The importance of using Holocene geology as a model in mapping reservoir and source rock distribution is demonstrated in three Montana river-related systems: alluvial valley, barrier bar, and distributary channel-prodelta.

The Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation was deposited by a westward-flowing meandering-stream system controlled by an east-west-trending rift valley, and surrounded by backswamp deposits. It is underlain by its probable hydrocarbon source, the marine Mississippian Heath shale and limestone, and overlain locally by the lagoonal Pennsylvanian Bear Gulch Limestone. To date, about 90 million bbl of recoverable oil have been found in Tyler sands.

The oil-producing Lower Cretaceous Muddy sandstones in the northern Power River basin are considered to be barrier bars, encased in organic-rich shales, which are most probably the source rock. The Upper Cretaceous Eagle Sandstone in north-central Montana is a distributary channel system, similar to that of the modern Mississippi, which dumped highly carbonaceous materials into an organic-rich delta system. The Eagle now contains possibly enormous amounts of biogenic methane.

By using Galveston Island and the modern Mississippi delta as models, in conjunction with employing electric log shapes and porosity logs, it is possible to map ancient fluvial patterns in the study areas. One can then predict the location of possible hydrocarbon accumulations in porous and permeable sand bodies, along with their encasing hydrocarbon source rocks.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 866------------