Basic Data and Preliminary Density and Porosity Profiles for Twelve Borehole Gravity Surveys Made in the Los Angeles, San Joaqui
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Basic data and preliminary density and porosity profiles for twelve borehole gravity surveys made in the Los Angeles, San Joaquin, Santa Maria and Ventura Basins, California by L. A. Beyer 19, S. L. Robbins , and F. G. Clutsom2 Open-File Report 85-42 1985 This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature. Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes and does not imply endorsement by the USGS. 1 Menlo Park, California Denver, Colorado TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION................................................................. 1 BOREHOLE GRAVITY METHOD...................................................... 1 EXPLANATION OF DATA SETS.....................................................3 Explanation of tables................................................... 4 GEOLOGIC SETTING & BOREHOLE GRAVITY DATA WELL: "Long Beach Unit" A860I..................................6, 26, 46 WELL: "Long Beach Unit" D630............................... 6, 27, 28, 47 WELL: "KCL-L" 45-25........................................6, 29, 30, 50 WELL: "White Wolf Deep" 26x-28.............................7, 31, 32, 52 WELL: "South Belridge" 548E-34.............................7, 33, 34, 53 WELL: "Monte Cristo" 164.......................................8, 35, 55 WELL: "Arellanes" 2............................................9, 36, 57 WELL: "Newlove" 108............................................9, 37, 59 WELL: "Union Bell Fee" 156.................................... 10, 38, 61 WELL: "Morrison" 23-7.....................................11, 39, 40, 63 WELL: "Rosenblum" 6 ........................................... 11 f 41, 64 WELL: "Taylor" 635........................................ 12, 42, 43, 65 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................ 14 REFERENCES ................................................................ 15 FIGURES 1: Schematic diagram of borehole gravity measurements and basic equation................................................ 21 2: Index map of Los Angeles basin & vicinity showing location of Wilmington oil field.................................. 22 3: Index map of southern San Joaquin Valley showing locations of North Tejon, south Belridge, Lost Hills oil fields.............23 4: Index map of Santa Maria basin and vicinity showing locations of Casmalia, Orcutt, West Cat Canyon and Santa Maria Valley oil fields........................................................ 24 5: Index map of Ventura basin showing location of Ventura oil field...25 6: Interval density and porosity profiles from "Long Beach Unit" A860I.............................................................26 7: Interval density profile from "Long Beach Unit" D630...............27 8: Interval porosity profile from "Long Beach Unit" D630..............28 9. Interval density profile from "KCL-L" 45-25........................29 10. interval porosity profile from "KCL-L" 45-25.......................30 11. Interval density profile from "White Wolf Deep" 26x-28.............31 12. Interval porosity profile from "White Wolf Deep" 26x-28............32 13. Interval density profile from "south Belridge" 548E-34.............33 14. Interval porosity profile from "South Belridge" 548E-34............34 15. Interval density and porosity profiles from "Monte Cristo" 164 ....35 16. Interval density and porosity profiles from "Arellanes" 2..........36 17. Interval density and porosity profiles from "Newlove" 108..........37 18. Interval density and porosity profiles from "union Bell Fee" 156...38 19. Interval density profile from "Morrison" 23-7......................39 20. Interval porosity profile from "Morrison" 23-7.....................40 21. Interval density and porosity profiles from "Rosenblum" 6..........41 22. Interval density profile from "Taylor" 635......................... 42 23. Interval porosity profile from "Taylor" 635........................43 TABLES 1: Operator, lease, number, location, date completed and total drilled depth of 12 wells with borehole gravity surveys...........44 2: Investigative radial distances of gamma-gamma, neutron, acoustical, and borehole gravity measurements..................... 45 3: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Long Beach Unit" A860I...46 4: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Long Beach Unit" D630....47 5: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "KCL-L" 45-25.............50 6: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "White Wolf Deep" 26x-28..52 7: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "South Belridge" 548E-34..53 8: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Monte Cristo" 164........55 9: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Arellanes" 2.............57 10: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Newlove" 108.............59 11: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Onion Bell" 156..........61 12: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Morrison" 23-7...........63 13: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Rosenblum" 6.............64 14: Basic data from borehole gravity survey: "Taylor" 635..............65 ii INTRODUCTION This report presents a brief summary of the borehole gravity method, a description of the data reduction and error estimate procedures, and preliminary density and porosity profiles for twelve borehole gravity surveys made in California by the U.S. Geological Survey. A brief description of the geologic setting and petroleum field characteristics for each surveyed well is also included. The borehole gravity surveys were made with the Geological Survey's borehole gravity meter (LaCoste and Romberg BHGM 16) and well-logging equipment to gather in situ density and porosity data to support a variety of on-going research studies of sedimentary rocks in California basins. The names and locations of the surveyed wells are given in Table 1. BOREHOLE GRAVITY METHOD Smith (1950) recognized that borehole gravity measurements are responsive primarily to the vertical density variations in the rocks traversed by the survey and secondarily to lateral rock density variations (anomalous density structure) of detectable magnitudes that may occur in the region surrounding the surveyed well. However, the development of a reliable borehole gravity meter with high precision came much later and the use of surveys for reservoir evaluation soon followed (McCulloh et al, 1967a, 1967b; McCulloh et al, 1968). Borehole gravity surveys are conducted by stopping and reading the borehole gravity meter at a series of downhole stations that have been previously selected from examination of well logs to meet the survey objectives. This technique leads to a set of gravity difference (Ag) and depth difference (Az) measurements that constitute the interval vertical gradient of gravity (Ag/Az) between successive stations (Fig. 1). In many geologic settings interval density (p) is the only factor that significantly affects Ag/Az because the formations surrounding the borehole are level or nearly so and possess relatively uniform densities in lateral directions. In such areas, borehole gravity data are easily converted to highly accurate and unique (gravimetric) interval density profiles. Lateral density variations may be significant where folded strata, faults, unconformities, intrusions, or lateral variations in lithology, porosity or pore fluids (due to selective depositional or post-depositional processes) intersect or occur within detectable distances of the borehole. Analysis of the borehole gravity data in these cases is more difficult because equal density surfaces generally are poorly known and may be complex in shape. In this preliminary report lateral rock density variations have been ignored in the calculations of density and porosity profiles from the borehole gravity measurements. This simplifying assumption (disregard of possible AG_ effects) is valid for most but not all of the surveys presented here. Interval density is defined in the Glossary of Geology (Bates and Jackson, 1980) as "in a wellbore, the density of an interval intergrated from gamma-gamma log data or determined by a borehole gravity meter." Apparent density is defined in the Glossary of Geology as "rock density calculated from gravity measurements in boreholes." The term apparent density should be reserved for those cases where anomalous effects (the AG_ term) are large enough to significantly affect calculated p. Interval density should apply to cases where AG_ is negligibly small or its value has been determined. Interval density is the gravitational average density of the horizontal layer and, in theory, can be caused by an infinite number of different density distributions in the horizontal layer. In practice, p is a representative measure of the density in situ of individual beds or groups of beds in which density is reasonably constant in horizontal directions for radial distances of at least 5 to 10 times the interval thickness A z. Under these circumstances P can, in effect, be considered a linear average of any vertical variations of density over the Az interval. Interval densities and porosities determined from borehole gravity measurements are particularly important because of the large volume of formation investigated and high relative or absolute accuracy that is inherent and unique to the borehole gravity method. For example, comparative radial distances from the borehole and corresponding rock volumes investigated by conventional cores, gamma-gamma