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Characterization of the Graneros shale: a key source rock of the greater Wattenberg area
Bryant, Adrienne C.
Bryant, Adrienne C.
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2022
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2024-04-22
Abstract
The Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian Graneros Shale serves as an important source bed in the Greater Wattenberg Area (GWA) of the Denver-Julesburg Basin, in which Early Cretaceous reservoirs have produced significant quantities of oil and gas. The Graneros Shale is one of the main hydrocarbon sources for producing units such as the J Sandstone and D Sandstone in the GWA. Despite its hydrocarbon contributions to the GWA, few subsurface or geochemical studies have been published on the unit. The primary goals of this study are to define chemofacies for the Graneros, assess source rock quality, and interpret the depositional history and paleogeography of the Western Interior Seaway (WIS) in the GWA during the time of the Graneros Shale.
The Graneros Shale is a succession of marine mudstones deposited in the Western Interior Seaway in the Cenomanian. The Graneros contains three members: 1) the lower shale member, 2) the Thatcher Limestone, and 3) the upper shale member. This study defines six chemofacies, finds the Graneros in the GWA to be a high-quality source rock; identifies an additional reservoir that the Graneros likely sources and a target for horizontal drilling within the Graneros itself; and describes the sea-level rise and anoxic conditions in the lower shale along with the sea-level rise and fall in the upper shale.
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