Abstract

On May 29, 1967 the Assistant Secretary of the Interior of the United States requested that the National Petroleum Council prepare a report on the future provinces of the United States. A coordinating subcommittee was organized under the chairmanship of Ira Cram who divided the country into 11 regions and appointed a regional coordinator for each region. Region 7 covered the Northern Mid-Continent.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, as completely as possible, the future recoverable petroleum potential of this region. This was to be done primarily on the basis of considered geologic opinion and only secondarily on a quantitative basis.

One aspect of this study was to take a regional view of the Mid-Continent; one that would relate to the surrounding provinces, Illinois basin, Williston basin, Rocky Mountains and Texas. A series of 27 isopach and paleogeologic maps and 12 diagrammatic cross sections were prepared. Eighteen of these maps and all the cross sections are used to illustrate the stratigraphic and structural evolution of the Mid-Continent. Areas of present production are shown on each map.

Finally a series of charts indicate the future oil and gas potential which is estimated to be 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 44.5 trillion cubic feet of gas.