Formation evaluation case study: Glyde unconventional Middle Proterozoic play in the McArthur Basin, northern Australia
Marcel Croon A , Joshua Bluett B , Luke Titus B and Raymond JohnsonA Weatherford.
B Armour Energy.
C Unconventional Reservoir Solutions; The University of Adelaide.
The APPEA Journal 55(2) 429-429 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ14064
Published: 2015
Abstract
The Glyde–1 and Glyde Sidetrack–1 wells were drilled by Armour Energy in the Glyde Sub-basin of the McArthur Basin, NT, Australia, in August 2012. This program was to evaluate the unconventional hydrocarbon potential of the Barney Creek Shale source rock and the conventional potential of the Coxco Dolomite of the McArthur Group.
The Glyde wells discovered gas in both formations. Transtensional faults in this region allowed to form a series of fault-bounded depocentres. The target gas source of the Glyde discovery is located in 1640 Ma organic-rich black shales of the Barney Creek Formation.
Weatherford was contracted to acquire both vertical and lateral advanced log suites and perform subsequent log interpretation to constrain the in-situ minimum and maximum horizontal stress regimes to assist with maximising gas production from future lateral placement pilot programs in the Coxco Hydrothermal Dolomite (HTD) Play.
Two stratigraphic and structural domains were defined by the observed features in the image log data; a dolostone dominated, fractured strata below an erosional surface. Above this stratigraphic timeline is a monotonous package of laminated, lower-energy Barney Creek Formation sediments.
Observed changes in azimuths and dips of the measured beddings suggest a phase of compression after deposition of the Barney Creek Formation, resulting in gentle folding of the formations. The porous gas-charged HTD play is drilled in top of the anticline, which is further characterised by a significant number of conductive fractures, likely indicative of open fractures.
Marcel Croon has more than seven years of experience in the petroleum and mining industry. His expertise includes geophysical (seismic, magnetic, gravity and bathymetry), geological and geotechnical data acquisition and interpretation for onshore and offshore projects around the world. He is based in Queensland and primarily works on unconventional gas projects. This involves borehole seismic, microseismic, petrophysical and structural data analyses and workflow automation through programming and database management. He was awarded the Antarctica Service Medal in 2010 for his publications/contributions to Antarctic research during his PhD in geophysics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. |
Josh Bluett is an exploration geologist at Armour Energy and has a Bachelor of Applied Science in geoscience from the Queensland University of Technology. He has five years’ experience in the petroleum exploration industry, involving the geological and geophysical analysis of numerous conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon plays in onshore Australia. In recent years, Josh has been working extensively on the characterisation of Proterozoic hydrocarbon accumulations in northern Australia. |
Luke Titus has a Bachelor of Science from Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado. He has more than 17 years’ experience in conventional-unconventional oil and gas exploration internationally and in the Rocky Mountains region, US. Prior to joining Armour in 2012, he was principal geologist with BG Group. He has extensive experience in progressing emerging exploration plays into both resources and reserves. |
Raymond (Ray) Johnson, Jr. is a principal at Unconventional Reservoir Solutions, adjunct associate professor at the University of Adelaide and adjunct fellow at the University of Queensland. He has a PhD in mining engineering, an MSc in petroleum engineering, a graduate diploma in information technology and a BA in chemistry. Ray has been active in the SPE, he is a past chair of the SPE Queensland Section, 2013 co-chair of the SPE Unconventional Reservoir Conference and Exhibition Asia Pacific and he will be the 2015 co-chair of the SPE Unconventional Reservoir Conference and Exhibition Asia Pacific. Member: SPE, PESA, SPWLA, ISRM, AusIMM. |
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