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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Special Volumes

Abstract

DuBois, Dean P., 2014, Pinedale anticline and Jonah fields, Sublette County, Wyoming: A geological discussion and comparison, in M. Longman, S. Kneller, T. Meyer, and M. Chapin, eds., Pinedale field: Case study of a giant tight gas sandstone reservoir: AAPG Memoir 107, p. 469495.

DOI:10.1306/13511899M1073092

13

Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Fields, Sublette County, Wyoming: A Geologic Discussion and Comparison

Dean P. DuBois

Jonah Energy, LLC, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected])

ABSTRACT

The Pinedale anticline and Jonah field in the northwest part of the greater Green River Basin produce natural gas and gas condensate from a thick succession of Upper Cretaceous and earliest Tertiary strata in the Lance Pool. Both producing areas are simple structural traps made more complex by the interbedded nature of the reservoir sandstones and sealing mudstones. In neither area is there a distinct top seal. The unusual pressure gradient exhibited by these two areas indicates that the mudstones intercalated with the reservoir sandstones are partially sealing and that there are sealing beds distributed vertically throughout the reservoir complex. Leakoff has been complete near the top of Lance Pool and is progressively less so deeper below the top of the Lance Pool.

The Pinedale anticline is a classic anticlinal structure formed by thrusting along the Pinedale thrust fault on the southwest flank and folding above the thrust. Jonah field is delineated by two main sub-vertical bounding faults and several internal faults that subdivide the field into smaller compartments. In both areas, high pressure occurs in the structural closure and is coincident with increased gas saturation and a subtle increase in porosity relative to outlying areas. Despite the low fraction of porous pay sands to gross interval, the great thickness of the Lance Pool combined with significant overpressure has resulted in world class accumulations of gas in place. Low permeability in both fields has driven development drilling to a high density (close spacing) to facilitate recovery of a significant portion of the high concentration of gas in place.

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