New insights and discoveries of the Permian Lyons sandstone, DJ Basin, Colorado
Presented by:
Marshall Deacon
Edge Energy Inc
11:30 Reception | 11:45 Lunch | 12:15 Talk
Wynkoop Brewing Company
1634 18th St., Denver, CO
ABSTRACT:
The Permian Lyons sandstone of NE Colorado has received quite the interest over the last 150 years for its use as a building and patio stone, its iconic hogback outcrops and park lands, and high permeability oil reservoirs. From the first oil discovery in the mid 50’s to the present, Rocky Mountain operators have had their sights on the Lyons in the DJ. Noble Energy started a drilling program in 2010 and had the first significant new discovery in the Lyons in over 30 years. That was followed by two additional new field discoveries. Very little has been published on the Lyons since those early discoveries, but with hundreds of newer well penetrations and large 3D seismic shoots, new opportunities have come to light.
A rich dataset of outcrop, well logs, cuttings, cores, production and 3D seismic reveal a complex depositional, diagenetic, and oil -filling history. Deposition was primarily by wind transported sediment in a coastal plain setting that extended from near-shore sabkha environments to the east to large dune and fluvial environments adjacent to the Ancestral Rockies to the west. Inter-bedding of sabkha, sand sheet, dune and fluvial deposits result in a complex reservoir architecture. The depositional environment also had a strong impact on the diagenetic phases from early anhydrite dominated cement in the east to calcite and silica cements in the west. The early diagenetic phase is interpreted to have had the largest effect on the preservation and creation of original and secondary porosity.
The oil-filling history of the Lyons and its relationship to the structural, depositional and diagenetic history is complicated. The source of the oil is undocumented with both a western Phosphoria and eastern Pennsylvanian source hypothesized. Oil staining in the cores consists of a black residual oil, a brown oil and a light tan oil stain often separated at facies boundaries. Staining can be up to 100’ thick implying oil columns significantly greater than exists presently. At least two hydrocarbon filling events are postulated and trapping is by structure, stratigraphy and diagenesis.
The cost is $25.00 for current members and $35.00 for non-members ($10 of which pays for an annual membership in the RMS-SEPM). Unemployed individuals may sign up for lunch for just $10.00. Persons who do not wish to have lunch are welcome for a $10.00 fee. Walk-ins may purchase a lunch for the standard fees ($25.00 or $35.00) although quantities are limited. Walk-ins without a lunch are charged a $10.00 fee.
Please submit reservations by 10:00 a.m. the Friday before the talk.
After the reservation deadline, you may attend the talk for a $10.00 "walk-in" fee.
Reservations may be secured online, by e-mail at robin.swank@gmail.com
or by calling Robin Swank at 720-272-6697