재 경제적 개발 한계는 두께 30 m, 유기물 함량 2.5-3 wt.%, 비트리나이트 반사도 Ro≃1.1%이다. 공당 회수가능 예상매장량은 핵심 지역에서 중간값 0.52 Bcf, 최대 7 Bcf이며, 확장 지역에서 각각 0.28 Bcf와 2.4 Bcf이다.

키워드

바넷

미시시피기

포트워스 분지

비재래

셰일 가스

References

Ball, M. M. and Perry, W. J. Jr., 1995, “Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province (045),” In D. L. Gautier, G. L. Dolton, K. I. Takahashi, and K. L. Varnes (Eds), 1995 National Assessment of United States Oil and Gas Resources-Results, Methodology, and Supporting Data, U. S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS-30, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., CD ROM.
Berman, A., 2007, “What’s New in Exploration: Barnett Shale Wells are not Always Profitable,” Worldoil.com-Online Magazine Article Columns April 2007, Vol. 228, No. 4.
Bowker, K. A., 2002, “Recent Developments of the Barnett Shale Play, Fort Worth Basin,” In B. E. Law and M. Wilson (Eds), Innovative Gas Exploration Concepts Symposium, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, October 2002, Denver, Colorado, 16p.
Bowker, K. A., 2003, “Recent Developments of the Barnett Shale Play, Fort Worth Basin,” West Texas Geological Society Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 4-11.
Bowker, K. A., 2007, “Barnett Shale Gas Production, Fort Worth Basin: Issues and Discussion,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 523-533.
Bridge, J., Barnes, V. E., Cloud, P. E. Jr., 1947, “Stratigraphy of the Upper Cambrian, Llano Uplift, Texas,” Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 58, pp. 109-124.
Curtis, J. B., 2002, “Fractured Shale-Gas Systems,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 86, No. 11, pp. 1921-1938.
EIA (Energy Information Administration), 2007, “Annual Energy Review 2006,” U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration Report DOE/EIA-0384 (2006), June 2007, 441p.
Erlich, R. N. and Coleman, J. L. Jr., 2005, “Drowning of the Upper Marble Falls Carbonate Platform (Pennsylvanian): A Case of Conflicting “Signals?”,” Sedimentary Geology, Vol. 175, pp. 479-499.
Ewing, T. E., 2006, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential: Discussion,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 963-966.
Gale, J. F. W., Reed, R. M., and Holder, J., 2007, “Natural Fractures in the Barnett Shale and Their Importance for Hydraulic Fracture Treatments,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 603-622.
Hill, R. J., Jarvie, D. M., Zumberge, J., Henry, M., and Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Oil and Gas Geochemistry and Petroleum Systems of the Fort Worth Basin,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 445-475.
Jarvie, D. M., 2004, “Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Generation and Storage in the Barnett Shale, Ft. Worth Basin, Texas,” Presentation material, Humble Instruments & Services, Inc.
Jarvie, D. M., Hill, R. J., Ruble, T. E., and Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Unconventional Shale-Gas Systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of North-Central Texas as One Model for Thermogenic Shale-Gas Assessment,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 475-499.
Jhonson, D., 2004a, “Barnett Shale -1: Technological Advances Expand Potential Play,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 51-59.
Jhonson, D., 2004b, “Barnett Shale-Conclusion: Reservoir Characterization Improves Stimulation, Completion Practices,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 102, No. 4, pp. 35-39.
Kier, R. S., 1980, “Depositional History of the Marble Falls Formation of the Llano Region, Central Texas,” Fieldtrip Guidebook, October 19-21, 1980, West Texas Geological Society, Publication Vol. 80-73, pp. 59-75.
Kuuskraa, V. A., Koperna, G., Schmoker, J. W., and Quinn, J. C., 1998, “Barnett Shale Rising Star in Fort Worth Basin,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 96, No. 21, pp. 71-76.
Loucks, R. G. and Ruppel, S. C., 2007, “Mississippian Barnett Shale: Lithofacies and Depositional Setting of a Deep-Water Shale-Gas Succession in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 579-601.
Montgomery, S. L., Jarvie, D. M., Bowker, K. A., and Pollastro, R. M., 2005, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-Shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 89, No. 2, pp. 155-175.
Montgomery, S. L., Jarvie, D. M., Bowker, K. A., and Pollastro, R. M., 2006, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-Shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential: Reply,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 967-969.
Pollastro, R. M., 2003, “Geologic and Production Characteristics Utilized in Assessing the Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” Barnett Shale Symposium, Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute at Brookhaven College, Dallas, Texas, November 12-13, 2003, 6p.
Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Total Petroleum System Assessment of Undiscovered Resources in the Giant Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 551-578.
Pollastro, R. M., Hill, R. J., Ahlbrandt, T. S., Charpentier, R. R., Cook, T. A., Klett, T. R., Henry, M. E., and Schenk, C. J., 2004, “Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas
Resources of the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province of North-Central Texas and Southwestern Oklahoma, 2003,” U. S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2004-3022, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., 2p.
Pollastro, R. M., Hill, R. J., Jarvie, D. M., and Henry, M. E., 2003, “Assessing Undiscovered Resources of the Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province, Teas,” Transections of the Southwest Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention, Fort Worth, Texas, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Datapages, 18p.
Pollastro, R. M., Jarvie, D. M., Hill, R. J., and Adams, C. W., 2007, “Geologic Framework of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 405-436.
Schmoker, J. W., Quinn, J. D., Crovelli, R. A., Nuccio, V. F., and Hester, T. C., 1996, “Production Characteristics and Resource Assessment of the Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-254, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., 20p.
Simon, Y. S., 2005, “Stress and Fracture Characterization in a Shale Reservoir, North Texas, Using Correlation between New Seismic Attributes and Well Data,” M. Sc. thesis, University of Houston, Houston, TX, U. S. A., 84p.
Zhao, H., Givens, N. B., and Curtis, B., 2007, “Thermal Maturity of the Barnett Shale Determined from Well-Log Analysis,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 535-549.

Information

Publisher :The Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Publisher(Ko) :한국자원공학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society for Geosystem Engineering
Journal Title(Ko) :한국지구시스템공학회지
Volume : 44
No :5
Pages :455-473

[1] Ball, M. M. and Perry, W. J. Jr., 1995, “Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province (045),” In D. L. Gautier, G. L. Dolton, K. I. Takahashi, and K. L. Varnes (Eds), 1995 National Assessment of United States Oil and Gas Resources-Results, Methodology, and Supporting Data, U. S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS-30, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., CD ROM.

[2] Berman, A., 2007, “What’s New in Exploration: Barnett Shale Wells are not Always Profitable,” Worldoil.com-Online Magazine Article Columns April 2007, Vol. 228, No. 4.

[3] Bowker, K. A., 2002, “Recent Developments of the Barnett Shale Play, Fort Worth Basin,” In B. E. Law and M. Wilson (Eds), Innovative Gas Exploration Concepts Symposium, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, October 2002, Denver, Colorado, 16p.

[4] Bowker, K. A., 2003, “Recent Developments of the Barnett Shale Play, Fort Worth Basin,” West Texas Geological Society Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 4-11.

[5] Bowker, K. A., 2007, “Barnett Shale Gas Production, Fort Worth Basin: Issues and Discussion,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 523-533.

[6] Bridge, J., Barnes, V. E., Cloud, P. E. Jr., 1947, “Stratigraphy of the Upper Cambrian, Llano Uplift, Texas,” Geological Society of America Bulletin, Vol. 58, pp. 109-124.

[7] Curtis, J. B., 2002, “Fractured Shale-Gas Systems,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 86, No. 11, pp. 1921-1938.

[8] EIA (Energy Information Administration), 2007, “Annual Energy Review 2006,” U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration Report DOE/EIA-0384 (2006), June 2007, 441p.

[9] Erlich, R. N. and Coleman, J. L. Jr., 2005, “Drowning of the Upper Marble Falls Carbonate Platform (Pennsylvanian): A Case of Conflicting “Signals?”,” Sedimentary Geology, Vol. 175, pp. 479-499.

[10] Ewing, T. E., 2006, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential: Discussion,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 963-966.

[11] Gale, J. F. W., Reed, R. M., and Holder, J., 2007, “Natural Fractures in the Barnett Shale and Their Importance for Hydraulic Fracture Treatments,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 603-622.

[12] Hill, R. J., Jarvie, D. M., Zumberge, J., Henry, M., and Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Oil and Gas Geochemistry and Petroleum Systems of the Fort Worth Basin,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 445-475.

[13] Jarvie, D. M., 2004, “Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Generation and Storage in the Barnett Shale, Ft. Worth Basin, Texas,” Presentation material, Humble Instruments & Services, Inc.

[14] Jarvie, D. M., Hill, R. J., Ruble, T. E., and Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Unconventional Shale-Gas Systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of North-Central Texas as One Model for Thermogenic Shale-Gas Assessment,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 475-499.

[15] Jhonson, D., 2004a, “Barnett Shale -1: Technological Advances Expand Potential Play,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 51-59.

[16] Jhonson, D., 2004b, “Barnett Shale-Conclusion: Reservoir Characterization Improves Stimulation, Completion Practices,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 102, No. 4, pp. 35-39.

[17] Kier, R. S., 1980, “Depositional History of the Marble Falls Formation of the Llano Region, Central Texas,” Fieldtrip Guidebook, October 19-21, 1980, West Texas Geological Society, Publication Vol. 80-73, pp. 59-75.

[18] Kuuskraa, V. A., Koperna, G., Schmoker, J. W., and Quinn, J. C., 1998, “Barnett Shale Rising Star in Fort Worth Basin,” Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 96, No. 21, pp. 71-76.

[19] Loucks, R. G. and Ruppel, S. C., 2007, “Mississippian Barnett Shale: Lithofacies and Depositional Setting of a Deep-Water Shale-Gas Succession in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 579-601.

[20] Montgomery, S. L., Jarvie, D. M., Bowker, K. A., and Pollastro, R. M., 2005, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-Shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 89, No. 2, pp. 155-175.

[21] Montgomery, S. L., Jarvie, D. M., Bowker, K. A., and Pollastro, R. M., 2006, “Mississippian Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, North-Central Texas: Gas-Shale Play with Multi-Trillion Cubic Foot Potential: Reply,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 967-969.

[22] Pollastro, R. M., 2003, “Geologic and Production Characteristics Utilized in Assessing the Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” Barnett Shale Symposium, Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute at Brookhaven College, Dallas, Texas, November 12-13, 2003, 6p.

[23] Pollastro, R. M., 2007, “Total Petroleum System Assessment of Undiscovered Resources in the Giant Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 551-578.

[24] Pollastro, R. M., Hill, R. J., Ahlbrandt, T. S., Charpentier, R. R., Cook, T. A., Klett, T. R., Henry, M. E., and Schenk, C. J., 2004, “Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas

[25] Resources of the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province of North-Central Texas and Southwestern Oklahoma, 2003,” U. S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2004-3022, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., 2p.

[26] Pollastro, R. M., Hill, R. J., Jarvie, D. M., and Henry, M. E., 2003, “Assessing Undiscovered Resources of the Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province, Teas,” Transections of the Southwest Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention, Fort Worth, Texas, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Datapages, 18p.

[27] Pollastro, R. M., Jarvie, D. M., Hill, R. J., and Adams, C. W., 2007, “Geologic Framework of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Barnett-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 405-436.

[28] Schmoker, J. W., Quinn, J. D., Crovelli, R. A., Nuccio, V. F., and Hester, T. C., 1996, “Production Characteristics and Resource Assessment of the Barnett Shale Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Accumulation, Fort Worth Basin, Texas,” U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-254, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, U. S. A., 20p.

[29] Simon, Y. S., 2005, “Stress and Fracture Characterization in a Shale Reservoir, North Texas, Using Correlation between New Seismic Attributes and Well Data,” M. Sc. thesis, University of Houston, Houston, TX, U. S. A., 84p.

[30] Zhao, H., Givens, N. B., and Curtis, B., 2007, “Thermal Maturity of the Barnett Shale Determined from Well-Log Analysis,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 91, No. 4, pp. 535-549.

Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

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