San Juan Basin Regional Study

This study assesses the potential for reservoir-quality facies within Carboniferous (Mississippian and Pennsylvanian) rocks of the deeper San Juan Basin. The numerous wells drilled on the Four Corners platform, including those from proven producing areas such as Tocito Field, plus outcrop exposures of equivalent facies, provide an excellent framework from which to develop exploration models and exploitation data for deeper portions of the San Juan Basin. In order to provide this geological information Core Laboratories did the following:

• Correlate the Carboniferous intervals and analyze available rock information from approximately 600 wells drilled in the San Juan Basin and Four Corners platform, and generate a series of maps, cross-sections, and correlation nets for equivalent Carboniferous facies in the basin
• Study and evaluate available conventional cores, core chips, and drill cuttings from wells both on the Four Corners platform and in the central portions of the San Juan Basin
• Measure, describe, and interpret outcrop sections of equivalent Carboniferous sandstone and carbonate facies located on the northern (San Juan Mountains) and southeastern (Nacimiento Mountains) edges of the San Juan Basin
• Systematically analyze individual rock samples to characterize rock properties (e.g., mineralogy, pore space properties, logging parameters) important in evaluating the presence of reservoir-quality facies and, if present, their respective formation evaluation properties for the deeper San Juan Basin areas
• Present the results to participating companies via quarterly summary reports and a final project report containing completed maps, cross-sections, rock property data and other pertinent geological information which may be applied to San Juan basin exploration and/or exploitation endeavors

This study entails information which can be utilized for improved exploration and exploitation activities; that is, (1) provide a set of working maps and cross-sections depicting sandstone/carbonate facies and associated paleogeographic trends; and (2) generate rock geological/petrophysical/engineering data for these facies that defines and characterizes productive and potentially productive rock.