Drilling Activity in the Albuquerque Basin

Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico

By Ronald C. Johnson, Thomas M. Finn, and Vito F. Nuccio

Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems Edited by Vito F. Nuccio and Thaddeus S. Dyman

U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2184-C

This work funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Morgantown, W. Va., under contracts DE-AT26-98FT40031 and DE-AT26-98FT40032, and by the U.S. Geological Survey Central Region Energy Resources Team

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior Gale A. Norton, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey Charles G. Groat, Director

Posted online July 2001, version 1.0

This publication is only available online at: http://geology.cr.usgs.gov/pub/bulletins/b2184-c/

Any use of trade, product, or ﬁ rm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government Contents

Abstract...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Structure and Stratigraphy ...... 3 Drilling Activity in the Albuquerque Basin...... 5 Borehole Temperature Data...... 8 Burial Reconstructions for the Albuquerque Basin...... 10 Formation Pressures ...... 15 Conclusions ...... 20 References Cited ...... 20

Figures

1. General location map of selected basins and uplifts along the Rio Grand rift, Colorado and New Mexico ...... 2 2. Generalized stratigraphic chart for the Albuquerque Basin...... 4 3. Generalized geologic map of the Albuquerque Basin showing deep drill holes and seismic lines...... 6 4. Interpreted west-east cross section based on seismic data for the northern part of the Albuquerque Basin...... 7 5. Interpreted west-east cross section based on seismic data for the central part of the Albuquerque Basin ...... 7 6. Interpreted west-east cross section based on seismic data for the southern part of the Albuquerque Basin ...... 8 7. Plot of bottom-hole temperatures versus depths for all wells listed in table 3...... 9 8. Isopach map of the combined Eocene Galisteo and Baca Formations, Albuquerque Basin...... 12 9. Isopach map of the combined Eocene Galisteo and Baca Formations and unnamed “unit of Isleta No. 2 well” of Lozinski (1994) in the Shell No. 2 Isleta well...... 13 10. Isopach map of the total present-day thickness of Tertiary rocks in the Albuquerque Basin using subsurface drill-hole data of Lozinski (1994) ...... 14 11. Stratigraphic diagrams showing present-day thicknesses and ages of rocks from the Dakota Sandstone to the present in the three wells used for burial reconstructions...... 16 12. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures for the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe well...... 17 13. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures for the Shell No. 1 Santa Fe well...... 17

III IV

14. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures in for the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well ...... 18 15. Rate of gas generation per million years at the base of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale in the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well ...... 18 16. Graph of mud weight versus depth for the eight wells listed in table 4 ...... 19

Tables

1. List of oil and gas tests in the Albuquerque Basin...... 3 2. Histogram showing exploration activity in the Albuquerque Basin from 1900 to 1984...... 9 3. List of deep oil and gas tests in the Albuquerque Basin...... 10 4. Bottom-hole temperatures recorded during logging runs for selected deep tests in the Albuquerque Basin...... 11 5. List of mud weights recorded during logging runs for selected deep tests in the Albuquerque Basin...... 19 Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico

By Ronald C. Johnson, Thomas M. Finn, and Vito F. Nuccio

Abstract gations have added greatly to our understanding of how these “unconventional” accumulations formed. Basin-centered continuous-type gas accumulations cover vast areas of the deeper The potential that a basin-centered or continuous-type gas parts of Rocky Mountain basins formed during the Laramide accumulation is present in the Albuquerque Basin in central orogeny (Late Cretaceous through Eocene) and appear to con- New Mexico was investigated. The Albuquerque Basin is one tain huge resources of in-place gas. These “unconventional” of the many rift basins that make up the Rio Grand rift system, gas accumulations are different from conventional gas accu- an area of active extension from Oligocene to recent time. mulations in that they occur in predominantly tight (< 0.1 The basin is signifi cantly different from other Rocky Mountain millidarcy) rocks, cut across stratigraphic units, occur downdip basins that contain basin-centered gas accumulations because from water-bearing reservoirs, and have no obvious structural it is actively subsiding and is at near maximum burial and or stratigraphic trapping mechanism. Reservoirs within the heating conditions at the present time. Burial reconstructions accumulations are almost always either abnormally overpres- suggest that Cretaceous-age source rocks began to generate sured or abnormally underpressured, indicating that they are gas in the deeper parts of the basin about 20 million years ago isolated from the regional ground-water table. and are still generating large amounts of gas. The high mud The Albuquerque Basin was chosen for study because its weights typically used while drilling the Cretaceous interval geologic history is signifi cantly different from other Rocky in the deeper areas of the basin suggest some degree of over- Mountain basins that contain identifi ed basin-centered gas pressuring. Gas shows are commonly reported while drilling accumulations. Like other Laramide basins, the Albuquerque through the Cretaceous interval; however, attempts to complete Basin contains a thick interval of Cretaceous-age coals, car- gas wells in the Cretaceous have resulted in subeconomic bonaceous shales, and marine shales. In Laramide basins, Cre- quantities of gas, primarily because of low permeabilities. taceous-age source rocks are thought to be the source for Little water has been reported. All of these characteristics sug- gas found in basin-centered gas accumulations. The Albuquer- gest that a basin-centered gas accumulation of some sort is que Basin is currently actively subsiding, whereas subsidence present in the Albuquerque Basin. largely ceased at the end of the Laramide orogeny near the end of the Eocene in most other basins in the Rocky Mountain region. Laramide basins have undergone signifi cant erosion and cooling within the last 10 million years as a result of Introduction regional uplift of the entire Rocky Mountain region. Rates of gas generation in Laramide basins have markedly declined The Albuquerque Basin occupies the central portion of since regional uplift began. In fact, gas generation has prob- the Rio Grande rift system, an area of presently active exten- ably ceased altogether in all but the deeper areas of these sional tectonics that reaches from the Upper Arkansas Valley basins. Thus, gas is probably not being replenished to these near Leadville, Colo., southward through New Mexico to the accumulations as fast as it is leaking out, causing these accu- State of Chihuahua, Mexico (fi g. 1). The Rio Grande rift is mulations to actively shrink. part of the greater Basin and Range Province, which has been In the Albuquerque Basin, source rocks for hydrocarbons undergoing extension since Oligocene time. are at near-maximum burial and heating conditions throughout For the past 24 years, the U.S. Geological Survey has the deeper areas of the basin. Gas is being generated by these been studying basin-centered gas accumulations in Rocky source rocks today, and this gas is probably migrating and Mountain basins under various projects funded by what is accumulating in Upper Cretaceous sandstones at the present now the United States Department of Energy National Energy time. Whether or not this gas may be creating a basin-centered- Technology Lab (NETL) in Morgantown, W. Va. These investi- type gas accumulation is the subject of this report. 1 2 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

108° 104°

40° COLORADO

Upper Arkansas graben San Luis Basin

San Juan volcanic field

37°

San Juan Sangre De Cristo Basin uplift v v v

v Nacimiento uplift v

Santo Domingo Basin Espanñola Basin Sandia uplift Albuquerque Basin Manzano uplift Lucero uplift Los Pinos uplift Landron uplift NEW MEXICO Socorro constriction San Marcial Basin San Agustin Basin Fra Cristobal uplift Black Range uplift Sacramento uplift Cuchillo Negra Caballo uplift uplift Jornada uplift Eagle Basin Palomas Basin Tularosa uplift

Mimbres Basin Mesilla Basin 32° Potrillo volcanic field

EXPLANATION Normal fault Cenozoic sedimentary rocks (rift fill)

Thrust fault Tertiary volcanic rocks

High-angle reverse fault Precambrian crystalline rocks

Figure 1. General location map of selected basins and uplifts along the Rio Grand rift, Colorado and New Mexico. Approximate location of San Juan Basin also shown (modiﬁ ed from Russell and Snelson, 1994). Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 3

Structure and Stratigraphy Colorado to at least southern New Mexico (Chapin, 1971, 1979). The basin contains a thick section of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Mississippian to Holocene (ﬁ g. 2). Rifting The Rio Grande rift is a series of generally north-south- began about 32 to 27 million years ago in middle Oligocene trending en echelon extensional basins that reach from central time and is probably still occurring at the present time. The

Table 1. List of oil and gas tests in the Albuquerque Basin (modified from Black, 1982).

Well name Location Year Total depth (ft) Total depth (m) Remarks

1. Tejon Oil & Dev. 1 7-14N-6E 1914 1850 564 Show of oil at 1,000 ft 2. Cal-New Mexico Dechares 1 8-6N-1E 1925 2900 884 Shows of oil and gas 3. Stone 1 25-7N-2E 1926 1405 428 4. Belen Oil 1 Seipple 23-4N-1E 1926 3545 1081 Show of oil 5. Gilmore & Sheldon 1 Tome Grant 30-6N-2E 1926 1180 360 6. Hub Oil-HNTH 1 13-6N-1W 1926 3425 1044 7. Stone Horeland 1 32-7N-2E 1927 2144 653 Show of oil 8. Gilmore and Sheldon Tome 1 30-6N-3E 1928 1100 335 9. Stone 2 25-7N-2E 1928 1976 602 Show of oil 10. Norris 2 22-9N-1E 1928 2780 847 11. Harlan 1 Harlan 5-6N-2E 1930 4223 1287 Show of oil 12. Harlan 2 5-6N-2E 1930 4021 1225 13. Harlan 3 5-6N-2E 1931 6474 1973 Several gas shows 14. Harlan 4 5-6N-2E 1931 3820 1164 Shows of oil and gas 15. Harlan 5 5-6N-2E 1931 4007 1221 Several gas shows 16. Norins Pajarito 1 Grant 22-9N-1E 1931 5104 1556 Numerous oil and gas shows 17. West 1 Natural Resources 8-6N-1E 1932 1725 526 18. Mills 2 Tome 9-6N-3E 1932 446 136 19. Mills 1 Tome 29-6N-3E 1933 507 155 20. Ringle Dev. 1 Fee 36-6N-3E 1935 1115 340 21. Ringle Dev. 1 Fuqua 13-5N-3E 1935 100 30 22. Norins 1 N. Alb. Acres 19-11N-4E 1935 573 175 23. Norins 2 N. Alb. Acres 19-11N-4E 1935 5024 1531 Show of CO2 24. Ringle Dev. Co. 1 Ringle 6-5N-2E 1935 750 261 25. Big Three Dalies Townsite 1 5-6N-1E 1937 6113 1863 Numerous oil shows 26. Central New Mexico 1 Brown 17-3N-1E. 1937 2840 866 Numerous oil and gas shows 27. Norins 3 Pajarito 22-9N-1E 1938 2780 847 28. Joiner Sanclemente 1 23-7N-1E 1939 5606 1709 Shows of gas 29. Grober 1 Fuqua 19-5N-3E 1940 3978 1212 Lots of gas at TD 30. Ringle 1 Tome 34-6N-4E 1947 823 286 25Ð50 MCFPD from Penn. 31. Ringle 2 Tome 35-6N-4E 1947 890 271 Oil show 32. Ringle 3 Tome 34-6N-4E 1947 597 181 33. Castleberry 1 Tome 20-6N-4E 1947 500 152 34. Carpenter Alrosco 1 28-10N-1E 1948 6652 2027 35. Von G 1 5-6N-1E 1949 6096 1858 Numerous oil and gas shows 36. Long Dalies 1 32-7N-1E 1952 6091 1857 Slight show of oil and gas with DST 37. Humble 1 Santa Fe 18-6N-1W 1953 12691 3868 Gas-cut mud with DST, TD in Cret. 38. Shell 1 Santa Fe 18-13N-3E 1972 11045 3387 Oil & gas shows in Cret., TD in Precamb. 39. Shell 1 Laguna Wilson Trust 8-9N-1W 1972 11115 3410 Gas shows, TD in Precambrian 40. Shell 2 Santa Fe 29-6N-1W 1974 14305 4360 Gas shows, TD in Triassic 41. Shell 1 Isleta 7-7N-2E 1974 16346 4982 Gas & oil with DST in Cret., TD in Perm. 42. Shell 3 Santa Fe 28-13N-1E 1976 10276 3132 Minor gas shows, TD in Triassic 43. Trans Ocean 1 Isleta 8-8N-3E 1978 10378 3163 Gas shows, TD in Precambrian 44. Shell 2 Isleta 16-8N-2E 1979 21268 6482 Did not reach Cret. rocks 45. Shell 1 West Mesa Fed. 24-11N-1E 1981 19375 5906 Several hundred MCF in Point Lookout Ss 46. Utex 1-1J1E 1-10N-1E 1984 16665 5079 TD in Point Lookout Ss. 47. Davis 1 Tamara 3-13N-3E 1996 8732 2662 Minor oil and gas shows, TD in Chinle Fm 48. Davis 1 Angel Eyes 19-4N-1E 1996 8074 2461 TD in Tertiary 49. Twinning 1 NFT 33-5N.-1E 1997 7441 2268 50. Burlington-Westland 1Y 21-10N-1E 1997 7800 2377 Minor oil and gas shows, TD in Chinle Fm

GeologicStudiesofBasin-CenteredGasSystems 4 potential source rock. Figure 2. Miocene-Olig. 100 -1,000ft Mississippian 0-190ft(058m) (30 -305m) Pennsylvanian Permian Triassic Jurassic Upper Cretaceous Eocene Miocene- 400 - 2,700 ft 1,000 - 2,000 ft 500 - 1,600 ft 0 - 1,000 ft 0 - 4,000 ft (0 - 1220 m) Pliocene 400 -3,000ft(120-915m) Generalizedstratigraphic chartfortheAlbuquerque Basin(fromMolenaar, 1988b).R,potentialreservoir rock;SR,

Mancos Mancos Gibson CoalMbr* Mancos Dilco CoalMbr*

basement complex (120 - 825 m) (305 - 610 m) (150 - 490 m) (0 - 305 m) Dalton SsMbr*

Shale Shale Blanco BasinFms Shale Galisteo, Baca,& Bridge CrLsMbr (Meseta Blanco) Abiquiu -Picuris Santa FeGroup Tocito SsLentil Semilla SsMbr San AndresLs (1525 -6100m) 5000 -20,000ft Todilto LsMbr Pt LookoutSs Espinaso Fms Morrison Fm Wanakah Fm Precambrian De ChellySs Menefee Fm (120 -760m) 400 -2,500ft Bursum Fm Glorieta Ss Entrada Ss Limestone Dakota Ss Chinle Fm Gallup Ss Yeso Fm Madera Abo Fm SR? R R? R R SR (oil) R R SR (oil) R R R R SR (gas) R Mississippian probablyismissing in mostofbasin gas indicationsreportedinAlbuquerqueBasin. reported inEsranciaBasineastofManzanoMountains.Nosignificant oilor Good sourcerocksandreservoirsnotdocumented.Afewoilgas shows Marginal marineunitpresentonlyinsouthernpart. Nonmarine red-bedunit. siltstone tosouth.(MesetaBlancaSsMbrofWood andNorthrop,1946.) Red eoliansandstoneonnorth;gradestofinergrainedand to south. Thin andmarginalmarineonnorth;thickensbecomesmore Widespread light-colored,quartzose,dominantlyshallowmarinesandstone. Limestone, anhydrite,andgrayshale;pinchesouttonorth. limestone; thickenstosouthwherenottruncatedbyDakota. Floodplain, lacustrine,andfluvialvariegatedshale,sandstone, Widespread fine-grainedeoliansandstone. Gypsum, limestone,andthin,organic-rich,blackshaleatbase. Gypsiferous redshale. Lenticular eoliansandstone(BlufforJunctionCr. SsMbr.). Fluvial andlacustrinegreen&redshalesandstone. Major unconformity;truncatessectiontosouth. Fluvial andmarinesandstoneshale. Also calledGreenhornLimestoneMember. remainder isgasprone. Lower partotMancosShaleprobablyhasoil-pronesourcerocks; units thatpinchoutwithintheAlbuquerqueBasin. Gallup andDaltonarenortheasterlyprogradingsandstone Tocito andSemillaSandstoneMembersarediscontinuousoffshorebars. *of CrevaseCanyonFormation. Menefee containscoalandcarbonaceousshale,agas-pronesourcerock. Unconformity truncatesCretaceoussection. (Called BlancoBasinFormationinnorthernNewMexicoandColorado.) Pre-rift nonmarineredshaleandsandstone. Volcaniclastic rocksandflows. Synrift basin-fillsandstone,shale,andconglomerate. COMMENTS Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 5

Albuquerque Basin covers an area of about 2,160 mi2 (5,600 No. 2 Santa Fe in sec. 26, T. 6 N., R. 1 W. was drilled in 1974 km2) and is one of the deepest basins along the Rio Grande to a depth of 14,305 ft (4,360 m) and bottomed in Triassic rift (Lozinsky, 1994). In 1979, Shell drilled a well to a depth rocks. All three wells encountered gas shows in the Cretaceous of 21,266 ft (no. 44 on table 1) in one of the deepest parts of section, but no completions were attempted. In 1974, Shell the basin and did not reach the base of Oligocene or younger drilled the No. 1 Isleta well in sec. 7, T. 7 N., R. 2 E. (fi g. rift fi ll. Seismic data published by Russell and Snelson (1994) 3, tables 1, 3). The well penetrated the top of the Cretaceous demonstrates that the basin generally consists of a deep inner section at 12,110 ft (3,691 m). It encountered a series of faults graben fl anked by shallower benches (fi gs. 3Ð6). The inner near the base of the nonmarine Cretaceous section, and the graben in the northern part of the basin is tilted eastward (fi g. Dakota Sandstone—the primary objective of the test—was 5), whereas, in the southern part, the graben is tilted westward cut out by faulting. According to Black (1982, p. 315) the (fi g. 6). An east-west zone of accommodation occurs between well encountered “tight” gas-saturated sandstones in the non- these two oppositely tilted blocks. marine Cretaceous interval. Several intervals were perforated Of importance to this investigation is a pre-Eocene in the nonmarine part of the Cretaceous between 12,209 ft unconformity that has removed varying amounts of the Cre- and 13,246 ft (3,721Ð4,037 m), and noncommercial amounts taceous section in northern New Mexico, including the Albu- of gas were produced. Maximum reported production was 29 querque Basin area. The Cretaceous section contains both thousand cubic feet of gas per day (MCFGPD) between 13,210 source and principal reservoir rocks for basin-centered gas and 13,226 ft (4,026Ð4,031 m). In 1976, Shell drilled the No. 3 accumulations in other Rocky Mountain basins, and, had the Santa Fe well in sec. 28, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. to a depth of 10,276 Cretaceous section been largely removed by this unconformity, ft (3,132 m) that bottomed in the Triassic. Again, gas shows there would be little chance that a basin-centered accumulation were encountered in the Cretaceous. would be present in the basin. Both surface control on the In 1978, Shell farmed out part of their acreage to Trans fl anks of the Albuquerque Basin and subsurface control within Ocean, who drilled the No. 1 Isleta well in sec. 8, T. 8 N., the basin indicate that much of the Cretaceous section is intact, R. 3 E. to a depth of 10,378 ft (3,163 ft). The well bottomed although the Cretaceous section is completely removed in the in Precambrian basement and encountered gas shows in the Espanola Basin to the north (Molenaar, 1988b). Cretaceous Cretaceous. In 1979, Shell drilled the No. 2 Isleta well in strata in the Albuquerque Basin are similar to the highly gas sec. 16, T. 8 N., R. 2 E. The well was drilled to a depth productive Cretaceous interval in the San Juan Basin to the of 21,268 ft (6,482 m) and did not reach Cretaceous rocks. north (fi g. 1), and many of the same stratigraphic names are In 1980 and 1981, Shell drilled the Shell 1 West Mesa well used in both basins (fi g. 2). in sec. 24, T. 11 N, R. 1 E. to a 19,375 ft. and reportedly fl ared several hundred thousand cubic feet of gas per day from the Cretaceous section (Black, 1989). The well was eventually plugged and abandoned apparently because rates of produc- Drilling Activity in the tion were insuffi cient at these drilling depths to be economic. Albuquerque Basin In 1984, Utex drilled the No. 1-1J1E well in sec. 1, T. 10 N, R. 1 E. to a depth of 16,665 ft (5,079 m) (table 1). The well reportedly bottomed in the Point Lookout Sandstone at The Albuquerque Basin has been sparsely explored for 16,665 ft (5,079 m); however, Black (1999) believes that the hydrocarbons. At the present time there is no established well bottomed in the Tertiary. No tests or completions were hydrocarbon production in the basin (table 1). At least 50 attempted, and only minor gas shows were reported in the wells have been drilled for hydrocarbons in the basin, with well. the oldest known test drilled in 1914. Drilling prior to 1953 Low oil prices in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s brought was mainly shallow, penetrating only the Tertiary fi ll (table a halt to oil and gas exploration in the Albuquerque Basin. 2) (Black, 1982). Numerous oil and gas shows were reported Exploration resumed in 1996 with Davis Oil drilling two with these shallow tests. After 1953, the Cretaceous section tests—the No. 1 Tamara well in sec. 3, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. and beneath the Tertiary fi ll became the primary target for explora- the No. 1 Angel Eyes well in sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 1 E. (fi g. 3). tion (Black 1982). The No. 1 Tamara well bottomed in the Triassic Chinle Forma- Between 1972 and 1976 Shell drilled fi ve deep tests in the tion at a depth of 8,732 ft (2,662 m) and reported minor shows basin (fi g. 3, table 1), targeting Cretaceous rocks in the deeper, of oil and gas. The No. 1 Angel Eyes well bottomed in the hotter parts of the basin where Cretaceous source rocks are Tertiary at a depth of 8074 ft (2,461 m) with no information believed to have generated hydrocarbons (Black, 1999). The on oil and gas shows (Black, 1999). Two additional tests were fi rst well, the Shell No. 1 Santa Fe in sec. 18, T. 13 N., R. drilled in 1997—the Twining Drilling Corp No. 1 NFT, a 3 E. was drilled in 1972 to a depth of 11,045 ft (3,387 m) 7,441-ft test of the Tertiary in sec. 33, T. 5 N., R. 1 E. and the and bottomed in Precambrian basement. The second well, the Burlington Resources Westland Development Co. No. 1Y well Shell No. 1 Laguna Wilson Trust in sec. 8, T. 9. N., R. 1 W. in sec. 21, T. 10 N., R. 21 E., which bottomed in the Triassic was drilled in 1972 to a depth of 11,115 ft (3,410 m) and also Chinle at a depth of 7,800 ft (2,377 m). Minor oil and gas bottomed in Precambrian basement. The third well, the Shell shows were reported in the No. 1Y well. 6 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

107

Nacimento Mtns

A 15 1 3 A'

BERNALILLO Sandia Mtns 12 13

14 Grande ALBUQUERQUE 18 B 4 9

Rio 35 35 6 7 Manzanita Mtns B'

8 C' C 2 11 BELEN 1 Shell Santa Fe-1, 11045', (P-C) 17 2 Shell Santa Fe-2, 14305', (Tr) Rio 3 Shell Santa Fe-3, 10276', (Tr) Lucero Uplift Puerco 4 Shell Laguna-1, 11115', (P-C) 5 Shell Isleta-1, 16346', (P) 16 6 Shell Isleta-2, 21268', (Tert.) 7 Transocean Isleta-1, 10378', (P-C) 8 Humble Santa Fe-1, 12690', (UK) 9 Carpenter Atrisco-1, 6653', (Tert.)

Manzano 10 Humble Santa Fe, B1, 6016', (P-C) Ladron Mtns BERNARDO 11 Grober-1, 6300', (Tert.) Mtns Los 12 Norrins Realty-2, 5024', (Tert.) Pinos 13 Shell 1-24 West Mesa, 19375', (Tr) 14 Mtns UTEX 1-1J1E, 16665' (UK) 15 Davis 1 Tamara, 8732', (Tr) 16 Davis 1 Angel Eyes, 8074', (Tert.) 17 Twinning 1 NFT, 7441' (Tert) 18 Burlington 1Y, 7800' (Tr) 0 10 20 Miles 01020 Km

Quaternary alluvium Normal fault Tertiary-Quaternary sedimentary rocks Reverse fault Tertiary volcanic rocks Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Transcurrent fault Precambrian crystalline rocks High mud weights used in Cretaceous Fault of multiple displacement

Figure 3. Generalized geologic map of the Albuquerque Basin showing deep drill holes and seismic lines (modiﬁ ed from Russell and Snelson, 1994). Wells in which high (>10 lb) mud weights were used while drilling through the Cretaceous section are also shown. Depths listed are total depths in feet. Cross sections A-A’, B-B’, and C-C’ are shown in ﬁ gures 4, 5, and 6, respectively. A A' High WEST mud weights EAST COLORADO ALBUQUERQUE PLATEAU NORTH GRABEN BLOCK EASTERN STABLE BLOCK Humble Shell Shell BENCH HAGAN EMBAYMENT Km Feet Sante Fe B-1 Sante Fe-3 Sante Fe-1 Rio Feet West Mesa San Francisco- Espanaso 10,000 Grande Rio Grande 10,000 2.5 fault fault Placitas fault Ridge 5,000 5,000 0 Sea level Sea level -5,000 -5,000 -2.5 -10,000 -10,000

-5.0 -15,000 -15,000 7 Potential foraBasin-CenteredGasAccumulationintheAlbuquerqueBasin,NewMexico -20,000 -20,000 -7.5 -25,000 -25,000 -30,000 -30,000 -10.0 Cenozoic rift fill* Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Paleozoic sedimentary rocks Precambrian crystalline rocks *Note: Pre-rift lower Tertiary section indicted Horizontal scale = vertical scale where discernable on seismic or in wells

Figure 4. Interpreted west-east cross section A-A’ based on seismic data for the northern part of the Albuquerque Basin. Line of section shown on ﬁ gure 3. High mud weights were used in the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe while drilling the Cretaceous section (modiﬁ ed from Russell and Snelson, 1984).

B B' WEST High EAST LAGUNA mud weights COLORADO BENCH NORTH GRABEN BLOCK ALBUQUERQUE EASTERN STABLE PLATEAU BLOCK Shell Shell Rio Grande Transocean BENCH Km Feet Rio fault Feet Laguna-1 Isleta-2 Rio Isleta-1 Hubble Springs Manzanita 10,000 Sante Fe Puerco West Mesa 10,000 2.5 fault fault Grande fault Mtns 5,000 5,000 0 Sea level Sea level -5,000 -5,000 -2.5 -10,000 -10,000 LT -5.0 -15,000 -15,000 -20,000 -20,000 -7.5 -25,000 -25,000 -10.0 -30,000 -30,000 -35,000 -35,000 Cenozoic rift fill* Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Paleozoic sedimentary rocks Precambrian crystalline rocks *Note: Pre-rift lower Tertiary section indicted Horizontal scale = vertical scale where decernable on seismic or in wells

Figure 5. Interpreted west-east cross section B-B’ based on seismic data for the central part of the Albuquerque Basin. Line of section shown on ﬁ gure 3. High mud weights were used in the Transocean No. 2 Isleta while drilling the Cretaceous section (modiﬁ ed from Russell and Snelson, 1984). 8 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

Borehole Temperature Data Sea level 5,000 -10,000 -15,000 -20,000 -25,000 -30,000 -35,000 15,000 10,000 -5,000 Feet C'

EAST Previous investigations have found that there is unusually high heat ﬂ ow in the vicinity of the Rio Grande rift (Decker, 1969; Reiter and others, 1975; Edwards and others, 1978;

Basin Clarkson and Reiter, 1984), although there is some suggestion Estancia that the area of high heat fl ow occurs across a broad area of New Mexico and southern Colorado and is not confi ned to the immediate vicinity of the rift (Edwards and others, 1978; Clarkson and Reiter, 1984). Many heat-fl ow measurements fault

Montosa in the Albuquerque Basin area, however, have been taken at shallow depths. These heat-ﬂ ow measurements can be affected Mtns

Manzano by local ground-water convection and hence may not be good measurements of regional heat-fl ow patterns (Clarkson and on shown on fi gure 3. The eastern part of on shown fi EASTERN STABLE BLOCK EASTERN STABLE Reiter, 1984). illing the Humble No. 1 Santa Fe and Pacifi c well illing the Humble No. 1 Santa Fe and Pacifi Precambrian crystalline rocks Fault motion out of plane section Geothermal gradients calculated from temperatures recorded during logging runs in oil and gas tests are a less fault precise way to measure variations in heat fl ow because geo-

Hubbell Springs thermal gradients vary among different lithologies. Nonethe- less, geothermal gradients are commonly used because the data is readily available. Geothermal gradients were calculated by Grant (1982) for eight of the deepest boreholes in the basin. Grant (1982) calculated only one gradient for each hole using BENCH the temperature recorded at the bottom of the hole. Here, ALBUQUERQUE we calculated geothermal gradients for all the temperatures Interpretive (no seismic) Rio recorded while these eight holes were being drilled. Figure 7 is Grande Paleozoic sedimentary rocks Fault motion into plane of section a plot of temperature versus depth for the eight drill holes. An average geothermal gradient was also calculated for each drill hole using all of the temperature readings taken. The standard AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) cor- Horizontal scale = vertical rection factor was applied to all of the recorded temperatures, and a mean annual surface temperature of 45¡F (7¡C) was Rio Limit of seismic data Puerco used. A correction factor was applied to the readings because

SOUTH GRABEN BLOCK the rocks in the immediate vicinity of the borehole are quenched by comparatively cool mud circulated through the borehole during drilling. The time between when mud circula- High Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Humble Sante & Pacific-1 tion stops and the temperature is recorded is seldom long near here mud weights enough for temperatures in the vicinity of the borehole to fault

Cat Mesa reequilibrate. Geothermal gradients calculated from different logging BLOCK

RIO PUERCO fault runs in the same drill hole were surprisingly consistent (table Santa Fe 4). For instance, the eight individual geothermal gradients

fault calculated for the Shell No. 1 Isleta hole varied from ? where decernable on seismic or in wells Cenozoic rift fill* 1.77¡F/100 ft to 2.48¡F/100 ft (3.23¡Ð4.52¡C/100 m). If Comanche only the six deepest temperatures are used, variation is only *Note: section indicted Pre-rift lower Tertiary from 1.95¡F/100 ft to 2.15¡F/100 ft (3.56¡Ð3.92¡C/100 m). Shallower temperature readings in boreholes are generally Lucero uplift

PLATEAU less reliable than deeper readings, largely because of COLORADO the greater times required for borehole temperatures to

C reequilibrate once mud circulation is stopped. Average WEST geothermal gradients for the eight drill holes varied from Feet 5,000 -5,000 10,000 15,000 -15,000 -25,000 -35,000 -10,000 -20,000 -30,000

Interpreted west-east cross section C-C’ based on seismic data for the southern part of Albuquerque Basin. Line secti 1.7¡F/100 ft to 2.3¡F/100 ft (3.1¡Ð4.2¡C/100 m) (table 4). Sea level These values are not signifi cantly different from geothermal 0 5.0 2.5 gradients throughout northern New Mexico (Geothermal Km -2.5 -5.0 -7.5 -10.0 the cross section was constructed from geologic inference and is not based on seismic data. High mud weights were used while dr (modifi ed from Russell and Snelson, 1984). (modifi Figure 6. Gradient Map of North America, 1976). Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 9

Table 2. Histogram showing exploration activity in the Albuquerque Basin from 1900 to 1984 (modiﬁ ed from Black, 1999).

10 ALBUQUERQUE BASIN WILDCAT HISTORY 9

8 PRIMARY S 7 MESOZOIC AT

C PRIMARY EXPLORATION 6 TERTIARY EXPLORATION

F WILD 5 SHELL'S O PROGRAM 4

3 NUMBER 2

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 YEARS

Albuquerque Basin, composite

Depth, in meters 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100 Corrected temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit 50 2591 m 2438 m 3139 m 3962 m

0 C

0 5,000° 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000

100 Depth, in feet

Figure 7. Plot of bottom-hole temperatures versus depths for all wells listed in table 3. The gradients plotted are based on uncorrected bottom-hole temperatures and a mean annual surface temperature of 45°F (9°C). A best-ﬁ t line through the data points is shown. The average uncorrected geothermal gradient for the entire Albuquerque Basin is about 2.0°F/100 ft (3.67°C/100 m). 10 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

Table 3. List of deep oil and gas tests in the Albuquerque Basin with formation tops reported by Petroleum Information, Inc.

Well Well Location Total depth in Formation Depth in Depth in ft (m) no. name feet (meters) feet (meters) (Lozinski, 1994)

4 Shell 8-9N-1W 11,115 (3,647) Gallup Ss. (Cretaceous) 2,632 (802) 1 Laguna Dakota Ss. (Cretaceous) 3,555 (1,084) Wilson Morrison Fm. (Jurassic) 3,950 (1,204) Granite (Precambrian) 11,102 (3,384) 2 (4,360) (Eocene-Oligocene) (1,460) 2 Santa Fe Galisteo-Baca Fms., (Eocene) 7,598 (2,316) Top Cretaceous 8,238 (2,510) Mesaverde Group (Cretaceous) 11,030 (3,362) Mancos Shale (Cretaceous) 13,298 (4,053) Todilto Limestone (Jurassic) 13,928 (4,245) Entrada Ss. (Jurassic) 13,954 (4,253) Chinle Fm. (Triassic) 14,058 (4,285) 10 (3,868) p Cretaceous 8,501 (2,591) 1 Santa Fe 3 (3,132) (Eocene-Oligocene) gnized 3 Santa Fe Galisteo-Baca Fms., (Eocene) 3,996 (1,218) Top Cretaceous 4,068 (1,240) Menefee Fm. (Cretaceous) 4,144 (1,263) Point Lookout Ss. (Cretaceous) 6,138 (1,871) Gallup Ss. (Cretaceous) 7,404 (2,257) Dakota Ss. (Cretaceous) 8,731 (2,661) Morrison Fm. (Jurassic) 9,078 (2,767) 1 (3,367) (Eocene-Oligocene) gnized 1 Santa Fe Galisteo-Baca Fms., (Eocene) 2,969 (905) Top Cretaceous 3,642 (1,110) Menefee Fm. (Cretaceous) 3,644 (1,111) Point Lookout Ss. (Cretaceous) 4,378 (1,334) Dakota Ss. (Cretaceous) 6,600 (2,012) Morrison Fm. (Jurassic) 6,907 (2,105) 13 (5,906) (Eocene-Oligocene) (2,603) West Mesa Galisteo-Baca Fms., (Eocene) 15,709 (4,788) Top Cretaceous 16,818 (5,126) Point Lookout Ss. (Cretaceous) 16,817 (5,126) Gallup Ss. (Cretaceous) 18,082 (5,511) Mancos Shale (Cretaceous) 18,130 (5,526) Dakota Ss. (Cretaceous) 18,888 (5,757) 14 (5,079) (Cretaceous) (5,027) 5 (4,982) (Eocene-Oligocene) (2,679) 1 Isleta Galistero-Baca Fms., (Eocene) 10,551 (3,216) Top Cretaceous 12,041 (3,670) Menefee Fm. (Cretaceous) 12,110 (3,691) Gallup Ss. (Cretaceous) 13,090 (3,990) Mancos Shale (Cretaceous) 13,265 (4,043) Chinle Fm. (Triassic) 13,808 (4,209)

centered gas accumulation is likely to occur. The isopach maps Burial Reconstructions for the were constructed using only drill-hole data, and no attempt Albuquerque Basin was made to incorporate seismic information. The maps are thus very generalized and do not show thickness variations that result from the stair-step faulting within the basin. The fi rst Isopach maps of Tertiary rocks in the Albuquerque Basin isopach map is of the combined Eocene Galisteo and Baca were constructed using well data from Lozinsky (1994) in Formations (fi g. 8). Although these units predate the onset of order to better understand the subsidence history of the basin subsidence in the basin, they nonetheless thicken somewhat and to help defi ne the deepest parts of the basin where a basin- toward the deep trough of the basin. The second isopach map Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 11

Table 4. Bottom-hole temperatures recorded during logging runs for selected deep tests in the Albuquerque Basin.

[Geothermal gradients listed are average values for the entire hole calculated from uncorrected bottom-hole temperatures assuming a mean annual surface temperature of 45ûF (7ûC). Locations shown on figures 3, 8, 9, and 10]

Bottom-hole No. Well name Location Depth in feet temperature Geothermal gradient Average gradient for well (meters) in ˚F (˚C) in ˚F/100 ft (˚C/100 m) in ˚F/100 ft (˚C/100 m)

4 Shell 1 8-9N-1W 3,989 (1216) 147 (63) 2.56 (4.7) 2.3 (4.2) Laguna Wilson 11,107 (3,385) 292 (144) 2.23 (4.07) 2 (972) (44) 2.1 (3.83) (4.01) Santa Fe 7,011 (2,137) 204 (96) 2.27 (4.14) 8,654 (2,638) 224 (107) 2.07 (3.78) 11,238 (3,425) 289 (143) 2.17 (3.96) 14,011 (4,271) 347 (175) 2.16 (3.94) 14,305 (4,360) 354 (179) 2.16 (3.94) 7 (1,615) (69) 2.11 (3.85) (3.83) 1 Isleta 9,175 (2,797) 205 (96) 1.74 (3.17) 10,378 (3,163) 267 (131) 2.14 (3.90) 3 (1,434) (52) 1.72 (3.14) (3.47) Santa Fe 8,994 (2,714) 208 (98) 1.81 (2.01) 10,276 (3,132) 238 (114) 1.88 (3.43) 1 (2,114) (87.8) 2.09 (3.81) (3.83) Santa Fe 11,045 (3,367) 267 (131) 2.01 (3.67) 13 (5,359) (172) 1.69 (3.08) (3.1) West Mesa 19,350 (5,898) 381 (194) 1.74 (3.17) 5 (1,623) (81) 2.48 (4.52) (3.83) Isleta 8,080 (2,463) 198 (92) 1.77 (3.23) 8,909 (2,715) 219 (104) 1.95 (3.56) 10,250 (3,124) 250 (121) 2 (3.64) 12,396 (3,778) 288 (142) 1.96 (3.58) 13,675 (4,168) 339 (171) 2.15 (3.92) 14,100 (4,298) 328 (164) 2.01 (3.67) 16,346 (4,982) 387 (197) 2.09 (3.81) 6 (1,524) (59) 1.86 (3.39) (3.47) Isletta 9,926 (3,025) 215 (102) 1.71 (3.12) 14,525 (4,427) 315 (157) 1.86 (3.39) 16,254 (4,954) 370 (188) 2 (3.64) 18,227 (5,556) 390 (199) 1.89 (3.45)

(fi g. 9) represents the combined thickness of the Galisteo and Formation are present in three of the wells. These wells, the Baca Formations and the overlying “unit of Isleta No. 2 well” Shell No. 3 Santa Fe, the Shell No. 1 Santa Fe, and the Shell as defi ned by Lozinsky (1994). The unit is thought to be late No. 1-24 West Mesa (fi g. 3, table 1) were modeled using Eocene to late Oligocene in age and thus spans the onset BasinMod version 7.01 developed by Platte River Associates of rifting in the Albuquerque Basin. By the late Oligocene, in order to determine the timing of hydrocarbon generation. more than 8,200 ft (2,499 m) of sediments and volcanic rocks The Shell No. 3 Santa Fe and No. 1 Santa Fe are near cross (present-day thickness) had accumulated along the developing section A-A2 in a comparatively shallow area in the northern deep basin trough west of Albuquerque (fi g. 9). The last iso- part of the basin. The Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well is in a pach map includes all Tertiary and younger rocks and uncon- much deeper part of the basin farther to the south. solidated sediments (fi g. 10). More than 21,000 ft (6,400 m) of The data used for the burial reconstructions is shown on sediments and volcanic rocks have accumulated along the deep the stratigraphic charts in fi gure 11. The Cretaceous stratigra- basin trough from the Tertiary to the present. phy of the Albuquerque Basin is similar to that of the San Juan Burial reconstructions were made for three deep dill holes Basin to the north (Molenaar, 1988b). Principal Cretaceous in the Albuquerque Basin from the time of deposition of stratigraphic units used in the burial reconstructions are the the Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone to the present. The Dakota Dakota Sandstone, the Point Lookout Sandstone, and the top Sandstone, the Point Lookout Sandstone, and the Menefee of the Menefee Formation. These units have not been placed 12 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

107

Nacimento Mtns

A 15 1 3 205 A' 122 BERNALILLO Sandia 00 2 Mtns 338 12 13

14 Grande 18 ALBUQUERQUE 9 B 4 300

Rio 294 35 7 35 6 Manzanita 0 Mtns 200 B' 300 5 454

8 427 400

100 C' C 95 2 BELEN 11 1 Shell Santa Fe-1, 11045', (P-C) 17 2 Shell Santa Fe-2, 14305', (Tr) Rio 0 3 Lucero Uplift Shell Santa Fe-3, 10276', (Tr) Puerco 4 Shell Laguna-1, 11115', (P-C) 1 5 Shell Isleta-1,Santa Fe-1, 16346', 11045', (P) (P-C) 2 16 6 Shell Isleta-2,Santa Fe-2, 21268', 14305', (Tert.) (Tr) 3 7 TransoceanShell Santa Fe-3,Isleta-1, 10285', 10378', (Tr) (P-C) 4 8 HumbleShell Laguna-1, Santa Fe-1, 11115', 12690', (P-C) (UK) 5 9 CarpenterShell Isleta-1, Atrisco-1, 16346', 6653', (P) (Tert.) 6 Shell Isleta-2, 21260', (Tert.) Manzano 10 Humble Santa Fe, B1, 6016', (P-C) Ladron BERNARDO Mtns 7 11 Grober-1,Transocean 6300', Isleta-1, (Tert.) 10322', (P-C) Mtns 8 Los 12 NorrinsHumble Realty-2,Santa Fe-1, 5024', 12690', (Tert.) (UK) 9 Pinos 13 ShellCarpenter 1-24 WestAtrisco-1, Mesa, 6653', 19375', (Tert.) (Tr) 10 Humble Santa Fe, B1, 6016', (P-C) Mtns 14 UTEX 1-1J1E, 16,665 (UK) 1511 DavisGrober-1, 1 Tamara, 6300', (Tert.)8732', (Tr) 1612 DavisNorrins 1 AngelRealty-2, Eyes, 5024', 8074', (Tert.) (Tert.) 1713 TwinningShell 1-24 1 West NFT, Mesa,7441' (Tert.) 19375', (Tr) 1814 BurlingtonUTEX 1-1J1E, 1Y, (UK)7800' (Tr) 0 10 20 Miles 01020 Km

Quaternary alluvium Normal fault Tertiary-Quaternary sedimentary rocks Reverse fault 454 Thickness of isopached interval, Tertiary volcanic rocks in meters Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Transcurrent fault 400 Contour interval 100 meters Precambrian crystalline rocks Fault of multiple High mud weights used in Cretaceous displacement

Figure 8. Isopach map of the combined Eocene Galisteo and Baca Formations, Albuquerque Basin, constructed using data from Lozinski (1994, his table 1). Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 13

107

Nacimento Mtns

A 15 1 3 205 A' 22 BERNALILLO Sandia 1000 1500 Mtns 12 13 2523

14 Grande 18 ALBUQUERQUE 9 B 4

2500 Rio

2000 35 7 35 6 Manzanita 2075 0 Mtns B'

5 991 500 1097 1 8 1000 C' C 1051 2 BELEN 11 1 Shell Santa Fe-1, 11045', (P-C) 17 2 Shell Santa Fe-2, 14305', (Tr) Rio 0 3 Shell Santa Fe-3, 10276', (Tr) Lucero Uplift Puerco 4 Shell Laguna-1, 11115', (P-C) 51 Shell Isleta-1,Santa Fe-1, 16346', 11045', (P) (P-C) 16 62 Shell Isleta-2,Santa Fe-2, 21268', 14305', (Tert.) (Tr) 73 TransoceanShell Santa Fe-3,Isleta-1, 10285', 10378', (Tr) (P-C) 84 HumbleShell Laguna-1, Santa Fe-1, 11115', 12690', (P-C) (UK) 95 CarpenterShell Isleta-1, Atrisco-1, 16346', 6653', (P) (Tert.) 6 Manzano 10 HumbleShell Isleta-2, Santa 21260',Fe, B1, (Tert.)6016', (P-C) Ladron BERNARDO Mtns 7 Transocean Isleta-1, 10322', (P-C) Mtns 11 Grober-1, 6300', (Tert.) Los 128 NorrinsHumble Realty-2,Santa Fe-1, 5024', 12690', (Tert.) (UK) 9 Pinos 13 ShellCarpenter 1-24 WestAtrisco-1, Mesa, 6653', 19375', (Tert.) (Tr) 10 Humble Santa Fe, B1, 6016', (P-C) Mtns 14 UTEX 1-1J1E, 16,665 (UK) 1511 DavisGrober-1, 1 Tamara, 6300', (Tert.)8732', (Tr) 1612 DavisNorrins 1 AngelRealty-2, Eyes, 5024', 8074', (Tert.) (Tert.) 1713 TwinningShell 1-24 1 West NFT, Mesa,7441' (Tert.) 19375', (Tr) 1814 BurlingtonUTEX 1-1J1E, 1Y, (UK)7800' (Tr) 0 10 20 Miles 01020 Km

Quaternary alluvium Normal fault Tertiary-Quaternary sedimentary rocks Reverse fault 454 Thickness of isopached interval, Tertiary volcanic rocks in meters Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Transcurrent fault 1000 Contour interval 500 meters Precambrian crystalline rocks Fault of multiple High mud weights used in Cretaceous displacement

Figure 9. Isopach map of the combined Eocene Galisteo and Baca Formations and unnamed “unit of Isleta No. 2 well” (upper Eocene to upper Oligocene?) of Lozinski (1994) in the Shell No. 2 Isleta well in sec. 16, T. 8 N., R. 2 E. All thickness data used is from Lozinski (1994, his table 1). The isotherm assumes that the average present-day geothermal gradient of 2.0°F/100 ft (3.67°C/100 m) (see ﬁ g. 8). 14 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

107

Nacimento Mtns

A 15 10 1 3 1110 A'

1245 20 BERNALILLO 30 Sandia 40 Mtns 50 12 13

14 Grande 18 ALBUQUERQUE 9 B 4 60

Rio

35 50 7 35 6 Manzanita 5482 1236 Mtns B'

5 3679

8 2591

C 2 10 C' 2511 BELEN 11 1 Shell Santa Fe-1, 11045', (P-C) 30 2 Shell Santa Fe-2, 14305', (Tr) 17 Rio 1384 3 Shell Santa Fe-3, 10276', (Tr) Lucero Uplift 20 Puerco 4 Shell Laguna-1, 11115', (P-C) 51 Shell Isleta-1,Santa Fe-1, 16346', 11045', (P) (P-C) 16 62 Shell Isleta-2,Santa Fe-2, 21268', 14305', (Tert.) (Tr) 3 Shell Santa Fe-3, 10285', (Tr) o 7 Transocean Isleta-1, 10378', (P-C) 84 HumbleShell Laguna-1, Santa Fe-1, 11115', 12690', (P-C) (UK) zan 95 CarpenterShell Isleta-1, Atrisco-1, 16346', 6653', (P) (Tert.) 6 Man 10 HumbleShell Isleta-2, Santa 21260',Fe, B1, (Tert.)6016', (P-C) Ladron BERNARDO Mtns 7 Transocean Isleta-1, 10322', (P-C) Mtns 11 Grober-1, 6300', (Tert.) Los 128 NorrinsHumble Realty-2,Santa Fe-1, 5024', 12690', (Tert.) (UK) 9 Pinos 13 ShellCarpenter 1-24 WestAtrisco-1, Mesa, 6653', 19375', (Tert.) (Tr) 10 Humble Santa Fe, B1, 6016', (P-C) Mtns 14 UTEX 1-1J1E, 16665 (UK) 1511 DavisGrober-1, 1 Tamara, 6300', (Tert.)8732', (Tr) 1612 DavisNorrins 1 AngelRealty-2, Eyes, 5024', 8074', (Tert.) (Tert.) 1713 TwinningShell 1-24 1 West NFT, Mesa,7441' (Tert.) 19375', (Tr) 1814 BurlingtonUTEX 1-1J1E, 1Y, (UK)7800' (Tr) 0 10 20 Miles 01020 Km

Quaternary alluvium Normal fault 2511 Control point for isopach map

Tertiary-Quaternary sedimentary rocks Thickness in hundreds of meters Reverse fault 20 Tertiary volcanic rocks Contour interval 1,000 meters Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Transcurrent fault 100˚C (212˚F) at top of Cretaceous Precambrian crystalline rocks Fault of multiple 150˚C (302˚F) at top of Cretaceous High mud weights used in Cretaceous displacement

Figure 10. Isopach map of the total present-day thickness of Tertiary rocks in the Albuquerque Basin using subsurface drill-hole data of Lozinski (1994, his table 1). Tertiary faults are ignored, and, hence, the isopach map is generalized. The approximate areas where the top of the Cretaceous has achieved temperatures of 100°C and 150°C (212°F and 302°F) at the present are shaded. The isotherms assume an average present-day geothermal gradient of 2.0°F/100 ft (3.67°C/100 m) (see fi g. 7). Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 15 within the standard Western Interior Cretaceous biozones in Fe, continuous deposition at a constant rate is assumed from the area of the Albuquerque Basin but have been extensively 50 Ma to the present. Somewhat more data is available for studied in the San Juan Basin to the north. In the eastern part the Shell 1-24 West Mesa well. According to Lozinski (1994), of the San Juan Basin, the Dakota Sandstone is within the 1,109 ft (338 m) of strata were deposited by late Eocene Acanthoceras amphibolum biozone (Dane, and others, 1966), time (40 Ma). An additional 7,169 ft (2,185 m) of strata was which has been dated at about 95 million years (Obradovich, deposited between 40 Ma and the end of the Oligocene, at 25 1993). The Point Lookout Sandstone falls near the top of the Ma. The remaining 8,540 ft (2,603 m) of fi ll was deposited Scaphites hippocrepis zone (Gill and Cobban, 1966), which between 25 Ma and the present. Geothermal gradients used is dated at about 81.5 million years (Obradovich, 1993). The are 1.9¡F/100 ft for the No. 3 Santa Fe well, 2.1¡F/100 ft for top of the Menefee Formation in the Albuquerque Basin is the Santa Fe No. 1 well, and 1.7¡F/100 ft for the 1-24 West assumed to be in the Baculites obtusus ammonite zone, which Mesa well. is about the age of the top of the Menefee in the easternmost The burial reconstructions indicate that, in two of the wells part of the San Juan Basin (Gill and Cobban, 1966). Age of (the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe and the Shell No. 1 Santa Fe), the Baculites obtusus zone is 80.5 million years (Obradovich, potential source rocks in the Mancos Shale and overlying Creta- 1993). ceous section are immature and have not generated signifi cant The thickness of the interval from the top of the Dakota hydrocarbons (fi gs. 12, 13). In the third well, the Shell No. Sandstone to the top of the Point Lookout Sandstone varies 1-24 West Mesa, hydrocarbon generation began at the base of from 2,071 ft (631 m) in the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well the Mancos Shale about 20 million years ago (fi gs. 14, 15). to 2,593 ft (790 m) in the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe well (table Cretaceous source rocks had not generated signifi cant amounts 3). This is similar to the San Juan Basin, where Law (1992) of hydrocarbons prior to the onset of rifting and creation of the reported thicknesses of 2,020 ft (616 m) and 2,200 ft (671 m) Albuquerque Basin in the Oligocene. The onset of signifi cant for the same interval (Law, 1992, fi gs. 6 and 7). The interval hydrocarbon generation in the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well from the top of the Point Lookout to the top of the Cretaceous corresponds to a temperature of about 212¡F (100¡C). Using interval varies much more widely—from 0 ft in the Shell No. an average geothermal gradient of 2.0¡F/100 ft (3.3¡C/100 m) 1-24 Mesa well to 2,070 ft (631 m) in the Shell No. 3 Santa for the basin, this temperature would occur at a depth of about Fe well (table 3). This variation is due to differences in the 8,350 ft. (2,545 m). The Cretaceous section has been buried to amount of section removed beneath the Cretaceous-Tertiary this depth over a large area of the Albuquerque Basin (fi g. 10). unconformity. The same interval in the two wells cited by Law (1992) in the San Juan Basin varies from 2,980 ft (908 m) for the well on the south fl ank of the basin to 4,020 ft (1,225 m) for the well near the basin trough. Formation Pressures As in the Albuquerque Basin, different amounts of erosion beneath the Cretaceous-Tertiary unconformity in the San Basin-centered gas accumulations are typically abnor- Juan Basin are largely responsible for this variation. Law mally overpressured or abnormally underpressured, with over- (1992) estimated that about 300 ft (90 m) of section had been pressuring the result of volume increases during hydrocarbon removed beneath the Cretaceous-Tertiary unconformity at a generation and underpressured conditions developing during location near the basin trough, for a total original thickness of uplift and cooling. Because the Albuquerque Basin is currently 4,320 ft (1,317 m) for the post Point Lookout section. Law at maximum burial and heating, it is unlikely that any basin- also estimated that about 750 ft (230 m) of section had been centered accumulation there would be underpressured. If over- removed beneath the unconformity at the location on the south pressured conditions exist in the basin, then a basin-centered fl ank of the basin, for a total original thickness of 3,730 ft accumulation may be present. The most reliable formation- (1,137 m) of post-Point Lookout Cretaceous rocks. For the pressure information is obtained from drill-stem tests. Only 2 Albuquerque Basin reconstructions, we assume an original of the 10 deepest wells in the basin had a reliable drill-stem thickness of 4,000 ft (1,220 m) of post-Point Lookout Sand- test in the Cretaceous section. The Dakota Sandstone was stone Cretaceous rocks. tested in the Shell 1 Laguna-Wilson Trust well (fi g. 3) at a Figure 11 shows the sediment thicknesses and ages used depth of 3,600 to 3,651 ft (1,097Ð1,113 m). The test recovered in the burial reconstructions of the three wells. Age of the 48 barrels of water. Shut-in pressures indicate a normal hydro- oldest rocks above the Cretaceous-Tertiary unconformity is static fl uid pressure gradient of 0.43 psi/ft. The Shell No. Eocene (Lozinsky, 1994). An age of 50 million years is 1 Santa Fe well also tested the Dakota Sandstone, but at a assumed for the oldest Eocene strata at all three wells mod- much greater depth of 6,720 to 6,753 ft (2,048Ð2,053 m). eled. These Eocene strata are also present on the fl anks of This test recovered 5,172 ft (1,576 m) of water. Shut-in pres- the Albuquerque Basin and predate the onset of rifting. It is sures indicate a fl uid-pressure gradient of 0.43 psi/ft (normal assumed that downcutting of Cretaceous strata beneath the hydrostatic pressure). The normally pressured water in the unconformity began at the end of the Cretaceous (66 Ma) and shallow test would be expected, as a basin-centered accumula- continued at an even pace until 50 million years ago. For two tion would not be expected at this depth. The deeper water test wells, the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe and the Shell No. 1 Santa at more than 6,700 ft (2,400 m) is problematical. Active gas 16 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

Shell Shell Shell No. 3 Santa Fe No. 1 Santa Fe No. 1-24 West Mesa 0 0 0

8540 ft (2603 m)

2969 ft 3995 ft Santa Fe Group (905 m) 25 Ma (1218 m) Late Oligocene and younger 7169 ft (2185 m)

40 Ma 673 ft Galisteo and 1109 ft (205 m) Galisteo and 72 ft (22 m) Galisteo and Baca Fms. (338 m) Baca Fms. Baca Fms. 50 Ma 50 Ma 50 Ma

Top of Menefee Formation Top of Menefee Formation Top of Menefee 66 Ma Formation 66 Ma 66 Ma

4000 ft (1220 m) 4000 ft 4000 ft (1220 m) (1220 m) 2070' (631 m) of Cret. remaining above 736 ft (224 m) of Point Lookout Ss. 0' of Cret. Cret. remaining 81.5 Ma remaining 81.5 Ma 81.5 Ma Point Lookout Ss. Point Lookout Point Lookout Ss. Ss.

2593 ft Mancos sh. 2222 ft Mancos Sh. 2071 ft Mancos Sh. (source) (source) (source) (790 m) (677 m) (631 m)

95 Ma Dakota Ss. 95 Ma Dakota Ss. 95 Ma Dakota Ss. Gradient Gradient Gradient 1.9° F/100 ft 2.1° F/100 ft 1.7° F/100 ft (3.49 ° C/100 m) (3.82 ° C/100 m) (3.08 ° C/100 m) EXPLANATION Sandstone with shale Coal

Mainly shale Missing interval

Figure 11. Stratigraphic diagrams showing present-day thicknesses and ages of rocks from the Dakota Sandstone to the present in the three wells used for burial reconstructions. Location of wells shown on ﬁ gures 3, 8, 9, or 10. Vertical scale is variable. Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 17

Shell No. 3 Sante Fe

K P E OMP R Fm 0

500 2,000 Tert 100˚F

1,000 50˚C 4,000 Sandstone

1,500 Mesaverde 1

6,000

Depth (feet) 2,000 Depth (meters)

Mancos

8,000 200˚F 2,500 100˚C Dakota

3,000 10,000 150 100 50 0 t=0 Age (Ma)

Figure 12. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures for the Shell No. 3 Santa Fe well in sec. 28, T. 13 N., R. 1 E. Location of well shown on ﬁ gures 3, 8, 9, or 10.

Shell No. 1 Sante Fe

K P E OMP R Fm 0

500 2,000 Tert 100˚F

1,000 50˚C

4,000 Sandstone Depth (feet) Depth (meters) 1,500 Mesaverde 1

6,000

2,000 Mancos

200˚F

Dakota 8,000 150 100 50 0 t=0 Age (Ma)

Figure 13. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures for the Shell No. 1 Santa Fe well in sec. 18, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. Location of well shown on ﬁ gure 3. 18 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems

Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa

K P E OMP R Fm 0

1,000 100˚F 100˚F Tert 5,000

2,000

200˚F 10,000 3,000 Depth (feet)

Depth (meters) Tert 1 4,000

15,000 300˚F

5,000 Sandstone

Mancos

Dakota 6,000 20,000 150 100 50 0 t=0 Age (Ma)

Figure 14. Burial reconstruction showing depths and temperatures in for the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well in sec. 24, T. 11 N., R. 1 E. Location of well shown on ﬁ gure 3. Light shaded area brackets period of gas generation by Cretaceous source rocks. Dark shaded area brackets period of peak gas generation by Cretaceous source rocks.

Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa

P R 8 K E OMP

Mancos ) 6 mg/g TOC*m.y. (

2 Rate of gas generation

0 150 100 50 0 Age (Ma)

Figure 15. Rate of gas generation in milligrams (mg) per gram (g) of total organic carbon (TOC) per million years (m.y.) at the base of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale in the Shell No. 1-24 West Mesa well (sec. 24, T. 11 N., R. 1 E). The second peak, which began about 5 Ma, is due to the breakdown of oil to gas. Location of well shown on ﬁ gures 3, 8, 9, or 10. Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 19

25,000

7,000

20,000 6,000

5,000 15,000 )

eet 150°C 4,000 (f

h ept D Depth (meters) 10,000 3,000 100°C

2,000 5,000 EXPLANATION 1,000 Depth (feet)

Linear [depth (feet)] 0 024681012 Mud weight (pounds)

Figure 16. Graph of mud weight versus depth for the eight wells listed in table 4. Approximate depth to the 100°C and 150°C (212°F and 302°F) isotherms were calculated assuming an average geothermal gradient of 2.0°F/100 ft (3.67°C/100 m) for the entire Albuquerque Basin. Heavy line is best-ﬁ t linear relationship between mud weight and depth.

Table 5. List of mud weights recorded during logging runs for selected deep tests in the Albuquerque Basin.

[Locations shown on figures 3, 8, 9, and 10]

Well no. Well name Location Depth in ft (m) Mud weight (lb)

4 Shell 1 Laguna Wilson 8-9N-1W 3989 (1,216) 9.2 2 Shell 2 Santa Fe 29-6N-1W 11,238 (3,425) 10.2 14,305 (4,360) 10.6 10 Humble 1 Santa Fe 18-6N-1W 10,095 (3,077) 9.4 10,853 (3,308) 9.4 12,160 (3,706) 9.7 7 Transocean 1 Isleta 8-8N-3E 9,175 (2,797) 10.5 3 Shell 3 Santa Fe 28-13N-1E 8,994 (2,741) 9.9 10,276 (3,132) 10.2 1 Shell 1 Santa Fe 18-3N-3E 6,937 (2,114) 9.2 13 Shell 1-24 West Mesa 24-11N-1E 19,350 (5,898) 11.1 14 Utex 1-1J1E 1-10N-1E 16,665 (5,079) 9.4 5 Shell 1 Isleta 7-7N-2E 12,396 (3,778) 9.9 13,675 (4,168) 10.1 14,100 (4,298) 10.2

20 Geologic Studies of Basin-Centered Gas Systems generation and the presence of a basin-centered gas accumula- Black, B.A., 1999, Recent oil and gas exploration in the Albuquerque Basin, in Pazzaglia, F.J., and Lucas, S.G., eds., Albuquerque tion might be expected at this depth. Geology: New Mexico Geological Society 50th Annual Field Less reliable formation-pressure information can be Conference, p. 437–440. obtained from mud weights measured during drilling. A continuous record of mud weights used is typically recorded on Chapin, C.E., 1971, The Rio Grande rift, part I—Modifi cations and mud logs made while drilling. Spot recordings of mud weights additions, in James, H.L., ed., Guidebook of the San Luis Basin: New at the time of logging runs are listed on the header information Mexico Geological Society, 22nd Field Conference Guidebook, p. 191–201. on geophysical logs. Table 5 is a list of mud weights from log headers for nine of the deepest wells in the basin. Mud weights Chapin, C.E., 1979, Evolution of the Rio Grande rift—A summary, versus depth for these wells is plotted on fi gure 16. A mud in Riecker, R.E., ed., Rio Grande Rift, Tectonics and Magmatism: weight of 10 lb corresponds to a pressure gradient of 0.519 Washington, D.C., American Geophysical Union, p. 1–5. psi/ft, or moderate overpressuring. High mud weights—indi- Clarkson, G., and Reiter, M., 1984, Analysis of terrestrial heat-fl ow cating overpressuring—were used while drilling through the profi les across the Rio Grand rift and southern Rocky Mountains in Cretaceous section in fi ve of the deeper wells in the basin. northern New Mexico, in Baldridge, W.S., Dickerson P.W., Riecker, R.E., and Zidek, J., eds., Rio Grand Rift: Northern New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society 35th Annual Field Conference, Oct. Conclusions 11–13, 1984, p. 39–44. Dane, C.H., Cobban, W.A., and Kauffman, E.G., 1966, Stratigraphy and regional relationships of a reference section for the Juana Lopez It appears likely that the deep central portion of the Albu- Member, Mancos Shale in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico: U.S. querque Basin contains a basin-centered gas accumulation that Geological Survey Bulletin 1224-H, p. 1–15. is developing at the present time. The area contains a largely Decker, E.R., 1969, Heat fl ow in Colorado and New Mexico: Journal of intact Cretaceous section similar to the Cretaceous interval that Geophysical Research, v. 74, p. 550–559. contains a basin-centered accumulation in the nearby San Juan Basin. High mud weights are typically used while drilling the Edwards, C.L., Reiter, M., Shearer, C., and Young, W., 1978, Terrestrial Cretaceous interval in this area, suggesting some degree of heat fl ow and crustal radioactivity in northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado: Geological Society of America Bulletin, overpressuring. Gas shows have been reported while drilling v. 89, p. 1341–1350. through the Cretaceous interval throughout this area. Attempts to complete gas wells in the Cretaceous have resulted in sub- Geothermal Gradient Map of North America, 1976, American economic quantities of gas, primarily because of low perme- Association of Petroleum Geologists and the U.S. Geological abilities. Little water has been reported. All of these character- Survey. istics are typical of basin-centered gas accumulations in other Gill, J.R., and Cobban, W.A., 1966, The Red Bird section of the Rocky Mountain basins. Burial reconstructions suggest that Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale in Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey large amounts of gas are being generated by Cretaceous source Professional Paper 393-A, 73 p. rocks at the present time. This is different from other Rocky Grant, P.R., 1982, Geothermal potential in the Albuquerque area, New Mountain basins where rates of gas generation have declined Mexico, in Grambling, J.A., and Wells, S.G., eds., Albuquerque signifi cantly since regional uplift and downcutting began about Country II: New Mexico Geological Society 33rd Annual Field 10 million years ago. This regional uplift was offset in the Conference, p. 323–331. Albuquerque Basin by rapid subsidence. Law, B.E., 1992, Thermal maturity patterns of Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, San Juan Basin, Colorado and New Mexico: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 104, p. 192–207. References Cited Lozinsky, R.P., 1994, Cenozoic stratigraphy, sandstone petrology, and depositional history of the Albuquerque Basin, central New Mexico, in Keller, G.R., and Cather, S.M., eds., Basins of the Rio Grand Rift: Structure, Stratigraphy, and Tectonic Setting: Geological Black, B.A., 1982, Oil and gas exploration in the Albuquerque Basin, Society of America Special Paper 291, p. 73–81. in Grambling, J.A., and Wells, S.G., eds., Albuquerque Country II: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 33rd Field Conference, Molenaar, C.M., 1988a, Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks of the San p. 313–324. Juan Basin, in Sloss, L.L., ed., Sedimentary Cover—North American Craton: U.S., [chap. 8, Basins of the Rocky Mountain Region]: The Black, B.A., 1989, Recent oil and gas exploration in the northern Geological Society of America, Decade of North American Geology, part of the Albuquerque Basin, in Lorenz, J.C., and Lucas, S.G., The Geology of North America, v. D-2, p. 129–134. eds., Energy Frontiers in the Rockies: Companion Volume for the 1989 Meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Molenaar, C.M., 1988b, Petroleum and hydrocarbon plays of the Rocky Mountain Section, [hosted by the Albuquerque Geological Albuquerque–San Luis rift basin, New Mexico and Colorado: U.S. Society] Oct. 1–4, 1989, p. 13–15. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87-450-S, 26 p. Potential for a Basin-Centered Gas Accumulation in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico 21

Obradovich, J.D., 1993, A Cretaceous time scale, in Caldwell, W.G.E., and Kauffman, E.G., eds., Evolution of the Western Interior Basin: Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 39, p. 379–396. Petroleum Information Inc, 2000. Reiter, M., Edwards, C.L., Hartman, H., and Weidman, C., 1975, Terrestrial heat ﬂ ow along the Rio Grande rift, New Mexico and southern Colorado: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 86, p. 811–818. Russell, L.R., and Snelson, S., 1994, Structure and tectonics of the Albuquerque Basin segment of the Rio Grand rift, in Keller, G.R., and Cather, S.M., eds., Basins of the Rio Grand Rift: Structure, Stratigraphy, and Tectonic Setting: Insights from Reﬂ ection Seismic Data: Geological Society of America Special Paper 291, p. 83–112.

Manuscript approved for publication June 21, 2001 Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado Editing, layout, photocomposition—Richard W. Scott, Jr. Cover design—Carol A. Quesenberry Graphics by the authors