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1 El Paso E&P Co. Reese Estate 1-10B2 43013302150000 2304 FNL, 2041 FEL T2S R2W, Sec. 10 GL 5491 2 Sonat Exploration Co. Washburn 1-2C2 43013307860000 500 FSL, 1530 FEL T3S R2W, Sec. 2 GL 5334 3 Sun Oil Co. Daniel Uresk Fee 1 43013301130000 1828 FSL, 1806 FWL T4S R1W, Sec. 6 GL 5246 4 Newfield Production Co. Bollweevil Fed 26-13 43013307700000 1980 FSL, 660 FWL T8S R16E, Sec. 26 GL 5532 5 Newfield Production Co. Castle Peak Fed 31-15 43013306130000 548 FNL, 2062 FEL T9S R16E, Sec. 15 GL 5742 6 Pendragon Energy Partners Inc. Wilkin Ridge 13-23-10-16 43013320840000 1000 FSL, 800 FWL T10S R16E, Sec. 23 GL 6488 7 EOG Resources Inc. Petes Wash 32-2 43013324530000 2049 FNL, 1959 FEL T11S R16E, Sec. 2 GL 6258 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 2.8 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 3000 4000 5000 6000 0 1000 2000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 2.8 3000 4000 5000 6000 0 1000 2000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 3000 4000 5000 1000 2000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) 2.8 3000 4000 0 1000 2000 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 Density (g/cc) Re-examination of Utah’s oil shale resources: Historical database and new research Michael D. Vanden Berg (801-538-5419, [email protected]) and David E. Tabet (801-537-3373; [email protected]) Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, Utah www.geology.utah.gov With the recent increase in crude oil prices and concerns over diminishing conventional reserves, the Utah Geological Survey has begun to re-examine the state’s oil shale resource. A major compo- nent of this process was to collect and preserve historical oil shale data from studies conducted in Utah and present it in a useable electronic format for the business and scientific communities. Files in this database include Fischer assays made from drill cores or cuttings for 581 unique boreholes; scanned geophysical logs for 173 different boreholes, along with an inventory of paper logs for an additional 290 wells available in the Utah Geological Survey’s library; spotty to complete formation-top information for key beds in the Green River Formation for over 1000 different wells; detailed lithologic descriptions for 168 wells; an overview resource map; and an extensive oil shale bibliography for research done within the state. Most of the historical oil shale resource assessments conducted in Utah concentrated on the Green River Formation within the southeastern part of the Uinta Basin. This area holds the thickest and richest oil shale deposits in Utah, but other significant areas within the basin warrant further study. We have broadened our attention to include the entire Uinta Basin. Using old Fischer assay analyses as our guide, we looked at several geophysical logs from oil and gas wells and picked tops for several key oil shale beds. Using this new information, we are developing a better idea of the overall oil shale resource for the state of Utah. R-8 Mahogany Zone (R-7) R-6 R-5 R-4 B-Groove L-5 A-Groove Green River Formation Ground Level UGS Open-File Report 469 Collaboration between the Utah Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Contents: 1) Fischer assays for 581 wells - Excel and Text files - Limited pdf files of original reports 2) Lithologic logs for 168 wells - Pdf or Tiff files 3) Geophysical logs for 173 wells - Tiff files - An inventory of paper logs for an additional 290 wells available in the UGS library 4) Formation tops data for over 1000 wells - Excel or Text files 5) Extensive Utah oil shale bibliography - 981 references 6) Preliminary Utah oil shale resource map - New Mahogany bed outcrop coverage - Location of wells in database - Preliminary 25 gpt zone isopachs Mahogany bed outcrop digitized from 30’ x 60’ geologic map Mahogany bed outcrop digitized from 7.5 minute geologic map Mahogany bed outcrop digitized from other map County Township and Range (Salt Lake Base Line and Meridian, Uintah Base Line and Meridian) Well used in cross section Well with log-based Fischer assay data Well with Fischer assays derived from rotary cuttings - no assays over 25 gpt Well with Fischer assays derived from rotary cuttings - at least one assay over 25 gpt Well with Fischer assays derived from core samples - no assays over 25 gpt Well with Fischer assays derived from core samples - at least one assay over 25 gpt 1974 Federal U-a experimental oil shale lease tract 1974 Federal U-b experimental oil shale lease tract BLM Uinta Basin oil shale withdrawal County Seat Uinta Basin Duchesne 20 0 20 40 Kilometers 10 0 10 20 Miles 15E 16E 17E 18E 19E 20E 21E 22E 23E 24E 25E 18S 19S 10S 11S 12S 13S 14S 15S 16S ABSTRACT ABSTRACT UTAH OIL SHALE DATABASE UTAH OIL SHALE DATABASE 1) Select tops of oil shale rich and lean zones above and below the Mahogany Zone throughout the entire Uinta Basin using geophysical logs from oil and gas wells. 2) Create structure contour and thickness maps of all significant oil shale zones within the upper part of the Green River Formation. 3) Develop algorithms correlating digitized geophysical logs with Fischer assay data. 4) Create structure contour, depth, and thickness maps of oil shale zones aver- aging 15, 25, and 35 gallons of shale oil per ton of rock. 5) Create regional cross sections illustrating structure and correlation of oil shale zones. 6) Determine areas favorable for surface mining, underground mining, and in-situ extraction. 7) Develop new shale oil resource estimates for the Uinta Basin of Utah. FUTURE WORK FUTURE WORK Funding and historical data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Historical data and expertise provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, especially John R. Dyni and John R. Donnell. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 26th Oil Shale Symposium October 16-18, 2006 Uinta Formation Green River Formation (R-8) The boundary between the Uinta and Green River Formations, located near Evacuation Creek, Uintah County, Utah. Outcrop of the Green River Formation along the White River, Uintah County, Utah. The White River oil shale mine located south of Bonanza, Uintah County, Utah. This is the location of the proposed BLM R&D oil shale lease. Utah oil shale sample Oil shale taken from the White River underground mine. Shale was mined from the Mahogany Zone roughly 1000 feet below the surface. Bird’s nest features near the top of the Green River Formation along Evacuation Creek, Uintah County, Utah. These cavities were created by the dissolution of nahcolite. Intertonguing Uinta and Green River Formation Illustrated below is a preliminary north/south cross section correlating rich (R) and lean (L) oil shale horizons in the upper part of the Green River Formation. Horizons were picked on digitized density logs from seven oil and gas wells. This type of analysis will be undertaken for the entire Uinta Basin. NORTH-SOUTH CROSS SECTION NORTH-SOUTH CROSS SECTION 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Preliminary Utah Oil Shale Database, Open-File Report 2006-1295 AVAILABLE AVAILABLE FROM THE FROM THE USGS USGS 1295 ? ? ? Carbonate Marker Bed (modified from Johnson and Roberts, 2003) Long Point Bed (modified from Johnson and Roberts, 2003) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DUCHESNE WASATCH UTAH CARBON EMERY GRAND UINTAH 5E 6E 7E 8E 9E 10E 11E 12E 13E 14E 25E 24E 23E 22E 21E 20E 19E 12W 11W 10W 9W 8W 7W 6W 5W 4W 3W 2W 1W 2N 1N 1S 2S 3S 4S 5S 6S 7S 7S 8S 9S 10S 11S 12S 13S 14S 15S 16S 17S 3S 4S 5S 6S 7S 8S 9S Vernal L-3 L-2 L-1 R-3 R-2 R-1 L-4 1E 2E 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2200 2250 2300 2350 2400 2450 2500 2550 Shale oil yield (gpt) A-Groove Mahogany Zone B-Groove R-6 R-8 Continuous section averaging 35 gpt Continuous section averaging 25 gpt Continuous section averaging 15 gpt A Sinclair Oil Co. Henderson 3 U180 1500 FSL, 1500 FEL T10S R15E, Sec. 16 GL 7077 A Depth (ft) Depth (ft)
