The Middle and Upper Ordovician Bioclastic Carbonate ("Trenton"~P~ Ay
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Kentucky UKnowledge Kentucky Geological Survey Information Circular Kentucky Geological Survey 1996 The iddM le and Upper Ordovician Bioclastic Carbonate ("Trenton") Play in the Appalachian Basin Brandon C. Nuttall University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits oy u. Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kgs_ic Part of the Geology Commons Repository Citation Nuttall, Brandon C., "The iddM le and Upper Ordovician Bioclastic Carbonate ("Trenton") Play in the Appalachian Basin" (1996). Kentucky Geological Survey Information Circular. 59. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kgs_ic/59 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Kentucky Geological Survey at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Kentucky Geological Survey Information Circular by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ISSN 0075·5583 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Donald C. Haney, State Geologist and Director UNIVERSITY OF KEN TUCKY - The Middle and Upper Ordovician Bioclastic Carbonate ("Trenton"~P~ ay . " ~ in the Appalachian Basin \ ?>- / ./ Information Circular 55 Series XI, 1996 https://doi.org/10.13023/kgs.ic55.11 KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON SERIES XI, 1996 Donald C. Haney, State Geologist and Director THE MIDDLE AND UPPER ORDOVICIAN BIOCLASTIC CARBONATE ("TRENTON") PLAY IN THE APPALACHIAN BASIN Brandon C. Nuttall INFORMATION CIRCULAR 55 ISSN 0075-5583 https://doi.org/10.13023/kgs.ic55.11 I UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY William A. Briscoe III, Publication Sales Charles T. Wethington,Jr., President Supervisor Fitzgerald B. Bramwell, Vice President for Roger S. Banks, Account Clerk V Research and Graduate Studies Eugenia E. Kelley, Staff Assistant V Jack Supplee, Director, Administrative Affairs, Luanne Davis, Staff Assistant IV Research and Graduate Studies Theola L. Evans, Staff Assistant IV KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Computer and Laboratory Services Section:· ADVISORY BOARD Steven J. Cordiviola, Head Hugh B. Gabbard, Chairman, Richmond Richard E. Sergeant, Geologist V William W. Bawdy, Fort Thomas Joseph B. Dixon, Systems Programmer Steve Cawood, Pineville James M. McElhone,'Senior Systems Analyst Larry R. Finley, Henderson Programmer Kenneth Gibson, Madisonville Henry E. Francis, Associate Scientist Ron D. Gilkerson, Lexington Karen Cisler, Senior Research Analyst Wallace W. Hagan, Lexington Janet M. Royer, Senior Research Analyst Phil M. Miles, Lexington Steven R Mock, Research Analyst W.A. Mossbarger, Lexington Alice T. Schelling, Research Analyst Henry A. Spalding, Hazard Mark F. Thompson, Research Analyst Jacqueline Swigart, Louisville Cherie A. Gough, Principal Laboratory David A. Zegeer, Lexington Technician Ralph N. Thomas, Emeritus Member, Owensboro Mary C. Koewler, Senior Laboratory Technician George H. Warren, Jr., Emeritus Member, GEOLOGICAL DIVISION Owensboro Coal and Minerals Section: KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Donald R. Chesnut, Jr., Head Donald C. Haney, State Geologist and Director Garland R. Dever, Jr., Geologist VII John D. Kiefer, Assistant State Geologist for Cortland F. Eble, Geologist V Administration Gerald A. Weisenfluh, Geologist V James C. Cobb, Assistant State Geologist for David A. Williams, Geologist V, Henderson Research office ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION Stephen F. Greb, Geologist IV Personnel and Finance Section: Robert E. Andrews, Geologist II James L. Hamilton, Administrative Staff Officer Ernest E. Thacker, Geologist I Il Geologic Mapping and Hydrocarbon Resources Jackie Perrelli, Administrative Staff Officer Section: Clerical Section: James A. Drahovzal, Head Jody L. Fox, Staff Assistant VII Warren H. Anderson, Geologist V Kimberly B. Stroth, Staff Assistant VI David C. Harris, Geologist IV Juanita G. Smith, Staff Assistant V, Henderson Brandon C. Nuttall, Geologist IV Office Lance G. Morris, Geologist II Publications Section: Thomas N. Sparks, Geologist I Carol L. Ruthven, Geologic Editor V Anna E. Watson, Geologist I Margaret Luther Smath, Geologic Editor III Water Resources Section: Terry D. Hounshell, Chief Cartographic James S. Dinger, Head Illustrator Daniel I. Carey, Hydrologist V Michael L. Murphy, Principal Drafting James C. Currens, Geologist V Technician Gary K. Felton, Geologist IV Gwenda K Rulo, Drafting Technician David R. Wunsch, Geologist IV Shirley D. Dawson, Staff Assitant V Alex W. Fogle, Hydrologist III Well Sample and Core Repository: Philip G. Conrad, Geologist III Patrick J. Gooding, Geologist IV Dwayne M. Keagy, Geologist II Robert R. Daniel, Laboratory Technician B C. Douglas R. Graham, Geological Technician Office of Geologic Information: Timothy D. Montowski, Geological Technician Bart Davidson, Geologist IV, Manager Gregory L. Secrist, Geological Technician. Richard A. Smath, Geologist III, ESIC Steven E. Webb, Geological Technician Coordinator Kathleen J. O'Leary, Program Coordinator Kevin}. Wente, Geological Technician Wendy S. Romain, Program Coordinator CONTENTS Page Abstract . .. 1 Definition .. 1 Location . .. 1 Production History . 2 Stratigraphy . 3 Structure . .. 7 Reservoir ...... .7 Key Field ...... .8 Granville Consolidated Pool, Clinton Com1ty, Kentucky ........... .8 Resources and Reserves . .9 Future Trends ....... 12 Acknowledgments . 13 References Cited 13 Appendix.A ..... 15 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page l. Location of the Upper Ordovician bioclastic carbonate (Trenton) limestone play within the Appalachian Basin . , . 2 2. Upper Ordovician bioclastic carbonate (Trenton) limestone pools of eastern Kentucky producing from bioclastic carbonate bar fades . 3 3. Generalized stratigraphy of the Upper Ordovician in the Appalachian Basin . 4 4. Generalized depositional model . 5 5. Upper Ordovician bioclast:i.c carbonate (Trenton) type log . 6 6. Facies·distribution of central and northern Appalachian Basin area during late Cincinnati.an time . .. 7 7. Fades distribution of eastern North America during Shermanian (Lexington/ Trenton) time . 8 8. Structure on top of the Devonian Chattanooga Shale for part of Clinton County .. 9 9. lsopach map of th.e First Granville zone of the Lexington limestone in south.- central Kentucky . 10 10. North-south structural cross section across part of Clinton County showing the distribution of Granville zone (diagonal lines) and hydrocarbon production 11 TABLE Table Page 1. Summary of undiscovered recoverable resource calculations for Ordovician bioclastic carbonate play . 12 THE MIDDLE AND UPPER ORDOVICIAN BIOCLASTIC CARBONATE ("TRENTON") PLAY IN THE APPALACHIAN BASIN Brandon C. Nuttall ABSTRACT The bioclastic carbonate play in the Appalachian Basin (referred to by drillers as the "Trenton") includes both gas and oil produced from Middle and Upper Ordovician stratigraphic and combina tion traps in linear reservoirs often mistaken for reefs. vVhi.le production from this play is currently reported from nine fields in south-central and eastern Kentucky and five fields in New York, potential reservoir rocks are present throughout most of the Appalachian Basin from New York to Tennessee. Along the western flank of the Appalachian Basin, in the Blue Grass Region of central Kentucky, Middle and Upper Ordovician strata crop out. In the subsurface of south-central Kentucky and eastward into the Appalachian Basin, drillers informally refer to "Trenton," "SU!Ulybrook," "Leipers," "Granville," "Modoc," and "Anderson" pay zones. The mixed carbonates and shales of the Lexington Limestone through the Drakes Formation of Kentucky consist of well-cemented bioclastic grainstones and mud.stones separated by relatively trun calcareous shales deposited in shallow platform, ramp, and peritidal settings. In areas of shoaling, reservoirs developed as discon tinuous coquinoid lag deposits that we~ winnowed from carbonate muds by wave and tidal activity and accwnulated as discrete offshore bars, tidal bars, and channel fills. In addition, dolomitized limestone reservoirs have developed along faults and fractures associated with recurrent movement of deep-seated basement faults. Structure mapping on the base of the overlying Devonian shale and the underlying Pencil Cave bentonite indicates the bars and channel fills may be spatially associated with basement structures. The Granville Consolidated Pool in Clinton Connty, Ky., is typical of fields in this play where production is associated with multiple stacked sequences of Offshore bars. An estimated 50 to 100 million cubic feet (M:Mcf) of gas per year is known to be produced from this field, not accounting for production from an unknown number of domestic supply wells. Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate the nndiscovered recoverable resource for this play to be 127billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas. These reservoirs will probably not be an important primary target for future drilling outside of southern and eastern Kentucky, however, because the reservoirs are relatively deep throughout much of the basin and are subtle stratigraphic features that will be difficult to detect using seismic or remote-sensing methods. As exploration and development continues for Lower Ordovician and Upper Cambrian reservoirs, these bioclastic carbonate bars will merit further evaluation. DEFINITION developed in linear dolomitized zones (Black, 1986). Middle and Upper Ordovician carbonates of Shermanian A play consists of geologically similar prospects (late Champlainian) and Cincinnati.an age are present