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Ofori N. Pearson

Publications and source records attributed to Ofori N. Pearson.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Geology and sequence stratigraphy of undiscovered oil and gas resources in conventional and continuous petroleum systems in the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group and related strata, U.S. Gulf Coast Region

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently assessed the technically recoverable undiscovered oil and gas onshore and in State waters of the Gulf Coast region of the United States. The USGS defined three assessment units (AUs) with potential undiscovered conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Turonian) strata of the Eagle Ford Group and correlative rocks. The assessment is based on geologic elements of a total petroleum system, including hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and traps (formation, timing, and seals). Conventional oil and gas undiscovered resources are in updip sandstone reservoirs in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa and Woodbine Formations (or Groups) in Louisiana and Texas, respectively, whereas continuous oil and continuous gas undiscovered resources reside in the middip and downdip Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Shale in Texas and the Tuscaloosa marine shale in Louisiana. Conventional resources in the Tuscaloosa and Woodbine are included in the Eagle Ford Updip Sandstone Oil and Gas AU, in an area where the Eagle Ford Shale and Tuscaloosa marine shale display vitrinite reflectance (Ro) values less than 0.6%. The continuous Eagle Ford Shale Oil AU lies generally south of the conventional AU, is primarily updip of the Lower Cretaceous shelf edge, and is defined by thermal maturity values within shales of the Eagle Ford and Tuscaloosa that range from 0.6 to 1.2% Ro. Similarly, the Eagle Ford Shale Gas AU is defined downdip of the shelf edge where source rocks have Ro values greater than 1.2%. For undiscovered oil and gas resources, the USGS assessed means of: 1) 141 million barrels of oil (MMBO), 502 billion cubic feet of natural gas (BCFG), and 4 million barrels of natural gas liquids (MMBNGL) in the Eagle Ford Updip Sandstone Oil and Gas AU; 2) 853 MMBO, 1707 BCFG, and 34 MMBNGL in the Eagle Ford Shale Oil AU; and 3) 50,219 BCFG and 2009 MMBNGL in the Eagle Ford Shale Gas AU.

Louisiana;Texas↗

Undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in the U.S. Gulf Coast Jurassic Norphlet and Smackover Formations

The U.S. Geological Survey has completed assessments of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Jurassic Norphlet and Smackover formations of the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Norphlet Formation consists of sandstones and interbedded shales and siltstones deposited during a marine transgression. Along its northeast margin, deposition of the Norphlet was in alluvial fans, fluvial systems, and dune and clastic sabkha environments. Mudstones of the underlying Smackover Formation act as source rocks for Norphlet reservoirs. The Norphlet was divided into the following three assessment units (AUs): the Norphlet Salt Basins and Updip AU, the Norphlet Mobile Bay Deep Gas AU, and the Norphlet South Texas Gas AU. The lower part of the Smackover consists primarily of dark carbonate mudstone and argillaceous limestone deposited in low-energy environments, and is one of the Gulf of Mexico Basin’s major source rocks. The upper part of the Smackover is comprised primarily of grain-supported carbonates deposited in high-energy environments. The Smackover was divided into the following four AUs: the Smackover Updip and Peripheral Fault Zone AU, the Smackover Salt Basin AU, the Smackover South Texas AU, and the Smackover Downdip Continuous Gas AU. Although the Norphlet and Smackover formations have been the focus of extensive exploration and production, they probably still contain significant undiscovered oil and gas resources.

Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗

Geology and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Mesozoic (Jurassic and Cretaceous) rocks of the onshore and state waters of the Gulf of Mexico Region, U.S.A

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is in the final phase of the most recent assessment of the undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coastal plain and state waters. Ongoing geologic, geochemical, and petrophysical framework studies have defined the total petroleum systems and assessment units (AUs) in the Gulf Coast region. Current studies examine the Mesozoic (Jurassic and Cretaceous) source rocks and reservoir units, and recent studies have assessed the undiscovered resources in Tertiary and certain Jurassic and Cretaceous units. The Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group and Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak formations, as well as the Upper Cretaceous Taylor and Navarro groups and the Tuscaloosa and Woodbine groups downdip shelf-margin deltas, were assessed in 2006. Tertiary strata were assessed in 2007. Jurassic strata presently under evaluation include the Upper Jurassic Norphlet, Smackover, Haynesville, and Bossier formations. Lower Cretaceous units to be assessed in the present study include the Knowles Limestone, Sligo Formation, Trinity Group, Fredericksburg Group, and lower part of the Washita Group. Upper Cretaceous rocks being assessed include the Buda Limestone of the Washita Group, Eagle Ford Group (Eagle Ford shale, and the updip Tuscaloosa and Woodbine groups), Austin Chalk (Group), and Tokio and Eutaw formations. For each AU, a geologic model is developed to define hydrocarbon source, charge, migration, trap, and reservoir, and to estimate technically recoverable undiscovered oil and gas resources. The USGS assessment is focused on evaluating conventional clastic and carbonate deposystems, as well as resource volumes in emerging unconventional gas, shale gas, and shale oil plays currently attracting global attention.

Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida↗