The petroleum-rich Paradox basin of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado remains an exploration frontier. With current production and exploration programs focusing on "algal mound" limestones in the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation and deeper Mississippian structures, numerous other zones with hydrocarbon potential exist. Floored by a complexly faulted Precambrian basement, there is ample evidence suggesting that both source beds and reservoir rocks comprise much of the Cambrian section underlying the region. Although successfully developed at Lisbon field, Devonian sandstones and Mississippian carbonates have only been peripherally explored in other parts of the basin and much remains to be learned about deeper evaporite sequences in the Paradox Formation where tur idite deposits are known or inferred to exist between source bed shales and dolomites. Migration reservoirs exist in the Laramide structures that rim and occupy parts of the basin. Permian tar sand deposits estimated to hold 4-8 billion bbl of oil in place remain to be developed where an exhumed stratigraphic trap in the White Rim Sandstone is exposed west of the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. Additionally, carbon dioxide gas deposits associated with Tertiary intrusives in the region require further delineation and development for coal slurry and enhanced oil recovery projects. Accordingly, the basin is expected to continue being developed for its resources for several decades.

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