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Stratigraphy and reservoir characterization of the Turner sandstone, southern Powder River Basin, Wyoming
Heger, Andrew W.
Heger, Andrew W.
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2016
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2017-07-05
Abstract
The upper Turonian Turner Sandy Member of the Carlile Shale has long been a historic producer of hydrocarbons, and recently has become a significant horizontal target in the southern Powder River Basin. Although the Turner has a robust drilling past and currently is one of the most prolific producers in the basin, relatively little has been published on the interval. Questions regarding depositional environment, facies successions, sediment transport processes, sediment sources, and origin of unconformities still remain generally unanswered. This aim of this research is to interpret facies relationships, depositional processes and environments, and to identify potential unconventional reservoirs in the Turner. Detailed mapping indicates the Turner can be separated into informal upper and lower units based on biostratigraphic constraints associated with the Scaphites whitfieldi Western Interior Ammonite zone. Core analysis suggests the lower and upper Turner were deposited by contrasting depositional processes in different shallow marine environments. Bioturbation is one of the most important diagenetic processes in the Turner. The burrow type and degree of biological reworking are two of the controlling factors that either destroy or enhance the reservoir quality in the Turner. Additionally, bioturbation in conjunction with sedimentology play a significant role in differentiating the depositional processes and environments of the Turner.
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