Evidence for Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough of and Kentucky, Appalachian Basin

By Robert T. Ryder, David C. Harris, Paul Gerome, Timothy J. Hainsworth, Robert C. Burruss, Paul G. Lillis, Daniel M. Jarvie, and Mark J. Pawlewicz

Chapter G.8 of Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin: Distribution, Geologic Framework, and Geochemical Character Edited by Leslie F. Ruppert and Robert T. Ryder

Supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2005–1443

Professional Paper 1708

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Suggested citation: Ryder, R.T., Harris, D.C., Gerome, Paul, Hainsworth, T.J., Burruss, R.C., Lillis, P.G., Jarvie, D.M., and Pawlewicz, M.J., 2014, Evidence for Cambrian petroleum source rocks in the Rome trough of West Virginia and Kentucky, Appala- chian basin, chap. G.8 of Ruppert, L.F., and Ryder, R.T., eds., Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin; Distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1708, 36 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1708G.8. (Chapter G.8 supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2005–1443.) iii

Contents

Abstract...... 1 Introduction...... 1 Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System...... 4 Source Rock Characteristics of Cambrian Rocks...... 4 Oil-Source Rock Correlations...... 19 Results and Discussion...... 26 Conclusions...... 30 Acknowledgments...... 35 References Cited...... 35

Figures

1. Correlation chart showing the stratigraphic units of the Utica-Lower Paleozoic Total Petroleum System and the source rocks, reservoirs, and seals...... 2 2. Generalized geologic cross section from central to central West Virginia showing proposed migration routes of oil and gas...... 3 3. Map of the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System showing the location of selected wells in the Rome trough with oil and gas production and shows...... 5 4. Map of Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System showing the location of regional cross sections and wells in the Rome trough sampled for source rocks...... 6 5. Cross section E–E’ through Cambrian and strata in the Appalachian basin of Ohio and West Virginia...... 7 6. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for three samples from the Cambrian , Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, Jackson County, W. Va...... 9 7. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for four samples from the Cambrian Maryville of the in the Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, Jackson County, W. Va...... 10 8. Cross section G–G’ through Cambrian and Ordovician strata in the Appalachian basin, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia...... 11 9. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for three samples from the Cambrian Rome Formation, Columbia Gas No. 9674T Mineral Tract 10 well, Mingo County, W. Va...... 12 10. Diagram showing gamma-ray, caliper, and density logs from lower Paleozoic strata, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 13 11. Diagram showing gamma-ray, caliper, and density logs and total organic carbon for two samples from the lower part of the Cambrian Rome Formation, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 14 12. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for three samples from the upper part of the Cambrian Rome Formation, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 15 iv

13. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for five samples from the Cambrian Rogersville of the Conasauga Group, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 16 14. Diagram showing summary data for cored interval of the Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 17 15. Photograph of the cored section of the Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 18 16. Gas chromatogram of a whole bitumen extract from the Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 20 17. Gas chromatograms showing the oil-source rock correlation between a whole bitumen extract from the Rogersville Shale, Wayne County, W. Va. and an oil from the Maryville Limestone, Boyd County, Ky...... 21 18. Mud log of part of the Conasauga Group interval showing a high gas concentration directly above and below the cored Rogersville Shale, Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 22 19. Cross section showing the proposed oil migration route from the Rogersville Shale source rock to the Maryville Limestone reservoir...... 23 20. Gas chromatograms from selected oils or condensates in Cambrian reservoirs in eastern Kentucky wells...... 24 21. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon analyses for two samples from the Cambrian Rome Formation, Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky...... 25 22. Photograph of a cored section of black shale in the Cambrian Rome Formation, Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky...... 26 23. Gas chromatograms of whole bitumen extracts in the Rogersville Shale, No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va., and the Rome Formation, No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky...... 27 24. Graph showing oxygen index versus hydrogen index for Cambrian source rocks in the Rome trough...... 28 25. Correlation chart showing the stratigraphic units of the Conasauga-Rome/ Conasauga Total Petroleum System and source rocks, reservoirs, and seal...... 29 26. Burial and temperature history model for the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va...... 30 27. Burial and temperature history model for the Exxon No. 1 Gainer-Lee well, Calhoun County, W. Va...... 33 28. Events chart for the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System...... 34

Table

1. Data for wells, including sample depths, total organic carbon content, and Rock-Eval analyses...... 8 v

Conversion Factors

Multiply By To obtain Length foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.) Volume barrel (bbl) (petroleum, 0.1590 cubic meter (m3) 1 barrel=42 gal) cubic foot (ft3) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3)

cubic centimeter (cm3) 0.06102 cubic inch (in.3) Mass gram (g) 0.03527 ounce avoirdupois Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: °F=(1.8×°C)+32 Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough of West Virginia and Kentucky, Appalachian Basin

By Robert T. Ryder,1 David C. Harris,2 Paul Gerome,3 Timothy J. Hainsworth,4 Robert C. Burruss,1 Paul G. Lillis,5 Daniel M. Jarvie,6 and Mark J. Pawlewicz5

Abstract reservoirs in the Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well, Homer gas field, Elliott County, Ky.; the Inland No. 529 White well, A 130-foot-thick Cambrian black shale sampled from Boyd County, Ky.; and the Miller No. 1 well, Wolfe County, a core between 11,150 and 11,195 feet in the Exxon No. 1 Ky. These favorable oil-source rock correlations suggest a new Smith well in Wayne County, W. Va., has been identified as petroleum system in the Appalachian basin that is character- a good to very good source rock. The black shale is located ized by a Conasauga Group source rock and Rome Formation in the Middle Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga and Conasauga Group reservoirs. This petroleum system prob- Group. Total organic carbon (TOC) values of four samples ably extends along the Rome trough from eastern Kentucky to that range from 1.2 to 4.4 weight percent (average 2.6 weight at least central West Virginia. percent) are the highest reported to date in the pre-Knox sec- tion of the Rome trough. Although the samples are probably in the zone of gas generation based on their low hydrogen Introduction index values (55 to 63) and temperature maximum of second hydrocarbon peak (S2) values of about 465°C, first hydrocar- The Utica-Lower Paleozoic Total Petroleum System in bon peak (S1) values of 0.81 to 2.71 indicate that they contain the Appalachian basin as defined by Milici, Ryder, and Swezey free extractable hydrocarbons. A bitumen sample extracted (2003); and Milici, Ryder, Swezey, and others (2003) is mod- from the Rogersville Shale is characterized by (1) a broad erately well documented by geochemical evidence (Drozd and spectrum of n-alkanes from n-C11 through n-C30, (2) strong Cole, 1994; Ryder and others, 1998). The Upper Ordovician odd-carbon predominance in the n-C13 to n-C19 range, and is the source rock in the petroleum system and (3) small but detectable amounts of isoprenoids pristane and very likely accounts for oil and gas trapped in such reservoirs phytane. The strong odd-carbon predominance of the n-C15 to as the Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician Knox Dolo- n-C19 n-alkanes is commonly attributed to the Ordovician alga mite, Upper Cambrian Rose Run Sandstone, Lower Ordovi- Gloeocapsomorpha prisca. This occurrence of G. prisca is cian Beekmantown Dolomite, and Upper Ordovician Black among the first to be reported in Cambrian rocks. Thin black River and Trenton (fig. 1). Probable, but less cer- shale beds collected from the Lower to Middle Cambrian tain, oil and gas accumulations associated with the Utica Shale Rome Formation in the Texaco No. 1 Kirby well in Garrard source rock are those trapped in the Upper Ordovician Bald County, Ky., have TOC values as high as 3.2 percent, hydro- Eagle Sandstone (equivalent to the Oswego Sandstone), Upper gen index values as high as 417, and bitumen extract charac- Ordovician Queenston Shale, Lower sandstones teristics similar to the Rogersville Shale. (“Clinton” sandstone, Medina sandstone, Medina Group, and The bitumen extract from the Rogersville Shale com- ), and Lower and Upper Silurian Lock- pares very closely with oils or condensates from Cambrian port Dolomite (fig. 1). Hypothetical migration pathways for Utica Shale-derived 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. petroleum were suggested by Ryder and others (1998) along 2Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, Ky. a regional geologic cross section through eastern Ohio and western West Virginia (fig. 2). In addition, the cross section 3Southwestern Energy, Houston, Tex. of Ryder and others (1998) showed natural gas occurrences in 4 Geological Consulting Services, Inc., Flagstaff, Ariz. Cambrian strata of the Rome trough of West Virginia (Exxon 5U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. No. 1 McCoy and Exxon No. 1 Gainer-Lee wells) that cannot 6Worldwide Geochemistry, LLC, Humble, Tex. be explained by derivation from a Utica source rock (fig. 2). 2 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Age Geologic unit Petroleum assessment units (AU) EXPLANATION (Ma) Ohio West Virginia (Milici, Ryder, Swezey and others, 2003) Era System Series Conventional Continuous Marine or estuarine Salina Group sandstone Salina Group Sr Gray marine shale Lockport Sr Williamsport Sandstone Dolomite Black marine shale R Upper AU Red shale or siltstone Lockport McKenzie Dolomite Dolomite Limestone 422.9 Limestone Evaporite Keefer Sandstone Missing section 428.2 Silurian Range of named Rose Hill petroleum assessment Limestone, Formation dolomite, and unit (AU)

Lower Clinton Group shale units, Sr Regional seal undifferentiated Clinton- Sl Medina Sl Local seal “Clinton” sandstone R R AU SR Source rock—Queried Tuscarora where uncertain R Reservoir Sandstone Unconformity Medina sandstone R 443.7 Tuscarora Queenston Juniata AU Shale Formation Oswego Sandstone R

Cincinnati Reedsville group Shale Utica

Paleozoic Sl Shale Utica Shale Utica Shale R SR AU Upper R R SR? Trenton Trenton Limestone Limestone Black River-Trenton R R Hydrothermal Dolomite AU

Ordovician Black River Limestone

460.9 Anhydritic dolomite Knox

Middle unconformity 471.8 R

Beekmantown Beekmantown Figure 1. Correlation Lower dolomite Dolomite chart showing the Knox Unconformity AU stratigraphic units of the Utica-Lower Paleozoic 488.3 R Rose Run sandstone Rose Run Sandstone Total Petroleum System R and the source rocks,

Knox Dolomite reservoirs, and seals. The stratigraphic units shown Copper Ridge Unnamed unit Upper on the correlation chart Cambrian dolomite are used in Ryder, Swezey, Crangle, and others (2008). Basal sandstone member Ma, millions of years. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 3 Land surface Sea level 5 10 15 20 -B No. 1 Exxon � P S O O O M ^ l Du Ob _ r _ c Dml _ cr Gainer-Lee K -B 30 MILES Rome trough -B -B -B Y 5 15 10 Exxon -B 20 No. 1 McCoy 10 -B 0 0 5 Deem 10 -B Utica Exxon No. 1 Shale 8,000 4,000 FEET K 5 10 Y West Virginia Virginia West Company Power Oil Gas No. 9634 Hope Natural K

Ohio Burning Springs anticline Springs Burning 5 10 Amerada No. 1 Ullman Utica Shale K 5 No. 1 Marshall Lakeshore Pipeline _ c _ cr Y � S O O P M Du ^ l Dml 5 Lee Grenville age (1.0 Ga) (Mesoproterozoic) Tatum No. 1 Tatum Ordovician rocks Beekmantown Dolomite Utica Shale (Middle Ordovician) Copper Ridge Dolomite (Cambrian) Conasauga Group (Cambrian) Rome Formation (Cambrian) Igneous and metamorphic rocks of Y O _ r Ob _ c Coshocton County, Ohio Coshocton County, _ cr EXPLANATION Pan American No. 1 Windbigler K Generalized geologic cross section from central Ohio to central West Virginia showing proposed migration routes of oil and gas generated from the Ordovician Virginia Generalized geologic cross section from central Ohio to West

Morrow County, Ohio Morrow County, Contact—Dashed where inferred above land surface Thrust fault and basal detachment Normal fault—Arrow indicates relative movement of downthrown block Knox unconformity Black shale interbedded with limestone Drill hole—(Depth in thousands of feet) Oil Gas Direction of oil or gas migration Upper rocks Middle and Lower Devonian rocks Silurian rocks Lower rocks Lower Triassic rocks rocks rocks To Lima - Indiana oil field Company K B No. 3 Myers � P S 5 M ^ l - Du Dml Sea level United Producing Figure 2. Utica Shale and Cambrian Conasauga Group. The cross section is from Ryder others (1998). See figure 4 for line of section. 4 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Rome trough petroleum occurrences in wells (fig. 3) in West from 0.19 to 0.59 weight percent in the Maryville Limestone Virginia and Kentucky include (1) the Exxon No. 1 McCoy (figs. 6, 7; table 1). A higher TOC value of 0.84 weight percent well, Jackson County, W. Va., where the Cambrian Maryville was reported from cuttings in the Rome Formation in the No. Limestone of the Conasauga Group initially produced natural 1 McCoy well (fig. 6; table 1; Richard W. Beardsley, Triana gas at 6 to 9 million cubic feet per day (Harris and Drahovzal, Energy, written commun., March 1993). Additional samples 1996); (2) the Exxon No. 1 Gainer-Lee well, Calhoun County, were collected by Ryder and others (1998) from a core in the W. Va., where 13.4 barrels of gas-cut mud were produced Columbia Gas Transmission No. 9674T Mineral Tract 10 well, during a drill stem test from the Maryville Limestone; (3) the Mingo County, W. Va. (figs. 4, 8, 9) where TOC contents in Inland No. 529 White well, Boyd County, Ky., where oil was the Rome Formation ranged from 0.15 to 0.58 weight percent initially produced at 32 barrels per day from the Cambrian (fig. 9; table 1). Although these analyses (Ryder and others, Rome Formation (McGuire, 1968; Weaver and McGuire, 1998) indicated that organic carbon is present in the Cambrian 1977) or the Cambrian Maryville Limestone (this report); (4) section of the Rome trough, the TOC values are generally the Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well, Homer gas field, very low and are considered to be below the lower limit for an Elliott County, Ky., where gas, condensate, and oil is pro- effective petroleum source rock (Peters and Moldowan, 1993; duced from the Cambrian Rome Formation and Conasauga Peters and Cassa, 1994). Group (Lynch and others, 1999; Harris and others, 2004); and In early 2001, additional cores from the deep Exxon (5) the Miller No. 1 Bailey well, Wolfe County, Ky., where drill holes were shipped to Lexington, Ky., for sampling and condensate and gas was tested in the Cambrian Rome Forma- analysis. Among these cores were four cored sections from tion. Although Cambrian source rocks were suspected for the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. (figs. these Rome trough gas and oil occurrences, most rock samples 4, 8, 10): lower part of the Rome Formation (core 1), upper analyzed from the Cambrian to Lower Ordovician interval in part of the Rome Formation (core 2), Rogersville Shale of the trough had a total organic carbon (TOC) content in weight the Conasauga Group (core 3), and Maryville Limestone of percent that was too low for an effective source rock (Ryder the Conasauga Group (core 4). New TOC analyses for the and others, 1998). Rome Formation in the two deepest cores (1 and 2) yielded New geochemical evidence presented by Ryder and oth- low values ranging from 0.13 to 0.22 weight percent (figs. ers (2003) indicated that Cambrian source rocks are present 11, 12; table 1) that are consistent with analyses reported by in the Rome trough and they correlate favorably with oils in Ryder and others (1998). Much higher TOC values, ranging nearby Cambrian reservoirs. This evidence confirms a new from 1.20 to 4.40 weight percent, were obtained from four petroleum system in the Rome trough of Kentucky and West samples of the Rogersville Shale (figs. 13, 14; table 1). These Virginia that involves a source rock in the Cambrian Cona- high TOC values indicate a good to very good potential source sauga Group and reservoirs in the Cambrian Rome Forma- rock that, based on the density log, may be about 123 feet (ft) tion and Conasauga Group (Milici, Ryder, and Swezey, 2003; thick (fig. 13). To test for contamination by migrated liquid Milici, Ryder, Swezey, and others, 2003). This report provides petroleum, the shale sample with the highest TOC value (4.40 the supporting documentation for the Ryder and others (2003) weight percent) was extracted and then reanalyzed. The resul- presentation. tant post-extraction TOC value of 3.16 weight percent com- pared with the original value of 4.40 weight percent suggests that the high TOC values are credible and that the majority of the extractable bitumen was probably locally derived from the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total shale (fig. 13; table 1). Photographs and descriptions of the Petroleum System core (figs. 14, 15) indicate that the Rogersville Shale at this locality is a slightly fossiliferous, dark-gray shale of marine origin, which commonly contains thin laminae and beds of Source Rock Characteristics of Cambrian Rocks siltstone and very fine grained sandstone and burrows filled with siltstone and (or) very fine grained sandstone. Several deep wells (fig. 4) drilled into the Rome trough First hydrocarbon peak (S1) yields of 0.81 to 2.71 by Exxon Corporation in the 1970s were cored in the Cam- milligrams of hydrocarbon per gram of organic carbon brian Conasauga Group and Rome Formation. Of these (mgHC/g orgC), second hydrocarbon peak (S2) yields of 0.75 cores, selected ones were sampled and analyzed, and TOC to 2.58 mgHC/g orgC), maximum temperature (T ) of the and Rock-Eval7 analyses were reported by Ryder and others max S2 peak of 460°C to 469°C (414°C value is probably anoma- (1998). For example, Ryder and others (1998) reported that lous), and production index (PI) values 0.51 to 0.58 in the core samples collected from the Rome Formation and the pre-extraction Rogersville Shale samples (table 1) suggest that Maryville Limestone of the Conasauga Group in the No. 1 these samples have reached the late stage of thermal matu- McCoy well (figs. 4, 5; table 1) yielded TOC values ranging rity for oil and the early stage for gas (Peters and Moldowan, from 0.09 to 0.11 weight percent in the Rome Formation and 1993).

7French Institute of Petroleum, Rusil-Malmaison, France. Text continued on page 19. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 5 No. 529 White No. 1 Kirby No. 1 Gainer-Lee No. 1 McCoy No. 1 Jewell Greene Homer gas field (No. 1 Kazee) No. 1 Bailey No. 1 McCormick EXPLANATION Mature source rock Minimum petroleum system petroleum system Total Oil and gas wells Gas and condensate wells Dead oil well Gas wells 3 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 NEW JERSEY 75° 200 MILES Ocean Atlantic DELAWARE D.C. 100 MARYLAND WASHINGTON VIRGINIA 0 NORTH CAROLINA 80° WEST VIRGINIA 1 Lake Erie 2 1 OHIO 1 1 2 3 2 85° MICHIGAN Map of the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System showing the location of selected wells in Rome trough with oil and gas production shows. Map of the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total TENNESSEE

INDIANA KENTUCKY 40° 42° 38° 36° Figure 3. 6 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin No. 1 Kirby No. 1 Smith No. 9674T Mineral 10 Tract No. 1 McCoy No. 1 McCormick EXPLANATION Well sampled for source Well rock — Analyses reported in Harris and others (2004) Mature source rock Minimum petroleum system petroleum system Total Line of regional cross section—From Ryder (1992) Crangle, Swezey, and Ryder, and others (1997). Area of section between two ticks Line was used for this study. of cross section shown in figure 2. Line of Cambrian and Ordovician cross section—From Ryder and others (1997). Area of cross section between two ticks Line was used for this study. of cross section shown in figure 19. sampled for source Well rock — Analyses reported on table 1 E' G' 2 1 3 5 4 E G ’ (fig. 5; partially shown as geologic E-E NEW JERSEY 200 MILES 75° Ocean Atlantic DELAWARE PENNSYLVANIA D.C. 100 MARYLAND WASHINGTON VIRGINIA 0 NEW YORK E' NORTH CAROLINA 80° WEST VIRGINIA ’ (fig. 8; partially shown in figure 19) and wells the Rome trough sampled for source rocks. This map also shows 5 Lake Erie G-G G' 4

3

CANADA UNITED OHIO 2 E 1 G 85° ’ (Ryder and others, 1998) in figure 2) MICHIGAN E-E Map of Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System showing the location of Cambrian and Ordovician cross sections Map of Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total TENNESSEE

INDIANA KENTUCKY 42° 40° 38° 36° Figure 4. cross section the location of partial cross sections shown in figures 2 and 19. See Ryder others (2008) for a regional sect ion that trends along same line section here and continues to its west. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 7 SERIES Lower Silurian Upper Cambrian Lower Cambrian Mesoproterozoic Middle Cambrian Upper Ordovician Lower Ordovician Middle Ordovician E’ SE basement No. 8800-T Sponangle Dolomite Mesoproterozoic Copper Ridge Group(?) Oswego Chillhowee ? Sandstone K No. 10228 Security Farm W. Va. Medium Va. W. and Shady basement Dolomite(?) Formation Black River Mesoproterozoic Rome Formation(?) Elbrook Dolomite Group Beekmantown Maryville Limestone Trenton Trenton Limestone Rome Formation(?) and Shady Dolomite(?) No. 1 Group Gainer-Lee K Conasauga Tuscarora Tuscarora Sandstone No. 1 McCoy 40 MILES No. 1 Deem Rome Formation West Virginia Virginia West 20 No. 9634 Company Power Oil K Ohio 0 No. 1 0 Ullman basement FEET Mesoproterozoic 2,000 4,000 Utica Shale Rose Run sandstone No. 1 Marshall Shale Reedsville K Lee No. 1 through Cambrian and Ordovician strata in the Appalachian basin of Ohio and West Virginia showing the Exxon No. 1 McCoy and No. 1 Gainer-Lee showing the Exxon No. 1 McCoy and Gainer-Lee Virginia through Cambrian and Ordovician strata in the Appalachian basin of Ohio West ′ “Clinton” undivided and Medina sandstones, E–E EXPLANATION Shale No. 1 Palmer Sandstone Queenston Sandstone Limestone Dolomite Red shale Gray shale Black shale Anhydritic dolomite Location of sample collected for source-rock analysis Contact Knox unconformity Fault—Arrow indicates sense of movement Drill hole Mount Simon Cross section K

No. 1 Windbigler E NW No. 3 Myers Figure 5. Crangle, Swezey, Modified from Ryder (1992) and Ryder, wells and source-rock sample locations. In Ohio, the Rose Run, Medina, “Clinton” sandstones are used informally. and others (2008). 8 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin index 0.60 0.30 0.75 0.38 0.31 0.04 0.11 0.50 0.60 0.62 0.33 0.54 0.50 0.46 0.36 0.42 0.42 0.51 0.51 0.06 0.52 0.58 Production /g 2 3 − S 0.15 0.11 0.07 0.11 0.10 0.35 0.11 0.27 0.28 0.27 0.38 0.32 0.28 0.44 0.16 0.21 0.36 0.27 0.32 0.27 0.25 orgC) (mgCO 2 S 0.02 0.07 0.01 0.05 0.09 2.49 0.05 0.08 0.09 0.05 0.11 0.10 0.15 0.41 0.08 0.07 1.72 2.58 1.26 0.75 1.15 orgC) 13.61 (mgHC/g , third peak generated by Rock- 3 1 S 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.55 0.30 0.04 0.12 0.15 0.02 0.13 0.09 0.12 0.23 0.05 0.05 1.79 2.71 0.08 0.81 1.60 orgC) ×100/total organic carbon; oxygen ×100/total organic (mgHC/g 2 /g 2 6 − 11 16 54 46 54 86 13 10 23 12 50 50 85 48 gC of sample); S 112 180 200 177 190 100 orgC) index Oxygen (mgCO 7 33 15 15 26 18 40 29 49 88 63 61 59 40 63 55 13 32 38 43 417 356 orgC) index (mgHC/g Hydrogen − − − − − − − − − max 444 446 428 460 469 477 414 465 475 361 299 319 299 T (°C) Total Total 3.26 0.70 0.15 0.51 0.58 0.19 0.59 0.25 0.51 0.84 0.09 0.11 2.83 4.40 3.16 1.20 2.08 0.15 0.22 0.14 0.13 0.21 carbon organic (weight percent) , first hydrocarbon peak generated by Rock-Eval pyrolysis of sample (milligrams 1

(ft) 4,628 4,628.8 11,161.5 (extracted) 11,150.5 11,161.5 11,180.5 11,195.5 16,233.5 16,235.5 16,239.5 14,364.5 14,380.5 14,386.5 14,400.5 16,310 16,461 16,493 12,440.3 12,478.5 12,497 13,710.5 13,734.5 Sample depth - /g orgC) of sample. Indexes are calculated as follows: Hydrogen index=S /g orgC) 2 peak, in degrees Celsius (°C); S 2 Age and unit sampled stone of the Conasauga Group of the Conasauga Group Cambrian Rome Formation Cambrian Rome Formation Cambrian Maryville Lime Cambrian Rome Formation Cambrian Rogersville Shale Cambrian Rome Formation , second hydrocarbon peak generated by Rock-Eval pyrolysis of sample (mgHC/g or 2 )] 2 API number +S 1 16–079–21048 47–059–00805 47–035–01366 47–099–01572 /(S 1 , maximum temperature of S max longitude Latitude and 37°43′03″N., 84°37′56″W. 37°54′16″N., 82°10′10″W. 38°43′50″N., 81°34′12″W. 38°13′09″N., 82°32′05″W. Data for wells, including sample depths, total organic carbon content, and Rock-Eval analyses. Well name and location Well

×100/total organic carbon; production index=S ×100/total organic 3 Mineral Tract 10, Mingo Co., W. Va. 10, Tract Mingo Mineral Co., W. Texaco No.1 Kirby, Garrard Co., Ky. No.1 Kirby, Texaco No. 9674T Transmission Columbia Gas Va. W. Jackson Co., Exxon No.1 McCoy, Va. Co., W. Exxon No.1 Smith, Wayne Table 1. Table T [Abbreviations and symbols are as follows: ft, feet; C) of sample); S carbon (mgHC/g org hydrocarbon per gram of organic carbon (mgCO Eval pyrolysis of sample (milligrams carbon dioxide per gram organic index=S Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 9

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, (feet) (weight percent) Jackson County, W. Va.

Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Acoustic log unit (API units) (feet) (microseconds per foot)

16,450

16,200

Limestone member 16,460 0.09

16,300 0.84 TOC (weight 16,470 percent)*

16,400

16,480 Rome Formation

16,500 16,490

0.11 Sandstone and shale member

16,600 16,500

EXPLANATION 16,700 Sandstone

Shale

Figure 6. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon (TOC) Asterisk indicates data from Richard W. Beardsley (written analyses (in weight percent) for three samples from the Cambrian commun., Triana Energy, March 1993). See Ryder (1992) for a Rome Formation in the Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, Jackson County, brief discussion of the sandstone and shale member and W. Va. The core location is indicated by the shaded section of limestone member of the Rome Formation. API, American the depth column. See figures 3 and 4 for the location of the well. Petroleum Institute. 10 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, (feet) (weight percent) Jackson County, W. Va. 14,360 Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Acoustic log unit (API units) (feet) (microseconds per foot) 0.19

13,900 14,370

14,000 14,380 0.59

0.25

14,100 14,390 Interval not logged

14,200 14,400 0.51 Maryville Limestone of the Conasauga Group 14,300 14,410

14,400

EXPLANATION

Argillaceous pebbly sandstone

14,500 Shale

Argillaceous and sandy dolomite

Argillaceous and sandy limestone

Limestone with intraclasts

Gas-producing zone—At 14,358 feet, producing about 0.5 billion cubic feet of gas in 6 months

Figure 7. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon (TOC) analyses (in weight percent) for four samples from the Cambrian Maryville Limestone of the Conasauga Group in the Exxon No. 1 McCoy well, Jackson County, W. Va. The core location is indicated by the shaded section of the depth column. See figures 3 and 4 for the location of the well. See Ryder (1992) for a brief discussion of the Maryville Limestone of the Conasauga Group. API, American Petroleum Institute. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 11 SERIES Lower Silurian Upper Cambrian Lower Cambrian Middle Cambrian Lower Ordovician Upper Ordovician Middle Ordovician G’ SE Hoge Shale No. 1-1532 (?) Nolichucky K Formation Martinsburg VAC-1 Corehole

Rome Formation and Shady Dolomite

Honaker Group Formation

VIRGINIA Beekmantown WEST VIRGINIA WEST Ridge Copper Dolomite Mesoproterozoic basement Group Maryville Limestone Black River K Tuscarora Tuscarora Sandstone Rome Formation(?) Conasauga Group Mesoproterozoic basement Rome Formation Juniata Formation Mineral Tract 10 Tract No. 9674T Trenton Trenton Limestone Caldwell No. 6181(42) Shale 40 MILES Reedsville

K

WEST VIRGINIA WEST

No. 1 Smith KENTUCKY Young No. 542 20 Tract No. 538 Coalton Rome Formation 0 0 Stamper No. 8807-T FEET 4,000 2,000 Shepherd No. 9060-T Mesoproterozoic basement Rawlings No. 9061-T through Cambrian and Ordovician strata in the Appalachian basin of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia, showing the Columbia Gas and Virginia, Virginia, West through Cambrian and Ordovician strata in the Appalachian basin of Kentucky, ′ EXPLANATION Rose Run Sandstone Black argillaceous limestone Anhydritic dolomite Dolomite Red shale Limestone Gray shale Sandstone Knox unconformity Location of sample collected for source-rock analysis Contact Fault—Arrow indicates sense of movement Drill hole G–G K K G No. 1 NW Wilson Cross section

Kope Formation High Bridge Group Wells Creek dolomite Wells Figure 8. 10 and the Exxon No. 1 Smith wells source-rock sample locations. Modified from Ryder others (1997). No. 9674T Mineral Tract Transmission 12 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Columbia Gas Transmission No. 9674T (feet) (weight percent) Mineral Tract 10 well, Mingo County, W. Va.

Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Density log unit (API units) (feet) (grams per cubic centimeter)

16,210 16,000

16,220 Conasauga Group

Pumpkin Valley Shale Pumpkin Valley 16,100

16,230

16,200 0.15 Interval 0.51 not logged 16,240 0.58

16,300

Rome Formation 16,250 Limestone member

16,400

16,500 EXPLANATION

Argillaceous limestone

Limestone with thin zones of intraclasts

Figure 9. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon (TOC) for the location of the well. See Ryder (1992) for a brief discussion analyses (in weight percent) for three samples from the Cambrian of the unnamed limestone member of the Rome Formation and Rome Formation in the Columbia Gas Transmission No. 9674T the Pumpkin Valley Shale of the Conasauga Group. API, American Mineral Tract 10 well, Mingo County, W. Va. The core location is Petroleum Institute. indicated by the shaded section of the depth column. See figure 4 Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 13

Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va.

Caliper (inches) Density log 8 18 Stratigraphy Gamma-ray log Depth (grams per cubic centimeter) Cored (API units) (feet) interval 2 3 0 200

8,500 Knox Dolomite

9,000

9,500 Shale Nolichucky

10,000

Maryville 10,500 Limestone

11,000 Conasauga Group Shale Rogersville 11,500

12,000 stone Rutledge Lime-

12,500 Pumpkin Valley Shale Valley

13,000

13,500 Rome Formation

14,000

Shady 14,500 Dolomite Crystalline rocks

Figure 10. Diagram showing gamma-ray, caliper, and density logs from lower Paleozoic strata and the location of cored intervals in the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. See figure 4 for the location of the well. API, American Petroleum Institute. 14 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va.

Total Caliper (inches) Density log organic 8 18 content Geologic Depth (grams per cubic centimeter) Gamma-ray log (weight unit (feet) (API units) percent) 0 200 2 3 0 5

13,700

13,710 0.13

13,720 Rome Formation

13,730

0.21

13,740

Figure 11. Diagram showing gamma-ray, caliper, and density logs and total organic carbon content (in weight percent) for two samples from the lower part of the Cambrian Rome Formation in the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. See figure 4 for the location of the well. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 15

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Exxon No. 1 Smith well, (feet) (weight percent) Wayne County, W. Va. 12,440 0.15 Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Acoustic log unit (API units) (feet) (microseconds per foot)

12,450 12,200

Conasauga Group 12,460 Pumpkin Valley Shale Pumpkin Valley 12,300

12,470 12,400

0.22 12,480 12,500 limestone member

12,490

12,600 Rome Formation 0.14 12,500 12,700 EXPLANATION

Shale

12,800 Dolomite

sandstone and shale member Argillaceous limestone

Figure 12. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon figure 4 for the location of the well. See Ryder (1992) and (TOC) analyses (in weight percent) for three samples from Ryder and others (1997) for a brief discussion of the unnamed the upper part of the Cambrian Rome Formation in the Exxon limestone member of the Rome Formation and the Pumpkin No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. The core location is Valley Shale of the Conasauga Group. API, American indicated by the shaded section of the depth column. See Petroleum Institute. 16 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Exxon No. 1 Smith well, (feet) (weight percent) Wayne County, W. Va.

Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Density log unit (API units) (feet) (grams per cubic centimeter)

2.83

11,000

11,150 4.40 (3.16*)

1.20 11,100 Rogersville Shale of Conasauga Group

2.08

11,200

11,200 123 feet EXPLANATION

Argillaceous sandstone

Shale

Sandy shale

11,300

Figure 13. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon column. See figure 4 for the location of the well. See Ryder (TOC) analyses (in weight percent) for five samples from (1992) and Ryder and others (1997) for a brief discussion the Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group in of the Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group. Asterisk the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. The core indicates the TOC value of the sample after bitumen location is indicated by the shaded section of the depth extraction. API, American Petroleum Institute. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 17 11,160.5 ft 11,161 ft EXPLANATION Shale and siltstone Trilobite Brachiopod Ripple cross-lamination figure 15 Photograph on 2.83 4.40 2.08 1.20 5 Total Total (weight organic content percent) 0 and tary Fossil structure sedimen - Lithology (gray) and clay Silt (green) and calcite cement. Trilobite and lingulid brachiopods are common. The section is and calcite cement. Trilobite burrowed to bioturbated and displays flaser ripple cross-lamination. Abbreviations are as follows: API, American Petroleum Institute; TOC, total organic carbon, in weight percent; vc, very coarse grained; vf, fine grained. vf Grain size Sand vc Granule 3 Density log (grams per cubic centimeter) 2 (feet) Depth 11,140 11,150 11,160 11,170 11,180 11,190 11,200 18 200 (API units) Gamma-ray log Caliper (inches) Diagram and photograph showing summary data for the cored interval

8 0 Rogersville Shale Rogersville unit Geologic Figure 14. of the Cambrian Rogersville Shale Conasauga Group in Exxon No. 1 Smith See figure 4 for the location of well. The scale bar Va. W. County, well, Wayne is in 1-centimeter (cm) increments. The cored section consists of dark-gray shale with thin (1 millimeter (mm) to 5 cm thick) siltstone and sandstone laminae beds 18 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

11,150.5 ft

Shale

Very fine sandstone

Burrows filled with very fine grained sandstone

11,150.75 ft

Figure 15. Photograph of a cored section of the Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group at 11,150.5 ft in the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. The scale bar is in 1-centimeter increments. See figure 4 for the location of the well. The cored interval shown in the photograph is located on figure 14. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 19

The approximately 28 percent of extractable bitumen 529 White well have a strong odd-carbon predominance in the in the Rogersville Shale at 11,161.5 ft (based on the TOC n-C13 to n-C19 range and thus provide compelling evidence for decrease of 1.24 weight percent after extraction; table 1) could a correlation between oil and source rock (fig. 17A, B). This be the result of solid bitumen (with an extractable component) evidence implies that the oil from the Cambrian reservoir in introduced into the siltstone and sandstone laminae and bur- Boyd County, Ky., was derived from a source rock similar rows from a different source rock. Moreover, the lithologic in composition to the Cambrian Rogersville Shale in Wayne character of the Rogersville Shale in the core is inconsistent County, W. Va. Additional compelling evidence for a link with known source rocks. Commonly, gray shale with siltstone between Cambrian source rock and Cambrian oil is provided and sandstone laminae and burrows have a TOC content of by the mud log for the No. 1 Smith well (fig. 18), which less than 0.5 weight percent. Despite these bothersome pos- indicates excellent hydrocarbon shows above and below the sibilities, we propose that the Rogersville Shale in the No. Rogersville Shale cored section. On the basis of the mud log, 1 Smith well is a credible source rock that was capable of we suggest that petroleum was generated from the Rogersville generating petroleum in the Rome trough. The generation and Shale source rock and migrated vertically into the 100-ft-thick introduction of solid bitumen from another source rock is dis- overlying sandstone unit within the Rogersville. The cross counted here because there is no visual evidence for it in the section shown in figure 19 illustrates our interpretation that oil core, such as black, opaque coatings along laminae, pores, and was generated in the Rogersville Shale in the vicinity of the burrows. We suggest that the high percentage of extractable No. 1 Smith well, migrated 15 to 20 miles (mi) updip along a bitumen in the Rogersville is a remnant of the original petro- sandstone carrier bed in the Rogersville, and was trapped in a leum generated in place in the source rock. Although the litho- structural feature that involved the Maryville Limestone near logic character of the Rogersville is atypical for a petroleum the No. 529 White well. source rock, it may represent a variety of poorly documented Geochemical characteristics representative of G. prisca- source rocks that are intermediate in organic richness. bearing oil were noted in other oils from the Cambrian Rome Formation in eastern Kentucky: (1) the Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well in the Homer gas field, Elliott County, Ky. Oil-Source Rock Correlations (fig. 3); (2) the Blue Ridge No. 1 Jewell Greene well, Elliott County, Ky. (Moldowan and Jacobson, 2000); and (3) the A gas chromatogram of the bitumen extract (core Miller No. 1 Bailey well, Wolfe County, Ky. Oil from the depth=11,161.5 ft) is characterized by (1) a full spectrum of No. 1 Kazee well in the Homer gas field (fig. C20 ) correlates most closely with the bitumen extract from the Rogersville n-alkanes from n-C11 through n-C30 but with a reduced n-C20+ fraction, (2) a strong odd predominance of n-alkanes in the Shale (Wayne County, W. Va.) (figs. 16, 17A) and oil from the Maryville Limestone (Boyd County, Ky.) (fig. 17B). Although n-C13 through n-C19 range, and (3) very small amounts of pristane and phytane (fig. 16). These three characteristics are condensate from the No. 1 Jewell Greene and No. 1 Bailey diagnostic of organic matter predominantly composed of the wells (fig. 20A, B) show a C20+ n-alkane distribution that is alga Gloeocapsomorpha prisca, whose age is commonly asso- more attenuated than the oil from the No. 1 Kazee well in the ciated with Ordovician source rocks (Longman and Palmer, Homer gas field (fig. C20 ) the characteristic odd-predomi- 1987; Jacobson and others, 1988). The character of this gas nance of n-alkanes in the n-C13 through n-C19 range is still chromatogram presents compelling evidence that G. prisca or present. All the oils or condensates shown in figure 20 very its precursor was living at least as early as Middle Cambrian likely were generated from organic matter in the Rogersville time, approximately 50 million years before the appearance Shale or from other compositionally similar in the of the Ordovician organism. To our knowledge, the only other Conasauga Group or Rome Formation. There is no evidence reported occurrence of G. prisca from Cambrian rocks is from that Ordovician source rocks in eastern Kentucky and adjoin- a Middle Cambrian alginite in the Canadian Northwest Ter- ing western West Virginia could have generated these oils. ritories (Wielens and others, 1990). At the western end of the Rome trough, a thin, dark- We compared the geochemistry of the bitumen extract gray to black shale was sampled for this investigation from from the Rogersville Shale in the No. 1 Smith well, Wayne the Cambrian Rome Formation in the Texaco No. 1 Kirby County, W. Va. (figs. 4, 8), with the geochemistry of oil well, Garrard County, Ky. (fig. 4). This well yielded shows of produced from a Cambrian carbonate and sandstone reservoir oil and low-heat-value gas (indicated by an average British in the No. 529 White well, Boyd County, Ky. (fig. 3). This thermal units (Btu) value of 227) from sandstone units in the well, which was drilled in the mid-1960s, yielded the first Rome Formation (Harris and Baranoski, 1996). The TOC commercial oil production from Cambrian rocks in the Rome values of the shale ranged from 0.70 to 3.26 weight percent trough (McGuire, 1968; Weaver and McGuire, 1977). The No. (fig. 21). A photograph of the core (fig. 22) shows that the 529 White well is located about 12 mi northwest and updip shale is less than 1 inch thick and is associated with bur- of the No. 1 Smith well (figs. 3, 4). Gas chromatograms for rowed sandstone and conglomeratic sandstone. The moderate the bitumen extract from the Rogersville Shale in the No. 1 Smith well and for oil from the Cambrian reservoir in the No. Text continued on page 26.

20 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

34 -C n

33 -C n

50

32 -C n

31 -C n

30 -C n

40

29 -C n

11,161.5 ft

28 -C Rogersville Shale n Exxon No. 1 Smith

Wayne County, W. Va. Va. W. County, Wayne Whole bitumen extract

27 -C n

26 -C n

25 -C n

24

-C n

23 -C

n 30

22 -C n

21 -C n

20 -C n

19 -C n

TIME, IN MINUTES ph

18 -C n

pr

17 -C n

18 -C i

16 -C n

15

-C

n 20

16 -C i ), including pristane (pr) and phytane (ph), are identified. See figure 4 for the location of well.

18

14 -C n

-C 15

-C i i

13 -C n

14 -C i

13

-C i

12 -C n

11 -C n

10 -C n

10

9 -C n

8 -C n -alkanes and the isoprenoids (for example, n Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne Gas chromatogram of a whole bitumen extract from the Cambrian Rogersville Shale Conasauga Group at 11,161.5 feet in Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne

0 0 0

500

2,0 0 1,500 1,000 2,500 DETECTOR RESULTS DETECTOR Figure 16. The Va. W. County, Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 21 15 13

2,500 14 n -C n -C n -C Whole bitumen extract

17 Rogersville Shale

n -C Exxon No. 1 Smith 2,000 16 Wayne County, W. Va. n -C 12 11,161.5 ft n -C

1,500 19 n -C 18 DETECTOR RESULTS 1,000 n -C 11 n -C

500 pr ph 10 9 8 n -C n -C 0 n -C A 0 10 20 30 40 50 TIME, IN MINUTES 13 n -C 15 14

2,500 12 n -C n -C n -C 17 11

2,000 n -C Oil

n -C Maryville Limestone Inland No. 529 White Boyd County, Ky. 1,500 7,574 to 7,598 ft 19 DETECTOR RESULTS 1,000 n -C pr

500 ph 10 n -C

0 B 0 10 20 30 TIME, IN MINUTES

Figure 17. Gas chromatograms showing the oil-source rock and the isoprenoids, including pristane (pr) and phytane (ph), are correlation. A, Whole bitumen extract from the Rogersville Shale identified. Note the strong odd-carbon predominance in the n-C13 at 11,161.5 feet (ft) in the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, to n-C19 range in both gas chromatograms. See figure 4 for the W. Va. B, Oil from the Maryville Limestone at 7,574 to 7,598 ft in location of the well. Oil data provided by Richard W. Beardsley the Inland No. 529 White well, Boyd County, Ky. The n-alkanes (Triana Energy, written commun., December 1995). 22 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va.

Depth Mud gas (parts per million) Lithology (feet) 2 3 4 0 1 10 10 10 10

Methane 11,000

Hotwire gas

11,100 EXPLANATION Ethane Lithology

Sandstone

Shale

Limestone

Dolomite

Gas geochemistry 11,200 Concentration of propane greater than 102 parts per million

Concentration of ethane greater than 102 parts per million

Concentration of methane greater than 102 Propane parts per million

Hotwire gas (in arbitrary units)

Concentration of methane, ethane, and propane 11,300

Figure 18. Mud log of part of the Conasauga Group interval (mud) is further analyzed by a gas chromatograph to determine showing a high gas concentration directly above and below the concentration of individual gases (methane, ethane, and the cored part of the Rogersville Shale in the Exxon No. 1 Smith propane) in parts per million. The high gas content in the mud well, Wayne County, W. Va. The core location is indicated by the log, above and below the cored section in the Rogersville shaded area in the depth column. See figure 4 for the location of Shale, suggests (1) that the gas was derived from the adjoining the well. Hotwire gas is the initial concentration of gas detected Rogersville Shale and (2) that the Rogersville Shale at this in the drilling fluid (mud) by a heated platinum filament that locality is a viable source rock for oil and gas. forms one arm of a wheatstone bridge circuit. The drilling fluid Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 23

NW No. 529 SE

White KENTUCKY (projected 8 mi to WEST VIRGINIA “Clinton” No. 9674T the southwest) sandstone Mineral No. 1 No. 6181(42) Tract 10 No. 538 No. 542 Caldwell Lower Silurian No. 8807 Coalton Smith No. 9060-T Young Juniata Formation Shepherd Stamper Tract Upper Ordovician Reedsville Shale Trenton Limestone

Lexington Limestone Black River Group High Bridge Group Wells Creek dolomite Rose Run Sandstone K Copper Ridge Dolomite Middle Ordovician K Conasauga Group Lower Ordovician Mount Simon Sandstone

Copper Ridge Dolomite

Upper Cambrian Nolichucky Shale

EXPLANATION Maryville Limestone

Sandstone

Limestone Conasauga Group

Dolomite Rogersville Shale

Red shale Rutledge Limestone Middle Cambrian Gray shale Kentucky River fault Anhydritic dolomite

Basement rocks Pumpkin Valley Shale Oil-producing zone Rome Formation

Shady Dolomite Proposed oil migration route along cross section G-G’ FEET Lower Cambrian Basal Contact 1000 sandstone Mesoproterozoic K Knox unconformity 0 Fault—Arrow indicates sense 0 10 20 MILES of movement

Drill hole

Figure 19. Part of cross section G–G′ through the northern well, Boyd County, Ky. This cross section is modified from margin of the Rome trough. The cross section shows the Ryder and others (1997). See figures 3 and 4 for the location proposed oil migration route from the Rogersville Shale source of the wells and the line of section and see figure 8 for a rock in the Exxon No.1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va., to complete version of cross section G–G′. Lithologic data from the Maryville Limestone reservoir in the Inland No. 529 White Geologic Sample Log Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. 24 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

25

30 -C n 30

8,600 ft 25 -C n (No. 1 Kazee) 6,250 to 6,260 ft Homer gas field Rome Formation Rome Formation Elliott County, Ky. Elliott County, Elliott County, Ky. Elliott County, Blue Ridge Group Carson Associates No. 1 Jewell Greene 20

25

19

-C n

25 -C n

17 -C n

20

15 -C n

15

13 -C n

15

19 -C n -alkanes are identified. See figure 3 for the

TIME, IN MINUTES

n

TIME, IN MINUTES

11 -C n

17 -C n 10

10

9 -C n

15 -C n

5

7 -C n 13 -C n 5 0 0 0 500 500

B C 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000

3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000

DETECTOR RESULTS DETECTOR chromatograms for the No. 1 Bailey and Kazee oils or condensates are whole- oil gas chromatograms. The type of chromatogram for the No. 1 Jewell Greene oil or condensate is unspecified. The location of the No. 1 Bailey well, Jewell Greene and Kazee well in the Homer gas field. DETECTOR RESULTS DETECTOR 40 , Homer gas field,

C

19 -C n No. 1 Bailey 6,956 to 6,960 ft

Rome Formation

Wolfe County, Ky. County, Wolfe Miller Oil and Gas

17 -C n

30

15 -C n , Blue Ridge Group No. 1 Jewell Greene well, B , Miller Oil and Gas No. 1 Bailey well, Wolfe , Miller Oil and Gas No. 1 Bailey well, Wolfe A

TIME, IN MINUTES

13 -C n

20

11 -C n

10

Gas chromatograms from selected oils or condensates in Cambrian 9 -C n

0 500

3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 A DETECTOR RESULTS DETECTOR Figure 20. reservoirs in eastern Kentucky wells. from 6,956 to 6,960 feet (ft). Ky., County, at 8,600 ft (Moldowan and Jacobson, 2000). Ky., Elliott County, from 6,250 to 6,260 ft. The gas Ky., Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well, Elliott County, Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 25

Detail of core

Depth Lithology Sample location and TOC Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, (feet) (weight percent) Garrard County, Ky.

Geologic Gamma-ray log Depth Density log unit (API units) (feet) (grams per cubic centimeter)

4,620 Photograph on figure 22 4,500 3.26 4,630 0.70

4,550

4,600 Rome Formation

4,650

EXPLANATION

4,700 Pebbly sandstone

Sandstone

Shale

Oil show at 4,627 feet

Figure 21. Diagram showing results of total organic carbon (TOC) analyses (in weight percent) for two samples from the Cambrian Rome Formation in the Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky. The core location is indicated by the shaded section of the depth column. See figures 3 and 4 for the location of the wells. API, American Petroleum Institute. 26 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

hydrogen index, which indicates that the original kerogen type is indeterminate (fig. 24). The marine origin implies that the original kerogen in the Rogersville Shale was most likely type II (Tissot and Welte, 1984). Although this thin shale in the No. 1 Kirby well has a moderately high total organic carbon content, it probably is only a local source rock. The presence of this thin shale, however, indicates that organic material accumulated in the Rome Formation and suggests the possibil- ity that thicker accumulations of organic matter may exist in the Rome Formation elsewhere in the Rome trough.

Results and Discussion

4,628.8 ft On the basis of these new TOC and Rock-Eval analyses and initial oil-source rock correlations, we are able to identify a new petroleum system in the Appalachian basin. Shale units Black shale rich in organic matter in the Middle and Upper Cambrian Conasauga Group are the source rocks in the petroleum sys- tem and very likely account for known oil and gas accumula- tions trapped in sandstone reservoirs in the Cambrian Rome Formation and Conasauga Group (fig. 25). Source rocks in the Rome Formation are considered to be local. In eastern and central Kentucky and western West Virginia, oil and gas in the Cambrian Copper Ridge Dolomite and the Ordovician Beek- mantown Dolomite, St. Peter Sandstone, High Bridge Group, and Lexington Limestone also may belong to this petroleum 4,629 ft system because they migrated vertically along fractures from Conasauga Group source rocks (fig. 25). This petroleum system probably extends into West Virginia and perhaps into Pennsylvania where there are potential gas-bearing reservoirs in the Conasauga Group and equivalent units (fig. 25). Also in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the possibility exists that some gas in deep Upper Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian reservoirs (assigned to the Utica-Lower Paleozoic Total Petro- leum System) may be mixed with gas that has leaked upsec- Figure 22. Photograph of a cored section of black shale in tion from the underlying Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total the Cambrian Rome Formation in the Texaco No. 1 Kirby well at Petroleum System. 4,628.8 feet, Garrard County, Ky. The scale bar is in 1-centimeter Preliminary burial and temperature history models for increments. See figures 3 and 4 for the location of the well. The the No. 1 Smith (figs. 4, 8) and the No. 1 Gainer-Lee (fig. 5) cored interval shown in the photograph is located on figure 21. wells suggest that oil generated from Middle Cambrian rocks in the central and southern West Virginia parts of the Rome

Rock-Eval S1 yield for the Rome Formation shale samples, trough was migrating actively no later than Late Silurian to ranging from 0.30 to 0.55 mgHC/g org C (table 1), was suf- Early Devonian time (figs. 26, 27). These models further sug- ficiently high for a bitumen extraction. The gas chromatogra- gest that gas generated from Middle Cambrian rocks in central phy signature that characterizes this bitumen extract (fig. 23B, West Virginia was migrating actively by the Early Carbonifer- core depth=4,628.8 ft) is very similar (strong odd-carbon ous (fig. 27) and that gas generated from Middle Cambrian number dominance) to the one obtained from the Rogersville rocks in southern West Virginia was migrating actively in the Shale (fig. 23A) and, thus, further corroborates the presence early Mesozoic (fig. 26). The predicted Late Devonian timing of the alga G. prisca or a predecessor in Cambrian rocks of of gas generation and Early active migration in the Rome trough. On the basis of sparse hydrogen index and central West Virginia resulted from the abrupt thickening of oxygen index data from Rock-Eval analyses (fig. 24), the the Upper Devonian overburden that formed during Catskill kerogen in the Rome shales probably can be characterized as delta sedimentation (fig. 27), whereas the predicted Late type I (Tissot and Welte, 1984); because of its relatively high Permian timing of gas generation and early Mesozoic active thermal maturity, however, kerogen in the Rogersville Shale migration in southern West Virginia resulted from an incre- plots near the origin of the plot showing oxygen index versus mental burial history with fewer periods of abrupt overburden Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 27 15 13

2,500 14 Whole bitumen extract n -C n -C

n -C Rogersville Shale

17 Exxon No. 1 Smith

n -C Wayne County, W. Va.

2,000 16 11,161.5 ft 12 n -C n -C

1,500 19 n -C 18 DETECTOR RESULTS 1,000 n -C 11 20 15 17 n -C 21 16 22 i -C n -C i -C 14 i -C n -C 23 18 n -C 500 i -C 24 pr i -C n -C 25 ph 26 n -C 27 13 28 29 30 n -C 31 33 32 10 9 34 8 i -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C n -C 0 A 0 10 20 30 40 50 TIME, IN MINUTES

350 17

n -C Whole bitumen extract 300 Rome Formation Texaco No. 1 Kirby 19 8 Garrard County, Ky. n -C 250 n -C 4,628.8 ft 11

200 18 15 16 n -C 13 n -C n -C n -C 14 12 21 n -C 20 10

150 n -C n -C DETECTOR RESULTS n -C 9 n -C n -C 22 23 n -C n -C n -C 100 24 25 n -C 26 n -C 27 28 n -C 29 pr n -C 30

50 31 18 ph 33 32 15 n -C 14 16 n -C i -C 13 n -C i -C n -C i -C n -C n -C i -C i -C 0 B 0 10 20 30 40 50 TIME, IN MINUTES

Figure 23. Gas chromatograms of whole bitumen extracts. A, From the Rogersville Shale in the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. B, From the Rome Formation in the Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky. The n-alkanes and the isoprenoids (for example, i-C18), including pristane (pr) and phytane (ph), are identified. See figure 4 for the location of the wells. 28 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

750 Oil-prone kerogen (Type I)

Oil-and-gas-prone kerogen (Type II) 600

450 Texaco No. 1 Kirby well, Garrard County, Ky. 4,628 to 4,629 ft Rome Formation

300

150

HYDROGEN INDEX, IN MILLIGRAMS OF HYDROCARBON PER GRAM OF TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON HYDROGEN INDEX, IN MILLIGRAMS OF HYDROCARBON PER GRAM TOTAL Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. 11,150 to 11,195 ft Rogersville -prone kerogen (Type III)

0 0 50 100 150 OXYGEN INDEX, IN MILLIGRAMS OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER GRAM OF TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON

Figure 24. Modified Van Krevelen diagram of the wells. The kerogen in the Rome Formation showing oxygen index versus hydrogen index with high hydrogen index values is probably type and thermal maturation pathways for kerogen I, whereas the kerogen in the Rogersville Shale types I, II, and III (Espitalié and others, 1977). with very low hydrogen index values (because of Samples of Cambrian source rocks in the Rome their moderately high level of thermally maturity) trough are plotted. See figure 4 for the location cannot be characterized by kerogen type. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 29

Petroleum assessment EXPLANATION Geologic unit Age units (AU) Era Series (Ma) System Kentucky West Virginia Pennsylvania Conventional Marine or estuarine sandstone Lexington Gray marine shale Limestone R Rome Trough AU Black marine shale x x x x x x x (Ky.) Upper x x x x x x x Upper Cambrian through Upper Ordovician strata High Bridge Dolomite Group in these States are assigned to the Utica-Lower Paleozoic Wells Creek dolomite Limestone R Total Petroleum System

Middle St. Peter Sandstone

Ordovician Missing section 471.8 Range of named Knox unconformity petroleum assessment unit (AU)

Lower x x Bentonite bed Knox Dolomite R S Seal—Queried where 488.3 Rose Run Sandstone uncertain Rome SR Source rock Trough AU Copper Ridge Dolomite (Ky.) R Reservoir—Queried where uncertain

Maynardville

Upper Limestone

Paleozoic Nolichucky Shale S (?) Nolichucky Shale unnamed dolomite member Warrior Maryville Formation R (?) Limestone R unnamed limestone 501 Pleasant Hill Limestone member Rome

R Maryville Limestone Rogersville SR Trough AU

Shale Conasauga Group (W. Va. and Pa.)

Conasauga Group Rogersville Shale

Rutledge Limestone Rutledge Limestone Waynesboro Pumpkin Valley Shale Pumpkin Valley Shale Formation

Cambrian unnamed limestone member unnamed limestone member Middle unnamed sandstone unnamed sandstone SR ? R R ? and and Rome Formation 513 Rome Formation shale member shale member

Shady Dolomite Shady Dolomite Chilhowee Group Chilhowee Group Chilhowee Group Lower

542

Figure 25. Correlation chart showing the stratigraphic units of the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System and source rocks, reservoirs, and seal. The stratigraphic units shown on the correlation chart are used in Ryder and others (1997) and in Ryder, Swezey, Milici, and others (2008). Ma, millions of years. 30 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin thickening (fig. 26). The timing of oil and gas generation and Rome trough. The samples are in the thermal maturity zone of migration in the Rome trough of Kentucky probably is very late oil to early gas generation based on Tmax values of about similar to the timing in southern West Virginia. 465°C. The S1 values of 0.81 to 2.71 indicate that the four The events chart (fig. 28) shows the presence (or absence) samples from the Rogersville contain free extractable hydro- of key elements in the petroleum system such as source rocks, carbons. The gas chromatogram of a whole bitumen extract is reservoirs, seals, traps, and a favorable timing of petroleum characterized by n-alkanes from n-C11 through n-C30, strong generation and trap formation (Magoon and Dow, 1994). The odd-carbon predominance in the n-C13 to n-C19 range, and events chart indicates that the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga small amounts of pristane and phytane. The strong odd-carbon Total Petroleum System contains all the key elements of a predominance is diagnostic of organic matter composed of the viable petroleum system. alga G. prisca, whose age is usually restricted to the Ordovi- Although the Rome trough has known petroleum source cian. These G. prisca characteristics have not been previously rocks and known oil and gas accumulations, much uncertainty identified in Cambrian source rocks in the Appalachian basin. remains. Unanswered questions include the following: Thin, black shale in the Lower to Middle Cambrian Rome For- 1. What is the thickness and extent of the Cambrian mation in the No. 1 Kirby well in Garrard County, Ky. (which source rocks? Are they widespread throughout the has a TOC content as high as 3.2 weight percent, a hydrogen Rome trough or only locally distributed? index as high as 417, and gas chromatogram signatures for an extract that are similar to those of the Rogersville Shale), may 2. What is the nature of the available traps during opti- be a secondary source rock interval in the petroleum system. mum petroleum migration? Are structural traps most The gas chromatogram signatures of the bitumen extract from important or are stratigraphic traps also important? the Rogersville Shale correlate closely with those for oils and condensates from Cambrian reservoirs in eastern Kentucky. 3. What kinds of reservoirs exist in the deepest parts of These oils and condensates are from the No. 1 Kazee well in the Rome trough? Are there sandstones with inter- the Homer gas field in Elliott County, Ky., the No. 529 White granular porosity? Are there carbonates with inter- well in Boyd County, Ky., and the No. 1 Bailey well in Wolfe crystalline or vuggy porosity? Do open fractures exist County, Ky. The new petroleum system, named the Cona- in these potential reservoirs? sauga-Conasauga/Rome Total Petroleum System by Milici, Ryder, Swezey, and others (2003) probably extends along the 4. What is the extent and integrity of the seals? Are they Rome trough from eastern Kentucky to at least central West leaky or tight? They had to have held petroleum for Virginia. about 300 million years, possibly under fluid pressure that was greater than hydrostatic. Figure 26 (facing page). Burial and temperature history model 5. To what degree have gases generated from Cambrian for the Exxon No. 1 Smith well, Wayne County, W. Va. See figure source rocks in the Rome trough mixed with gases 4 for the location of the well. The timing of oil and gas generation generated from the Ordovician Utica Shale? If a high at this locality is shown by vertical arrows. For example, oil degree of mixing is suspected, what geochemical char- generation occurred in the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian, acteristics might best diagnose such an occurrence? whereas gas generation occurred in the Late Permian. Moreover, active oil and gas migration at this locality is interpreted to have 6. What additional geochemical studies are needed to occurred approximately 15 to 20 million years after generation. further understand the correlation between oils and Using this criterion, oil was migrating actively in the Late Silurian, source rocks reported here? whereas gas was migrating actively in the early Mesozoic. Estimated temperatures of oil and gas generation at this locality are shown by horizontal arrows. For example, oil was generated between the temperatures of 95.00°C and 104.50°C, whereas Conclusions gas was generated between the temperatures of 152.00°C and 161.50°C. The modeled temperatures (shown by 10 colors in the A 123-ft-thick section of Cambrian marine, dark-gray model) at this locality represent a range of temperatures (shown shale from a core between 11,150 and 11,195 ft in the No. 1 by 20 colors in the figure explanation). For example, the area of Smith well in Wayne County, W. Va., has good to very good light yellowish green in the model in this figure actually represents source rock potential (as defined by Peters and Cassa, 1994) the three ranges of temperatures shown by yellow and light that, when combined with favorable oil-source rock correla- green and grouped as category 4 in the figure explanation. The tions, demonstrates the presence of a new petroleum system paleogeothermal gradient predicted by the model is approximately in the Rome trough. This dark-gray shale occurs in the Middle 30°C/kilometer (km). The geologic time scale used in the model Cambrian Rogersville Shale of the Conasauga Group. Total differs slightly from the time scale used in figures 1 and 25. organic carbon (TOC) contents of four samples that range Abbreviations for age symbols are as follows: _, Cambrian; O, from 1.2 to 4.4 weight percent (average 2.6 weight percent), Ordovician; S, Silurian; D, Devonian; C, Carboniferous; P, Permian; are the highest reported to date in the pre-Knox section of the ^, Triassic; J, ; K, ; $, Paleogene; N, Neogene. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 31 Black River Limestone Beekmantown Group (lower part) Rogersville Shale Rutledge Limestone Pumpkin Maryville Dolomite Limestone Valley Shale Valley Geologic unit Copper Ridge Pocono Group Reedsville Shale 0 N $ CENOZOIC Carboniferous Devonian Silurian Ordovician Cambrian C S D O _ 100 K Age Neogene Paleogene Cretaceous Jurassic Triassic Permian J K P ^ N $ MESOZOIC J 200 Gas 1 ^ Gas 2 114.00-123.50 123.50-133.00 133.00-142.50 142.50-152.00 152.00-161.50 161.50-171.00 171.00-180.50 180.50-190.00 P AGE, IN MA EXPLANATION 3 2 1 300 3 Oil C 57.00-66.50 66.50-76.00 76.00-85.50 85.50-95.00 95.00-104.50 104.50-114.00 Catskill delta D Temperature (in degrees Celsius) Temperature sedimentation event 4 6 5 PALEOZOIC 400 4 S Oil 0.00-9.50 9.50-19.00 19.00-28.50 28.50-38.00 38.00-47.50 47.50-57.00 5 O 9 8 7 6 10 500 Depth to base of Pumpkin Shale at maximum burial Valley _ 10 529 7 9 8 0

5,000

10,000 15,000 17,415 BURIAL DEPTH, IN FEET IN DEPTH, BURIAL 32 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin Upper Devonian undifferentiated Ohio Shale (upper) Beekmantown Group Copper Ridge Dolomite Rogersville Shale Geologic unit Rome Formation Reedsville Shale Juniata Formation 0 N $ CENOZOIC Carboniferous Devonian Silurian Ordovician Cambrian C S D O _ K 100 Age Neogene Paleogene Cretaceous Jurassic Triassic Permian J K P ^ N $ MESOZOIC J 1 200 ^ 180.00-195.00 195.00-210.00 210.00-225.00 225.00-240.00 240.00-255.00 255.00-270.00 270.00-285.00 285.00-300.00 2 4 3 2 1 3 P EXPLANATION AGE, IN MA Oil Gas 4 300 C 5 135.00-150.00 90.00-105.00 105.00-120.00 120.00-135.00 150.00-165.00 165.00-180.00 Gas 5 7 6 Catskill delta Temperature (in degrees Celsius) Temperature D sedimentation event 6 PALEOZOIC 400 S 0.00-15.00 15.00-30.00 30.00-45.50 45.00-60.00 60.00-75.50 75.00-90.00 Oil 7 9 8 11 10 8 O 9 500 Depth to Mesoproterozoic basement at maximum burial 10 _ 545 11 0

5,000

10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 25,323 BURIAL DEPTH, IN FEET IN DEPTH, BURIAL Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 33 , Paleogene; $ , Cambrian; O, Ordovician; S, Silurian; D, Devonian; _ , Triassic; J, Jurassic; K, Cretaceous; , Triassic; ^ modeled temperatures (shown by 11 colors in the model) at this locality represent a range of temperatures (shown by 20 colors in the figure explanation). For example, the area of light yellowish green in model this figure actually represents three ranges of temperatures shown by shades light yellow and green and grouped as category 5 in the figure. The paleogeothermal gradient predicted by the model is approximately 35°C/kilometer (km). The geologic time scale used in the model differs slightly from time scale used in figures 1 and 25. Abbreviations for age symbols are as follows: Permian; C, Carboniferous; P, N, Neogene. Burial and temperature history model for the Exxon No. 1

Figure 27 (facing page). See figure 4 for the location of well. Va. W. well, Calhoun County, Gainer-Lee The timing of oil and gas generation at this locality is shown by vertical arrows. For example, oil generation occurred in the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian, whereas gas active oil generation occurred in the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous. Moreover, and gas migration at this locality is interpreted to have occurred approximately 15 20 million years after generation. Using this criterion, oil was migrating actively in the Late Silurian, whereas gas was migrating actively in the Early Carboniferous. Estimated temperatures of oil and gas generation at this locality are shown by horizontal arrows. For example, oil was generated between the temperatures of 105.00°C and 120.00°C, whereas gas was generated between the temperatures of 150.00°C and 165.00°C. The 34 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Total Petroleum System events

Geologic time scale

Period or Subperiod Ma Eon Epoch (boundary ages in Ma) Stratigraphic column Source rock Reservoir rock Seal rock Overburden rock formation and type Trap Hydrocarbon generation Hydrocarbon migration Hydrocarbon accumulation Hydrocarbon preservation Critical moment Neogene 24 50 Paleogene 66 Late Ky. Va. W. 100 Cretaceous Early 144 150 Late Jurassic Middle 200 Early

208 Ky.

Late Ky. Triassic Ky. W. Va. W. Middle Ky. 245 250 Late Va. W. Permian Early Structural 286 W. Va. W. W. Va. W. 300 Pennsylvanian Ky. Phanerozoic 320 Mississippian 350 Carboniferous 360 Inversion Late

Devonian Middle Va. W. 400 Lower 408 Late Silurian Early

438 Ky. Late 450 Inversion Ordovician Middle Early 500 505 Late Va. W. Stratigraphic Cambrian Middle Rift and 550 Early structural 570 2500 Archean

EXPLANATION

Carbonate Shale and sandstone Evaporite Gas Oil Range of event

Figure 28. Events chart for the Conasauga-Rome/Conasauga Total Petroleum System. The geologic time scale used in the events chart differs slightly from the time scale used in figures 1 and 25. Chapter G.8 Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough, W. Va. and Ky., Appalachian Basin 35

Acknowledgments Magoon, L.B., and Dow, W.G., eds., 1994, The petroleum system—From source to trap: American Association of We thank Richard W. Beardsley, Triana Energy, Charles- Petroleum Geologists Memoir 60, 655 p. ton, W. Va., who has been very supportive of the U.S. Geolog- McGuire, W.H., 1968, Kentucky’s deepest oil producer dis- ical Survey’s petroleum source investigations in the Appala- covered in Middle Cambrian: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 66, chian basin. Mud logs for the Exxon No. 1 Smith and Exxon no. 10, p. 104, 106, 108. No. 1 McCormick wells were donated to the U.S. Geological Survey by Exxon Corporation U.S.A. Eric Morrissey and Milici, R.C., Ryder, R.T., and Swezey, C.S., 2003, Petro- Desiree Polyak made major revisions to the original illustra- leum resource of the central and northern parts of the tions used in Ryder and others (2003). Appalachian basin, eastern U.S.A., in Final program and abstracts, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Eastern Section Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pa., September 6–10, References Cited 2003: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, v. 87, no. 13 supplement, p. 27. (Also available online at http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/pdf/2003/ Drozd, R.J., and Cole, G.A., 1994, Point Pleasant-Brassfield(!) eastern/ndx_milici.pdf.) petroleum system, Appalachian basin, U.S.A., in Magoon, L.B., and Dow, W.G., eds., The petroleum system—From Milici, R.C., Ryder, R.T., Swezey, C.S., Charpentier, R.R., source to trap: American Association of Petroleum Geolo- Cook, T.A., Crovelli, R.A., Klett, T.R., Pollastro, R.M., and gists Memoir 60, p. 387–398. Schenk, C.J. (all of the U.S. Geological Survey Appalachian Basin Province Assessment Team), 2003, Assessment of Espitalié, J., LaPorte, J.L., Madec, M., Marquis, F., Leplat, undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Appalachian basin P., Paulet, J., and Boutefeu, A., 1977, Méthode rapide de province, 2002: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 009–03, caractérisation des roches mères, de leur potentiel pétrolier 2 p. (Also available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-009- et de leur degrè d’évolution: Revue de l’Institute Français 03/FS-009-03-508.pdf.) du Pétrole, v. 32, no. 1, p. 23–42. Moldowan, J.M., and Jacobson, S.R., 2000, Chemical signals Harris, D.C., and Baranoski, M.T., 1996, Play Cpk; Cambrian for early evolution of major taxa; Biosignatures and taxon- pre-Knox Group play, in Roen, J.B., and Walker, B.J., eds., specific biomarkers: International Geology Review, v. 42, The atlas of major Appalachian gas plays: West Virginia no. 9, p. 805–812. Geological and Economic Survey Publication V–25, p. 188–192. Peters, K.E., and Cassa, M.R., 1994, Applied source rock geochemistry, in Magoon, L.B., and Dow, W.G., eds., The Harris, D.C., and Drahovzal, J.A., 1996, Cambrian potential petroleum system—From source to trap: American Associa- indicated in Kentucky Rome trough: Oil and Gas Journal, tion of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 60, p. 93–120. v. 94, no. 8, p. 52–57. Harris, D.C., Drahovzal, J.A., Hickman, J.B., Nuttall, B.C., Peters, K.E., and Moldowan, J.M., 1993, The biomarker guide; Baranoski, M.T., and Avary, K.L., 2004, Rome Trough Interpreting molecular fossils in petroleum and ancient sedi- Consortium final report and data distribution: Kentucky ments: Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice Hall, 363 p. Geological Survey, Series 12, Open File Report 04–06, Ryder, R.T., 1992, Stratigraphic framework of Cambrian and 1 CD-ROM. Ordovician rocks in the central Appalachian basin from Jacobson, S.R., Hatch, J.R., Teerman, S.C., and Askin, R.A., Morrow County, Ohio, to Pendleton County, West Virginia: 1988, Middle Ordovician organic matter assemblages and U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1839–G, 25 p., 1 pl. in their effect on Ordovician-derived oils: American Asso- pocket. ciation of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 72, no. 9, Ryder, R.T., 2008, Assessment of Appalachian oil and gas p. 1090–1100. resources; Utica-Lower Paleozoic total petroleum system: Longman, M.W., and Palmer, S.E., 1987, Organic geochem- U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1287, istry of mid-continent Middle and Late Ordovician oils: 64 p., Also available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, of/2008/1287. v. 71, no. 8, p. 938–950. Ryder, R.T., Repetski, J.E., and Harris, A.G., 1997, Strati- Lynch, R.W., Mumpower, D.M., and Hay, M.L., 1999, Rome- graphic framework of Cambrian and Ordovician rocks in trough structural geology and Cambrian stratigraphy of the central Appalachian basin from Campbell County, Ken- Elliott and Morgan Counties, Kentucky: Geological Society tucky, to Tazewell County, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, no. 2, p. A–31. Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I–2530, 1 sheet. 36 Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin

Ryder, R.T., Burruss, R.C., and Hatch, J.R., 1998, Black shale Ryder, R.T., Swezey, C.S., Milici, R.C., Repetski, J.E., Rup- source rocks and oil generation in the Cambrian and Ordo- pert, L.F., Rowan, E.L., Crangle, R.D., and Trippi, M.H., vician of the central Appalachian basin, USA: American 2008, Appalachian basin framework geology and petroleum Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 82, no. 3, systems; Insights from new regional geologic cross sec- p. 412–441. tions, thermal maturity maps, and burial history models, in Abstracts volume, American Association of Petroleum Ryder, R.T., Harris, D.C, Gerome, P., Hainsworth, T.J., Burruss, Geologists Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Tex., April R.C., Lillis, P.G., and Jarvie, D.M., 2003, Cambrian petro- 20–23, 2008: American Association of Petroleum Geolo- leum source rocks in the Rome trough of West Virginia and gists, v. 17, p. 176. Kentucky [abs.], in Final program and abstracts, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Eastern Section Meet- Tissot, B.P., and Welte, D.H., 1984, Petroleum formation and ing, Pittsburgh, Pa., September 6–10, 2003: American Asso- occurrence: New York, Springer-Verlag, 699 p. ciation of Petroleum Geologists, v. 87, no. 13, p. 29. (Also available at http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/ Weaver, O.D., and McGuire, W.H., 1977, Cambro-Ordovician pdf/2003/eastern/ndx_ryder.pdf.) potential of the Rome trough of eastern Kentucky: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 75, no. 47, p. 250, 252, 254–255. Ryder, R.T., Swezey, C.S., Crangle, R.D., Jr., and Trippi, M.H., 2008, Geologic cross section E–E′ through the Appa- Wielens, J.B.W., von der Dick, H., Fowler, M.G., Brooks, lachian basin from the Findlay arch, Wood County, Ohio, P.W., and Monnier, F., 1990, Geochemical comparison of a to the Valley and Ridge province, Pendleton County, West Cambrian alginite potential source rock, and hydrocarbons Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations from the Colville/Tweed Lake area, Northwest Territories: Map 2985, 2 sheets, pamphlet, 48 p. (Also available online Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, v. 38, no. 2, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2985/.) p. 236–245.