3-D Seismic Analysis Characterizes Niobrara Silo Field

摘要

The Silo Field in the northern Denver Basin in southeastern Wyoming features a structural monocline in the Niobrara interval with no apparent structural closure. However, Niobrara oil production is controlled heavily by the presence of open, vertical natural fractures, and the genesis of these features is not well understood. A Permian-age salt edge exists within the field that was believed to be the cause of faulting and fracturing within the Niobrara formation. The nature of the salt edge and natural fractures were characterized as part of a Colorado School of Mines research project by interpreting a 3-D seismic survey covering approximately 30 square miles in the heart of the Silo Field. Formation microimaging (FMI) logs and core descriptions provided additional information for the 3-D seismic characterization.