SHALLOW-SHELF CARBONATE BUILDUPS IN THE PARADOX BASIN, UTAH— TARGETS FOR INCREASED OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND RESERVES USING HORIZONTAL DRILLING TECHNIQUES Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr., Compiler and Editor BULLETIN 140 UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UTAH DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2020 Blank pages are intentional for printing purposes. SHALLOW-SHELF CARBONATE BUILDUPS IN THE PARADOX BASIN, UTAH— TARGETS FOR INCREASED OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND RESERVES USING HORIZONTAL DRILLING TECHNIQUES Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr., Compiler and Editor Cover photos: Reservoir zones in the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation, Paradox Basin, southeastern Utah. Top photos—Desert Creek zone, Bug field, San Juan County: (left) slabbed core of a dolomitized phylloid-algal bafflestone with visible porosity, and (right) photomicrograph under plane light of extensive micro-boxwork porosity with some hollow dolomites and pores lined or plugged with bitumen. Bottom photos—Ismay zone, Cherokee field, San Juan County: (left) photomicrograph under plane light of a peloidal packstone/grainstone dominated by microporosity, and (right) scanning electron microscope photomicrograph showing well-developed dolomite rhombs exhibiting abundant intercrystalline microporosity. Suggested citation: Chidsey, T.C., Jr., compiler and editor, 2020, Shallow-shelf carbonate buildups in the Paradox Basin, Utah—targets for increased oil and gas production and reserves using horizontal drilling techniques: Utah Geological Survey Bulletin 140, 173 p., 11 appendices, https://doi.org/10.34191/B-140. BULLETIN 140 UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UTAH DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2020 STATE OF UTAH Gary R. Herbert, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Brian C. Steed, Executive Director UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY R. William Keach II, Director PUBLICATIONS contact Natural Resources Map & Bookstore 1594 W. North Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84116 telephone: 801-537-3320 toll-free: 1-888-UTAH MAP website: utahmapstore.com email: [email protected] UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY contact 1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3110 Salt Lake City, UT 84116 telephone: 801-537-3300 website: geology.utah.gov Although this product represents the work of professional scientists, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Geological Survey, makes no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding its suitability for a particular use. The Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Geological Survey, shall not be liable under any circumstances for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to claims by users of this product. The Utah Geological Survey does not endorse any products or manufacturers. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, service, or company by trade name, trademark, or otherwise, does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Utah Geological Survey. CONTENTS PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................................................................xiii ABSTRACT ...............................................................................................................................................................................xiv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 1 OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATION ......................................................................................................................... 3 PARADOX BASIN OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Tectonic Setting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Paradox Formation ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Hydrocarbon Traps ................................................................................................................................................................ 9 CHAPTER 2: REGIONAL UTAH LITHOFACIES EVALUATION OF THE DESERT CREEK AND ISMAY ZONES, BLANDING SUB-BASIN ................................................................................................................................ 11 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 METHODS AND LOG-BASED CORRELATION SCHEME .................................................................................................. 13 REGIONAL LITHOFACIES TRENDS IN THE UPPER ISMAY AND LOWER DESERT CREEK ZONES OF THE UTAH PART OF THE BLANDING SUB-BASIN ............................................................................................................. 14 Lithology .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Lithofacies 1 – Open Marine .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Lithofacies 2 – Middle Shelf .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Lithofacies 3 – Inner Shelf/Tidal Flat ............................................................................................................................ 18 Lithofacies 4 – Bryozoan Mound ................................................................................................................................... 18 Lithofacies 5 – Proto-Mound ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Lithofacies 6 – Phylloid-Algal Mound ........................................................................................................................... 20 Lithofacies 7 – Quartz Sand Dune ................................................................................................................................. 20 Lithofacies 8 – Anhydrite Salina .................................................................................................................................... 21 Depositional Environments ................................................................................................................................................. 21 Regional Lithofacies Maps .................................................................................................................................................. 26 Ismay Isochore Relationships .............................................................................................................................................. 28 CHAPTER 3: GENERAL PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, BUG AND CHEROKEE CASE-STUDY FIELDS, SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH .................................................................................................................................................... 35 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 37 FIELD DATA COLLECTION, COMPILATION, AND INTERPRETATION .......................................................................... 37 FIELD OVERVIEWS ................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Bug Field ............................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Cherokee Field ..................................................................................................................................................................... 40 RESERVOIR MAPPING ............................................................................................................................................................ 40 Bug Field ............................................................................................................................................................................. 61 Cherokee Field ..................................................................................................................................................................... 61 RESERVOIR DIAGENETIC ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................. 61 Bug Field ............................................................................................................................................................................. 61 Cherokee Field ..................................................................................................................................................................... 64 POROSITY AND PERMEABILITY CROSSPLOTS ...............................................................................................................