SURvt"Y THE PLUMMER FIELD, GREENE COUNTY, INDIAN~".iY,.:: Special Report 17 COJ..l.Y 11,-> 0 m 01 0 aliper 0..... 0 0 amma 0..... 01 0 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL STAFF OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY JOHN B. PATTON, State Geologist MAURICE E. BIGGS, Assistant State Geologist MARY BETH FOX, Mineral Statistician COAL AND INDUSTRIAL MINERALS SECTION GEOLOGY SECTION DONALD D. CARR, Geologist and Head ROBERT H. SHAVER, Paleontologist and Head CURTIS H. AULT, Geologist and Associate Head HENRY H. GRAY, Head Stratigrapher PEl-YUAN CHEN, Geologist N. K. BLEUER, Glacial Geologist DONALD L. EGGERT, Geologist EDWIN J. HARTKE, Environmental Geologist GORDON S. FRASER, Geologist JOHN R. HILL, Glacial Geologist DENVER HARPER, Geologist CARL B. REXROAD, Paleontologist WALTER A. HASENMUELLER, Geologist NELSON R. SHAFFER, Geologist GEOPHYSICS SECTION PAUL IRWIN, Geological Assistant MAURICE E. BIGGS, Geophysicist and Head ROBERT F. BLAKELY, Geophysicist JOSEPH F. WHALEY, Geophysicist DRAFTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION JOHN R. HELMS, Driller WILLIAM H. MORAN, Chief Draftsman and Head MARVIN T. IVERSON, Geophysical Assistant RICHARD T. HILL, Geological Draftsman ROGER L. PURCELL, Senior Geological Draftsman PETROLEUM SECTION GEORGE R. RINGER, Photographer G. L. CARPENTER, Geologist and Head WILBUR E. ST ALlONS, Artist-Draftsman ANDREW J. HREHA, Geologist BRIAN D. KEITH, Geologist EDUCATIONAL SERVICES SECTION STANLEY J. KELLER, Geologist R. DEE RARICK, Geologist and Head DAN M. SULLIVAN, Geologist JAMES T. CAZEE, Geological Assistant SHERRY CAZEE, Geological Assistant GEOCHEMISTRY SECTION WILLIAM E. HAMM, Geological Assistant R. K. LEININGER, Geochemist and Head LOUIS V. MILLER, Coal Chemist PUBLICATIONS SECTION MARGARET V. GOLDE, Instrumental Analyst GERALDS. WOODARD, Editor and Head JOSEPH G. HAILER, Geochemist/Analyst PAT GERTH, Sales and Records Clerk AUTHOR OF THIS REPORT: Dr. Noel is a faculty member, Department of Geology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45431. The Plummer Field Greene County Indiana By JAMES A. NOEL DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SPECIAL REPORT 17 PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA: 1979 STATE OF INDIAN A Otis R. Bowen, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Joseph D. Cloud, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY John B. Patton, State Geologist For sale by Geological Survey, Bloomington, Ind. 47405 Price $2.75 Contents Page Page Abstract ............................. 1 The Plummer Field-Continued Introduction .......................... 1 Producing formations ................. 14 Acknowledgments ...................... 2 Completion practices ................... 23 General geology ........................ 2 Environmental aspects ................... 23 The Plummer Field ...................... 2 Summary ........................... 23 Stratigraphy ........................ 2 Literature cited ....................... 24 Structure .......................... 6 Illustrations Page Plate Regional north-south correlation section, Owen to Daviess Counties, Indiana . In pocket 2 West-east cross section of producing zones, Plummer Field, Greene County, Indiana . In pocket Figure Sketch map showing location of the Plummer Field . .. .Facing page 1 2 Paleogeologic map of the sub-Pennsylvanian Chesterian surface and the configuration of the Pennsylvanian-Chesterian surface in the Plummer Field . 4 3 Map showing structure on top of the Renault Formation . 7 4 Map showing structure on top of the Salem Limestone . 8 5 Map showing structure on top of middle Devonian limestone . 9 6 Map showing thickness of interval from top of the Renault Formation to top of the Ste. Genevieve Limestone . 11 7 Map showing thickness of the New Albany Shale 12 8 Map showing thickness of interval from top of the Salem Limestone to top of middle Devonian limestone . 13 9 Graph showing production of oil from the Plummer Field, 1969-7 4 . 14 10 Map showing distribution of initial oil production from the Salem Limestone . 21 11 Map showing distribution of initial total fluid production from the Salem Limestone . 22 Tables Page Table Generalized stratigraphic classification for part of the geologic column in the Greene County area . ............. 3 2 Wells in the Plummer Field and information about drill stem tests and initial production . In pocket 3 Core analysis of the Salem Limestone ..... 15 4 Description of a core of the Salem Limestone 16 5 Core analysis of middle Devonian limestone 17 6 Description of a core of middle Devonian limestone . 20 INDIANA 5 0 10 Miles 5 0 20 Km ~.L_ ___________L __________ __J EXPLANATION ~ Dry hole Oil well * Gas injection well ):( Brine disposal well 1719 Total depth T 6 N 0 1 Mile 0 2 Km Figure 1. Sketch map showing location of the Plummer Field The Plummer Field, Greene County, Indiana By JAMES A. NOEL Abstract in the Salem Limestone. These zones are not present The Plummer Field in Greene County, Ind., was everywhere in the field and are unproductive in the discovered by Citizens Gas and Coke Utility during northwestern lobe. All zones are believed to be the summer of 1969 on completion of Citizens No. 1 connected by fractures. Two productive zones are Fred & Lucille Rollison. The initial production of this also present in middle Devonian limestone. well was 120 barrels of oil per day through Blowout preventers were used during drilling perforations in the Salem Limestone at 688 to 698 operations. Tank batteries and salt water collecting feet and 705 to 710 feet. The well also tested 20 pits have embankments to prevent spills from barrels of oil and 120 barrels of water per day from spreading and to contain salt water until it is perforations at 1606 to 1611 feet and 1616 to 1621 reinjected into the Salem Limestone. feet in middle Devonian limestone (Muscatatuck Group). Subsequent to the discovery well, 87 wells Introduction have been drilled (1975) in the field. Of the 88 wells, The Plummer Field in Greene County, Ind. (fig. 1), 50 produce from the Salem Limestone, 20 produce was discovered during the summer of 1969 by from middle Devonian limestone, one produces from Citizens Gas and Coke Utility. The discovery well was the Ste. Genevieve Limestone, three are gas injection the Citizens No. 1 Fred & Lucille Rollison in sec. 8, wells into middle Devonian limestone, nine are salt T. 6 N., R. 5 W. During development of the field, water injection wells into the Salem Limestone, and Citizens conducted a comprehensive logging and five are dry holes. By the end of 1974, 2,217,268 coring program that accumulated valuable data on barrels of oil had been produced from the Salem which this report is based. Limestone and 129,585 barrels from the Devonian. As currently developed (1975), the Plummer Field Full-scale production from the Devonian was delayed occupies parts of sees. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, and 18, T. 6 until early 1973 when gas recycling equipment was N., R. 5 W. (fig. 1). The field lies between State completely installed. Route 57 on the west and the West Fork of White Stratigraphic units drilled in the Plummer Field River on the east. Newberry is about 1.75 miles from range in age from Silurian through Pennsylvanian. the south end of the field, and Plummer is on the The stratigraphy and lithologies of the formations are northeast edge. typical for this part of the Illinois Basin. The field is Discovery of an oilfield in Greene County was not arcuate; the open part of the arc faces west and has a entirely unexpected by the geologists of Citizens Gas strong northeast projection. and Coke Utility. They had noted shows of oil and Structure contour maps on top of the Renault gas in Mississippian and Devonian rocks during Formation, the Salem Limestone, and middle exploration for underground storage sites for natural Devonian limestone all depict this arcuate form. gas. Prior to discovery of the Plummer Field, Citizens Isopach maps of intervals between the Renault and had established five underground storage sites in the Ste. Genevieve and between the Salem and the Greene County. Devonian also depict the form and position of the The extensive documentation of the geology of Plummer Field. An isopach map of the New Albany the area from logging, coring, and testing and the Shale does not show the outline of the field as successful completion and production practices of precisely as the isopachs of the other two intervals. Citizens resulted in a storehouse of valuable The structure is believed to be due to draping and information. This study was undertaken in the hope compaction of beds over a Silurian reef. of stimulating similar work elsewhere in the state. There are three porous zones that are productive 2 THE PLUMMER FIELD, GREENE COUNTY, INDIANA Acknowledgments DST 1 654- 675 ft, St. Louis, 2.5 hrs: recovered I am indebted to Citizens Gas and Coke Utility for 5 ft mud. permission to study data from their files and DST 2 680- 695 ft, Salem, 2.5 hrs: recovered especially for the rewarding and informative discus­ 350ft oil, 30ft oil cut mud. sions with Ward J. Collins, Lowell E. Gladish, and DST 3 728- 755 ft, Salem, 2.5 hrs: recovered 60 Howard Smith. Also, without the assistance, encour­ ft oil, 210 ft oil cut mud, 375 ft oil agement, and advice of the personnel of the cut water. Petroleum Section of the Indiana Geological Survey, DST 4 1498- 1548 ft, Devonian limestone, 2.5 this report could not have been completed. I am hrs: recovered 20 ft mud. especially indebted to Paul Dubois, who assisted in DST 5 1550- 1559 ft, Devonian limestone, 2.5 the preparation of all illustrations. hrs: recovered 120 ft mud. DST 6 1585- 1609 ft, Devonian limestone, 2.5 General Geology Hrs: 70 ft mud, slight show of oil. The Plummer Field lies in the eastern part of the DST 7 1596- 1609 ft, Devonian limestone (Ge­ Illinois Basin. The regional dip of the beds is to the neva?), 2.5 hrs: recovered 150 ft gas southwest and ranges from 35 to 60 feet per mile. cut mud, 380ft gas cut water. The area is partly covered by glacial deposits, and the Swabbing tests through perforations at 1606 to shallow bedrock consists of strata of Pennsylvanian 1611 feet and 1616 to 1621 feet resulted in 20 age.