Preliminary stratigraphy and depositional framework of Miocene in offshore Texas and Louisiana for CO2-EOR resource assessment

Mariana I. Olariu, Ramon H. Treviño and Timothy MeckelBureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin

Siliciclastic Miocene strata are currently the most productive of all units in the northern Gulf of Mexico’s outer continental shelf, accounting for 40% of all hydrocarbons produced and 40% of all remaining proved reserves. Good hydrocarbon reservoirs make great prospective CO2 storage targets. Numerous depleted oil and gas fields in the offshore Miocene may serve as initial storage or enhanced recovery targets.Prospective Miocene sand trends in the southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana offshore occur in narrow belts which are approximately parallel to the present coastline. There was a southward movement of the shoreline during the Miocene.

Offshore Texas growth fault system consists of major faults that tend to strike northeast-southwest and is characterized by downdip shortening into shale ridges that accommodate updip extension. The offshore of Louisiana is characterized by large-displacement, dominantly down-to-the-basin, listric growth faults that sole on a regional detachment zone above the Oligocene section. Regional deformation is a product of salt mobilization from the level of the autochthonous Jurassic Louann Salt.

The middle Miocene basin-margin sequence records a relatively brief (ca. 5.5 m.y.) depisode. The Texas/Louisiana shore-zone system connected two deltaic depocenters (wavedominated Corsair Delta to the west and Central Mississippi delta to the east) and was separated by a narrow shelf from the offlapping, muddy shelf-fed apron. Well-developed shorezone sand bodies and significant margin offlap demonstrate large-scale strike transport of sediment from the adjacent Mississippi delta system.

The upper Miocene depisode records extensive margin offlap, primarily centered on the Mississippi dispersal axes,that began immediately following the Textularia Wareni flooding and was terminated by a regional flooding event associated with the Robulus E biostratigraphic top. In the west-central Gulf, adjacent to the Mississippi delta system, abundant strike-reworked sediment locally prograded the strand plain to the shelf edge.

ABSTRACT

Figure 1. Location map of the study area About 700 well logs (SP) have been used for subsurface correlation. Stratigraphic dip and strike-cross sections are indicated in red. Normal faults (purple) can be traced over considerable distances along strike (tens of km). The structural strike (NW-SE) is parallel to the depositional strike and to the coastline.

LOCATION AND GEOLOGIC SETTING

Figure 3. Correlation chart showing lithostratigraphic divisions (modified from Hentz and Zeng, 2003) and regional paleogeography of Miocene in the Gulf of Mexico Basin (from Galloway et al., 2000).

Figure 2. Oil (green) and gas (red) fields The Lower Miocene is the primary hydrocarbon-producing zone in offshore Texas and Louisiana and gas is the the dominant hydrocarbon.

Figure 6. Strike cross-section offshore Louisiana CO2 sequestration most sitable in the Upper to Middle Miocene from MFS 1 (Bigenerina A) to MFS 8 (Cibicides Optima)

Figure 4. Dip cross-section in Texas The stratigraphy of the Miocene section in offshore Texas and Louisiana is complicated by structural deformation associated with growth faulting (see Fig. 1).

Figure 5. Strike cross-section offshore Texas Geologic sequestration of CO2 is more suitable in sandstone reservoirs between MFS 6 (Textularia Wareni) and MFS 10 (Robulus L)

CROSS-SECTIONSUM 12 - 6.4 MaTextularia W - Bigenerina A

MFS 6 - MFS 1

MFS 1

MFS 6

MFS 5

MFS 9

MFS 10

Marginulina AMFS 11

MFS1

MFS4

MFS5

MFS6

MFS7

MFS8

MFS9

MFS10

MFS11

MFS12

TOPCAPACITY

BASE_CAPACITY

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

180 0

1900

2000

2100

2200

2 30 0

2400

2 500

2600

2 700

2800

2900

3000

3100

3 200

330 0

340 0

3500

3600

3700

3 800

3900

4 000

4100

4200

4300

4 400

4500

4600

4 700

4800

4900

5000

5100

5200

5300

5400

5500

5600

5700

5800

5 900

6000

6100

6200

6300

6400

6500

6600

6700

6800

6900

700 0

7100

7200

7300

7400

7 500

7600

7 700

7800

7 900

8000

8100

820 0

8300

8400

8500

8600

8700

8800

8 900

9000

9100

9200

9300

9400

9500

9600

9700

MFS1

MFS2

MFS3

MFS4

MFS5

MFS6

MFS7

MFS8

MFS9

4900

5000

5100

5200

5300

5400

5500

5600

5700

5800

5900

600 0

6100

6200

6300

6400

6500

6 600

6700

6 800

6900

7000

7100

7200

7300

7400

7500

760 0

7700

780 0

7900

8000

8100

8200

8300

8400

8500

8600

8700

8800

8900

9000

9100

9200

9300

9 400

9500

9600

9700

9800

9 900

1000

010

100

1020

010

300

1040

010

500

1060

010

7 00

1080

010

900

1100

011

100

112 0

011

300

1140

011

500

1160

011

700

1180

011

9 00

1200

012

100

1220

012

300

1240

012

500

1260

012

700

1280

012

900

1300

013

100

1320

013

3 00

1340

013

500

1360

013

700

1380

01 3

900

1400

014

100

1420

014

300

144 0

014

500

1460

014

700

1480

014

900

1500

00

BASECAPACITY

Type log offshore Texas Type log offshore Louisiana

TOP_CAPACITY2500

4500

6500

8500

10500

1250012900

Depth(ft)

MFS6

MFS7

MFS8

MFS9

BASE_CAPACITY

MFS4

MFS5

MFS10

2500

4500

6500

8500

10500

1250012900

500

MFS11

MFS12

SP SP

MFS1 -4600 -4600

-4000 -4000

-2500 -2500

-1000 -1000

500 500

2000 2000

3500 3500

5000 5000

6500 65006800 6800

MFS4

MFS5

MFS6

MFS7

MFS8

MFS9

MFS10

MFS11

MFS12

-2000 -2000

-1000 -1000

0 0

1000 1000

2000 2000

3000 3000

4000 4000

5000 5000

6000 6000

7000 70007200 7200

MFS2 O

MFS3 O

MFS4 O

MFS5 O

MFS6 O

MFS7

MFS8 O

MFS9

TOP_CAPACITY

BASE_CAPACITY

Depth(ft)

MFS1

SANDSTONE MAPS

Figure 8. Sandstone map for the startigraphic interval from Textularia Wareni to Bigenerina Humblei Overall the map displays an elongate geometry for the sandstone bodies which seem to thin laterally to the east.

Figure 9. Sandstone map for the startigraphic interval from Bigenerina Humblei to Cibicides Optima Overall the map displays an elongate geometry for the sandstone bodies which seem to thin laterally to the east. The sandstone becomes thicker in the offshore area (Texas-Louisiana offshore zone).

Figure 10. Sandstone map for the Upper and Middle Miocene from Bigenerina A to Robulus L Overall the map displays a strike-elongate (parallel to the present day costline) geometry for the sandstone bodies which seem to thin laterally to the east. The sandstone becomes thicker in the offshore area (TexasLouisiana offshore zone). Based on the sandstone thickness the capacity distribution is relatively low updip (northwestward), with an increasing storage potential in the basinward direction.

Jefferson

Chambers

Galveston

500450400350300250200150100500

MFS6_MFS7sand

km

0 40

Jefferson

Chambers

Galveston

500450400350300250200150100500

MFS7_MFS8sand

km

0 40

Jefferson

Chambers

Galveston

2900

2700

2500

2300

2100

1900

1700

1500

1300

1100

900

700

500

300

100

MFS1_MFS10sand

km

0 40

GATOR POINT

RUBBS, WEST

ALTA LOMA, EAST

S. SAND

ANAHUACANAHUAC

MARGINULINA 7100

ANAHUAC

CHGD. SHALLOW SDS.

ANAHUAC, W.

MARGINULINA

ANGELINA

13,000

ANGELINA

11,200

ANGELINA

11,800

BAUER RANCH

NODOSARIA

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA 9000

BIG HILL

HACKBERRY 9400

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA 8500

BIG HILL

FRIO A SOUTH

BIG HILL

FRIO A

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA 8800

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA 8600

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA

BIG HILL

MARGINULINA 8000

BIG HILL, WEST

MARGINULINA 8200

BAYOU S

GAS

BAYOU, S.

O

CLEAR LAKE

FRIO

CLEAR LAKE

00 MARGINULINA

CLEAR LAKE

CLEAR LAKE, W.

FRIO

DEVILLIER

VICKSBURG

DICKINSON

FRIO 8,000

DOUBLE BAYOU

FRIO 8700

DOUBLE BAYOU

FRIO 8200

ELWOOD

VICKSBURG

FANNETT

GAS (NON-ASSOC.)

FIG RIDGE

F-2

FISHERS REEF

FRIO 11

FISHERS REEF

FRIO 8200

FISHERS REEF

FRIO 10-B

FISHERS REEF

FRIO 8400

FISHERS REEF

FRIO 8800

FRANKS

WEITING, UPPER

FRANKS

SCHENCK SAND

FRANKS

WEITING, LOWER

GALVESTON BAY, W.

MIO. 7,150

GALVESTON ISLAND

SIPHONINA

GALVESTON ISLAND

DISCORBIS 7760

GALVESTON ISLAND

DISCORBIS 5

GUM ISLAND, N.

HACKBERRY 4

HAMSHIRE, WEST

NODOSARIA

HILDERBRANDT BAYOU

HACKBERRY

HITCHCOCK, NE.

FRIO 9100

JACKSON PASTURE

FRIO 8000

LA BELLE

MARGINULINA 8500

LA BELLE

MARGINULINA 8200

LA BELLE

MARGINULINA UP.

LAFITTES GOLD

MIOCENE D-3

LAFITTES GOLD

MIOCENE R-2

LAKE STEPHENSON

FRIO-MASS. 9400

LOVELLS LAKE

MARG. 7600

LOVELLS LAKE

FRIO 1

LOVELLS LAKE

MARG. 7300MARRS MCLEAN

FB-7, NODOSARIA

MARRS MCLEAN

FB-3, HACKBERRY

MARRS MCLEAN

HACKB. 11,100

MARRS MCLEAN

FB-6, NODOSARIA

MARRS MCLEAN

FB-8, NODOSARIA

MARRS MCLEAN

FRIO B

MARRS MCLEAN

FRIO B 10,600

MARRS MCLEAN

MCLEAN 10,400

MARRS MCLEAN

MCLEAN

MARRS MCLEAN

FRIO B 10,900

MAYES, EAST

FRIO 8800

MAYES, SOUTH

FRIO 9000

MAYES, SOUTH

FRIO 9100

MAYES, SOUTH

FRIO 19, EAST

MAYES, SOUTH

FRIO 15

V-2

POINT BOLIVAR, N

12300

PORT ACRES

HACK. LO.

PORT ARTHUR

-C-

PORT ARTHUR

-B-2-

HACKBERRY 8000

FRIO HACKBERRY

COOK MTN.COOK MTN. UPPERCOOK MOUNTAIN

RED FISH REEF

FB B-1, FRIO 10

RED FISH REEF

FB B-3, FRIO 9

RED FISH REEF

FB A FRIO 11

RED FISH REEF

FB B-1, FRIO 11B

RED FISH REEF

FB A-1, FRIO 1

RED FISH REEF S.

FRIO 15

RED FISH REEF, SW.

F-15-A

RED FISH REEF, SW.

F-11B

SABINE PASS

MIOCENE S-2

SARAH WHITE, EAST

9200

SEABREEZE

F-2

SEABREEZE

SEABREEZE FB B

SEABREEZE

FIG RIDGE

SEABROOK

TEX 2SHIPCHANNEL

F-24

SMITH POINT

FRIO 9000

SMITH POINT

FRIO 9400SMITH POINT, EAST

12,650

STEPHENSON POINT

FRIO 10

TEXAS CITY DIKE

FRIO 10200

TEXAS CITY DIKE, NORTH

FRIO A

TRINITY BAY

F-4

TRINITY BAY

FRIO 3

UMBRELLA POINT

F-4 GAS

O

0

WILLOW SLOUGH

FB-B, SBZ

WILLOW SLOUGH

FB-A, SBZ

WILLOW SLOUGH

FB-B, UN 2

Oligocene

ANAHUAC MAIN FRIO

Oligocene

CEDAR POINT FRIO 5900

Oligocene

RIO

CLEAR LAKE FRIO

Oligocene

ESPERSON DOME S. CROCKETT

Eocene, Middle

FIG RIDGE SEABREEZE

Oligocene

GILLOCK BIG GAS

Oligocene

GILLOCK EAST SEGMENT

OligoceneGILLOCK, S. BIG GAS

Oligocene

LOVELL'S LAKE FRIO 1

Oligocene

LOVELL'S LAKE FRIO 2

Oligocene

OYSTER BAYOU SEABREEZE

Oligocene

SPINDLETOP CAPROCK

Tertiary

TRINITY BAY FRIO 12

Oligocene

TURTLE BAY MIDDLETON

Oligocene

ER FRIO

pper

Jefferson

Chambers

Galveston

CREOLE-OFFSHORECREOLE-OFFSHORE

WEST CAMERON BLOCK 5CREOLE-OFFSHORE

WEST CAMERON BLOCK 28

SABINE PASSHIGH ISLAND BLK. 20-SHIGH ISLAND BLK. 19-S

ST. TR. 60-S, CENTRAL

MCFADDIN BEACH, E.

BLK. 87-SG O M-MCFADDIN BEACH DOME

HIGH IS. BLK. 24LPIRATE'S COVE

HIGH IS. BLOCK 31-L

BLOCK 176-S

GOM-ST-214-L

SA013

E

SM239SM239HITCHCOCK

HITCHCOCK

WEST CAMERON BLOCK 10WEST CAMERON BLOCK 1WEST CAMERON BLOCK 6WEST CAMERON BLOCK 4

WEST CAMERON BLOCK 19WEST CAMERON BLOCK 17 WEST CAMERON BLOCK 45

WEST CAMERON BLOCK 33

EAST CAMERON BLOCK 4WEST CAMERON BLOCK 49

HIGH IS. 4-L NW-4

EAST CAMERON BLOCK 17EAST CAMERON BLOCK 17

EAST CAMERON BLOCK 17HIGH ISLAND BLK 13-LG. O. M.-ST-83-S

HIGH ISLAND 90S

VERMILION BLOCK 16BLOCK 23L

LIGHTHOUSE POINTVERMILION BLOCK 14GOM 27-L

VERMILION BLOCK 28 EUGENE ISL

EUCRYSTAL BEACH

EUGENE ISLAND BLOCK 1POCO

EUGENE ISLAND BLOCK 8SHIPWRECK

GALVESTON 175-S

EUGENE ISLAND BLOCK 9

BLOCK 98-L

GALVESTON 102-L

LAFITTES GOLD

WC028

WC017

WC045

WC045

WC040

WC066

WC033EC002

WC045 WC041WC066

WC068WC049 WC055

WC076

WC071

EC014SA007

WC081

EC033SA017

WC095

WC118

WC109 EC014

SA011WC116HI022 EC014

LP000SA010 VR024

VR014

VR039

EC038 VR050

TS000EC046

VR014

HI052EC049

VR050

TS000EC064 EC049

EC064

EC051EC049TS000

TS000

EC057 EC057EC060

WC165

HI088 WC167HI093

WC294

EI024VR041EC064

WC178SM236EC062

SM231VR054

HI105EC062

WC187 SM235HI086

WC198HI116

EI047

HI111WC196 VR064 E

SM243HI119 EC081SM241

HI140EI047

EI047GA144

HI128

HI160 HI129EC090

EI047SM249

SM252EI048HI154

SM249HI167

EC096VR088HI166

HI164HI178

WC222

SM261

SM255WC311

HI179

HI177 HI196VR095

GA189

EC106 EI070HI196

HI006AHI195 HI199

HI194 HI199GA209

HI009AGA210

ANAHUAC

GALVESTON BAY, W.

GALVESTON ISLANDGALVESTON ISLANDGALVESTON ISLAND

LAFITTES GOLDLAFITTES GOLD

SABINE PASS

HITCHCOCK

km

0 40

0008-

- 8000- 8000

0009 -

- 9000

- 9000

- 9000

- 10000

00001-

- 8000

000 8 -

00001-

-9 0 00

0009-

- 10000

- 1 0 000 000

9-

-1

0 0000

-50- 6 000

-90

0 0

00031-

-1

4 000

0001 1-

00011-

- 1 1000

-12000

01-

- 14000

- 160

- 1500

- 14000

- 120 0 0

0

-120 00

00031- - 1300 0

Jefferson

Chambers

Galveston

km

0 40

Figure 7. The U.S. Geological Survey geopressure-gradient model of the regional pressure system spanning the onshore and offshore portions of Texas and Louisiana Characterization of the regional pressure system is critical for assessing the occurrence of undiscovered petroleum resources, evaluating hydrocarbon reservoir-seal integrity, and determining the feasibility of geological sequestration and long-term containment of fluids.

Jefferson

Chambers

eston 69 70 71

107312 106105311170 104310 103102309 101169

A 28

34 2589 7 1610

1112

31

13

32

14

30292827262524232216 21201918171

1

333343536374

38394041424344454647

1

48 2492

5

6867666564636261605958575655 7854 91053 1134

6 56

4 3 2

69707118

72737475767778798081 171682 1583 14137 1265

197 8 9 10 11 12 13

201014

110410310210110099989796 29594 2193 2292 232491 2590 2627

98 289

3 4

26 25

5

24 23 622 21 20 20720819 209

7

18 1711

8

12105 1617106 18107 1920108109110111112113114115 3736116 35117 3433118 3212 313011 291027

13141528 29 30 31 32 33

A 35 133

34 35 2132122112103036 37 38 39 2940 282726140 2524139 23138 2221137 1136135134133132131130 3839129 40128 414213 4314 444515

2

461659 58 57 56 55 54 53 3152 51 21421521621721821950 49 48 47 323346 3435141 3637142 3845 143 3940144

44

1451461471481491507

151 5554152 538

153 5251154 50155 4948156 4715760 61 62 63 5064 65 66 67 22522422368 222221220

72 49484746176 4573 44175 43174 424117374 17217117075 16976 16810

1671669

5657165 58164 5960163 61162 6263161 6416010151100 99 98 97 96 95 94 22693 22722822923023123292 91 90 89 53545588 56177 5758178 5917987 606118018118286 18318485

24185

2518618784 7372291 71290 7083 69289 68288 6766287 65

52102 103 104 105 106 107 108 239238237236235234109 233110 111 112 113 70696867192 6665114 191 64200 6362199115 198

96306 97307 98164 99308

A 14

148 149 150 151 152253252153 251250249248247154 155 156 157 919089158 8887218

231230197

229228198316317318199

110319 111112320 113200114321

350351352259

146353 147148354260

149150355 151356

19726

19611627

195190189117 188 7475292 76118 29371

7778294 79295119 8081296 82120147 146 145 144 143 142 240241242243141 244245246140 139 138 137 73747576136193 7778194 79201 80135 81202

47203204134

72 46205206207133 208302132 9190301 89300 8887299131 86298 8584297130 83129 128

488685217 84159

216 838221521416049

213212211161 210209162 303 92304 9394305163 95100165 166 167 168 A 167

185 184 183 182 181254255256257258259260

180 179 178 177 6992176 93949596219 97175

98220 99221 100101222174 68

223224225173

226227172 315314 109313 108171A 1 A 2 A 171 A 170 A 169 A 168

186 187 188 189267266265264263262

190261

191 192 70193 194111110109108107

195235 106105234 104233 103

196 71102232

115322 116201 117323 118A 6 A 5 A 4 A 3 A 172 A 173 A 174 A 175

217 216 215 214268269270271272

213273274

212 91211 210 209112113114115

208116236 117118237 119

90238

207120121239240

206241242243

205330329

204328 127327 126125

203326 124123325 122

202 324 121120119A 7 A 8 A 9 A 10 A 11 A 12 A 179 A 178 A 177

218

A 176

219 220

281280279 92278277

221

276275222 223 224 225

131130129226

128127250 12693

125249227

124248 123122247246228

245244229

331332230

333334 128335 129231

130336 131132337232133338 134135

A 20136A 19 A 18 A 17 A 16 A 15

A 13 A 180 A 181113

A 182

246

282283284A 183

285

245

28612A 184

244 243 242 241

132133240

134135112

136251 137239

138252 139253 140141254

238

255256237

347346345236

344343235

145342 144143341 142234

141340 140339 139233

138137A 21 A 22 A 23 A 24 A 25 A 26 A 27 113A

A 29 A 189 A 18828828776543

A 187

250

A 186

251 252

A 185

253

151

254

150113B

149148147262 146

255

145261 144260 143142259

256

258257

257

348349258

152261

153154262 A 39 A 38 A 37 A 36

SP

cores

faults

federal state boundary (GoM)

TX LA

Chambers

Je�erson

Vermilion

Cameron

KM

0 36

TxLa merge 3D seismic dataset

MFS2

Depth(ft)

MM 15.6 -12 MaAmphistegina B - Textularia W

MFS 9 - MFS 6