Hydrocarbons have been produced in western Virginia in Lee, Scott, Washington, Buchanan, Dickinson, and Tazewell Counties. Natural gas has been found in wells drilled in Russell and Wise Counties, but this gas has not been produced because of the lack of pipeline facilities. Within this area, economic gas reserves have been found in the Mississippian Ravencliff, Maxon, Big Lime, and Berea; the Devonian brown shale; and the Ordovician Trenton and Black River zones. Production from the Ravencliff and Maxon sands is from both primary and secondary porosity. Big Lime production is mainly primary porosity but some fracture production exists. Berea, brown shale, Trenton, and Black River production is mainly from secondary fracture porosity associated with the Pine Mt. overthrus system.

In northeastern Dickinson and northwestern Buchanan Counties, Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation's Haysi field is being drilled and extensively studied in relation to Berea fracture production. Primary porosity in this field averages between 3 and 7 percent but open flows of over 3 Mcfd have been found with gas reserves in some wells projected to be up to 2 Bcf. The high open flows and good deliverability of these wells are attributed to fracture porosity. To delineate fracture traces in the Haysi area, geologic mapping has been combined with several remote sensing surveys including color and black and white infrared photography, thermal infrared scanning, side-looking radar imagery, and color photography. The remote sensing data are being evaluated; however, the radar imagery and olor photography have been utilized to locate fractured zones. Wells have been located and are to be drilled on these radar lineations.

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