Title: Simpson--Ellenburger(.) Petroleum System of the Central Basin Platform, West Texas, U.S.A.: Chapter 28: Part V. Case Studies--Western Hemisphere
Abstract: The Simpson-Ellenburger(.) petroleum system is located in the Central Basin platform of the greater Permian basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It originally contained about 3.0 billion bbl of oil in-place. This petroleum system covers about 9600 km2 and includes more than 50 fields. Sedimentary rocks within the study area range from Early Ordovician to Tertiary. However, the section is dominated by Paleozoic strata, of which about 50% in thickness are Permian. Geochemical data, including carbon isotopic composition and gas chromatographic results obtained on 10 crude oils, strongly support an Ordovician source rock. Geochemical data further suggest that this oil-prone Ordovician source rock was probably limited to shales within the Simpson Group. urial and thermal reconstructions indicate that the oil was generated and expelled over an approximately 210-m.y. period. The principal reservoir rock of this petroleum system occurs within karstified Ellenburger dolomites (Early Ordovician). Hydrocarbon traps that developed by Ochoan time (Late Permian) are mainly faulted anticlines. The source rock, primary reservoir rock, and seal rock were deposited over a 52-m.y. period. The necessary overburden rock for hydrocarbon generation and migration occurred over a 418-m.y. period ending during the Oligocene (~35 Ma). An estimated 180-540 billion bbl of oil generated by the Simpson Group suggests that the trapping efficiency of this system is about 4.3-14.3% when compared to original estimates of oil in-place.
Publication Year: 1994
Publication Date: 1994-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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