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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database
AAPG Bulletin
Abstract
AAPG Bulletin, V.
Cave Gulch field, Natrona County, Wyoming: Large gas discovery in the Rocky Mountain foreland, Wind River basin
(E & P Notes)
Scott L. Montgomery,1 Fred Barrett,2 Kim Vickery,3 Steve Natali,4 Roy Roux,5 Peter Dea6
1Petroleum Consultant, 1511 18th Avenue East, Seattle, Washington, 98112; email: [email protected]
2Barrett Resources Corp., 1515 Arapahoe Street, Tower 3, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80202; email: [email protected]
3Barrett Resources Corp., 1515 Arapahoe Sreet, Tower 3, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80202; email: [email protected]
4Barrett Resources Corp., 1515 Arapahoe Street, Tower 3, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80202; email: [email protected]
5Barrett Resources Corp., 1515 Arapahoe Street, Tower 3, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80202; email: [email protected]
6Resources Corp., 1515 Arapahoe Street, Tower 3, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80202; email: [email protected]
AUTHORS
Scott L. Montgomery is a petroleum consultant and author. He received his B.A. degree in English from Knox College in 1973 and his M.S. degree in geological sciences from Cornell University in 1978. He is widely published in the geosciences and since 1996 has been principal author of the E&P Notes series in the AAPG Bulletin. His other publications include seven books on topics in petroleum geology, science education, and the history of science, plus articles and monographs related to frontier plays, new technologies, field studies, and reservoir characterization.
Fred Barrett is senior geologist with Barrett Resources, presently concentrating on Wind River basin operations. From 1989 to 1997, Fred worked as a geologist for Barrett Resources, covering various core properties in a number of Rocky Mountain provinces, including the Denver, Piceance, Green River, and Wind River basins. Fred received a B.S. degree in geology from Ft. Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, in 1984, and an M.S. degree in geology from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, in 1987.
Kim Vickery is a geologist presently working on operations and exploration in the Wind River basin for Barrett Resources Corp. Kim has been with Barrett Resources since 1995. From 1990 to 1995, she worked with Plains Petroleum as a geological assistant, and she worked in a similar capacity for McAdams, Roux, and Associates from 1986 to 1990. Kim received her B.S. degree in geology from the University of Colorado.
Steve Natali is vice president of exploration for Barrett Resources. During the past five years, Steve has served as chief geophysicist for Barrett and worked the Cave Gulch field, the Wyoming overthrust belt, the Arkoma basin Spiro play, and the Maranon basin of Peru. Prior to employment with Barrett, he was an exploration geophysicist for Amoco Production in Denver. He has a B.S. degree in geology from Yale University (1976) and an M.S. degree in geophysics from University of Arizona (1980).
Roy Roux is a senior geophysicist for Barrett Resources. His current work includes active exploration in the complexly faulted portions of the Wind River basin. Prior to his employment at Barrett, he was engaged with McAdams, Roux and Associates/Plains Petroleum Operating from 1986 to 1995. During this time, he conducted stratigraphic seismic exploration studies of various provinces in the Rocky Mountains. He started his career in 1981 with Superior Oil/Mobil Oil in the Texas Gulf Coast.
Peter Dea is chairman and chief executive officer for Barrett Resources. He serves as the 2001 president of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and a trustee of the American Geological Institute. He earned a B.A. degree in geology from Western State College of Colorado and an M.S. degree in geology from the University of Montana. In addition, he has completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
ABSTRACT
Cave Gulch field in the Wind River basin of Wyoming is an important new subthrust gas discovery area with reserves of 500 bcf to 1 tcf. Production comes from multiple reservoir intervals ranging in age from Paleocene to Early Cretaceous, with additional potential in underlying Mesozoic and Paleozoic units. Subsurface well data and recent three-dimensional seismic interpretation indicate that the productive structure consists of a complexly faulted anticlinal high beneath the leading detachment of the Owl Creek thrust, a major zone of basement reverse faulting that bounds the Wind River basin to the north and east. Wells in the field produce gas at rates of 1-3 bcf gas/yr and have reserves commonly in the range of 10-20 bcf. Since its discovery in 1994, Cave Gulch has been most intensively developed in fluvial sandstones of the Paleocene Fort Union and uppermost Cretaceous Lance formations. Both intervals exhibit a combination of primary and secondary porosity, with the Lance Formation also showing a significant degree of fracturing. Structure controls productivity within the field; pay distribution within the Fort Union and Lance formations is closely dependent on position relative to the anticlinal crest and to related faulting. Accurate seismic interpretation in this area has proved challenging because of strong lateral velocity variations associated with the thrusted basement at relatively shallow levels. Solutions of related problems, as well as the impressive size of the accumulation, have likely stimulated new interest in exploration associated with the Laramide basement uplifts of the Rocky Mountain region.
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