Regional Roundup

2nd Quarter 2003 Case Studies
Petroleum Technology Digest

CONTACT THE PTTC REGIONAL
RESOURCE CENTER IN YOUR AREA:

Appalachian Region
Director: Doug Patchen
West Virginia University, 
304-293-2867, ext. 5443
www.karl.nrcce.wvu.edu

Central Gulf Region
Director: Bob Baumann,
Louisiana State University, 225-578-4400
Coordinator: Don Goddard, 225-578-4538
www.cgrpttc.lsu.edu

Eastern Gulf Region
Director: Ernest Mancini
University of Alabama, 205-348-4319
http://egrpttc.geo.ua.edu

Midwest Region
Director: David Morse
Illinois State Geological Survey, 
217-244-5527
Coordinator: Steve Gustison, 217-244-9337
www.isgs.uiuc.edu/pttc

North Midcontinent Region
Director: Rodney Reynolds
Kansas University
Energy Research Center, 785-864-7398
Coordinator: Dwayne McCune, 785-864-7398
www.nmcpttc.org

Rocky Mountain Region
Director: Sandra Mark
Colorado School of Mines, 303-273-3107
www.pttcrockies.org

South Midcontinent Region
Director: Charles Mankin
Oklahoma Geological Survey,
405-325-3031
Coordinator: Michelle Summers, 405-325-3031
www.ogs.ou.edu/pttc.htm

Southwest Region
Director: Robert Lee,
Petroleum Recovery Research
Center, 505-835-5408
Coordinator: Martha Cather, 505-835-5685
http://octane.nmt.edu/sw-pttc

Texas Region
Director: Scott Tinker,
Bureau of Economic Geology
University of Texas at Austin, 512-471-1534
Coordinator: Sigrid Clift, 512-471-0320
www.energyconnect.com/pttc

West Coast Region
Director: Iraj Ershaghi
University of Southern California
213-740-0321
Coordinator: Idania Takimoto,  
213-740-8076
www.westcoastpttc.org

Michigan Satellite
William Harrison III, 269-387-5488
http://wst023.west.wmich.edu/pttc.htm

Permian Basin
Bob Kiker,432-552-3432
www.energyconnect.com/pttc/pb/

Bottom Line: Oxy Permian, Ltd. (Oxy) is using CO2 flooding to rejuvenate production in the Cogdell Unit, a Pennsylvanian Carbonate Reef field north of Snyder, Texas. Fast response is typical of high permeability reservoirs, but the blessing comes with reservoir management and sweep-intervention challenges to assure that the CO2 sweep is efficient and lasting. Oxy uses an active reservoir surveillance program and makes sweep/profile modifications where necessary. Phase 2 development is planned during 2003. Assuming continuing success of the CO2 flood, field life could be extended 25 years and add over 20 million barrels of oil recovery. 

Bottom Line: A new electromagnetic (EM) survey technique developed by Montason Exploration, Inc., has been used to define areal extent of a Niobrara prospect in eastern Colorado's Denver-Julesberg basin. The prospect, thought to have about three sq mi of structural closure, actually had only 400 acres of closure according to the EM survey. Considering remote pipeline access, the potential reserves were too small to warrant drilling. The EM survey and interpretation helped the operator avoid large land, exploration and development costs for the project.

Coal Stratigraphy, Cretaceous Foreland Basin, Southwest Wyoming

Renowned expert, John Horne, led a PTTC-sponsored field seminar in Southwest Wyoming. Focus was on coal depositional environments and stratigraphic relationships. This photo from the Kemmerer mine illustrates the lateral variability and peat compaction in a coal sequence. The benches are about 50 feet high. This illustrates how correlating with one well per township can sometimes be a challenge. Dr. Horne has taught industry courses, is a former AAPG distinguished lecturer, and has more than 30 years technical and management experience in the petroleum industry.