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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Houston Geological Society Bulletin

Abstract


Houston Geological Society Bulletin, Volume 52, No. 8, April 26, 2010. Page 31 - 31.

Abstract: Reservoir Characterization of the Smackover Formation in Little Cedar Creek Field, Alabama

Walter Moody
Hess Corporation, Houston

In 1994, Hunt Oil Company opened up the Little Cedar Creek Field with the completion of the Cedar Creek Land and Timber Company #30-1. The well came on at 108 BOPD and 49 MCFD, producing from the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation.

Studies of cores from the Little Cedar Creek Field have identified seven different facies within the Smackover Formation. The descriptions from top to base are as follows:

At the top, Facies 1, wackestone, shale, siltstone; Facies 2, peloid-ooid grainstone; Facies 3, bioturbated peloidal packstone; Facies 4, laminated peloidal wackestonepackstone; Facies 5, microbial boundstone; Facies 6, bioturbated peloidal packstone; and at the base, Facies 7, laminated peloidal wackestone.

Of these, facies 2 and 5 contain the best reservoirs. They are separated by non-permeable, non-porous rock. The two producing facies have average porosities ranging from 10% to 25% and are very permeable. Porosity is vuggy, intergranular, moldic, and intercrystalline. Although dolomites are the predominant reservoirs of Smackover fields in southwestern Alabama, the reservoirs at The Little Cedar Creek Field are composed mostly of limestone.

It has been determined that the microbial mats in regional fields were developed on paleohighs, but those in the Little Cedar Creek Field were deposited in shallow marine to subtidal environments within five miles of the paleoshoreline. These conditions created stratigraphic rather than structural traps.

In the past five years, Little Cedar Creek Field has become the number one producing field in Alabama. Cumulative production is in excess of 8 million barrels of oil. Not bad for a stratigraphic play.

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