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Formation microimager and facies analysis of the Codell sandstone, Redtail field, north-central Denver Basin
Rascoe, Sean H.
Rascoe, Sean H.
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2024
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The middle Turonian (Upper Cretaceous) Codell Sandstone Member of the Carlile Shale is one of many petroleum producing sedimentary units within the Denver-Julesburg Basin. The Codell Sandstone is comprised of porous, very fine- to upper medium-grained silt and sandstones that can behave like a hybrid reservoir. The Codell Sandstone was deposited above and below the storm weather wave base along the western margin of the Western Interior Seaway. Storm events are recorded as discrete sequences of hummocky cross-stratified sands that grade vertically into planar to low-angle planar laminations often followed by a return to normal marine mudrock sedimentation. Within this study, six cores penetrating the Codell Sandstone have been described and analyzed to identify storm sequences within the Redtail Field in north-central Colorado, USA. In total, seven facies were determined from core aided by thin section analysis. and correlated across the field to determine storm deposited units within Redtail Field. A total of four storm units and three low energy units were identified and relative energy applied to quantify storm energy and strength. A total of 222 strike and dip picks were obtained from the FMI log analysis which characterizes a primary SE paleocurrent from the low-angle planar laminated sandstone, rippled sandstone, and bed boundaries while the cross stratified sandstone appears to be more random. Lorenz plots were made which characterize the Codell Sandstone at Redtail Field using porosity and permeability as a function of flow quality characteristics. Flow quality was applied to facies and the low-angle planar laminated and massive sandstone have the best quality flow characteristics whereas the bioturbated sandstone, rippled sandstone, and massive mudstone have the lowest quality flow characteristics. The lack of good flow characteristics of mud-rich facies indicate they are barriers to hydrocarbon flow. The portion of the reservoir with the best flow characteristics is the middle to middle lower (4 to 8 feet) Codell Sandstone within Storm Units 2 and 3.
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