Date of Graduation

12-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Geology (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Geosciences

Advisor/Mentor

Liner, Christopher L.

Committee Member

Zachry, Doy L.

Second Committee Member

Manger, Walter L.

Keywords

Earth sciences; Atoka; Fort worth basin; Grant sand; Reservoir characterization

Abstract

The Atokan Grant Sands are a tight gas sand play that would add new reserves to the Fort Worth Basin. The Fort Worth Basin is located in north-central Texas just west of Dallas, Texas. Within the basin, the study area consists of Denton, Wise, Tarrant, and Parker Counties in Texas. The basin is bounded to the north by the Red River Arch, to the west by the Bend Arch, to the south by the Llano uplift, to the east by the Ouachita structural front, and to the northeast by the Muenster Arch. The Grant Sands are approximately 1,500 ft stratigraphically above their source, the Barnett Shale, and were discovered and mapped from early Barnett vertical drilling. This play evolved from a vertical to a horizontal drilling program with Grant wells being drilled alongside Barnett wells. The purpose of this study is to improve the geologic understanding for enhanced exploration potential.

There is disagreement in the previous studies as to the depositional setting and source areas of the Atoka section of the Fort Worth Basin. This study analyzes core data and regional subsurface mapping to determine an interpretation of the depositional setting of the Grant Sands. A reservoir characterization with a conceptual model for depositional setting will contribute to the current geologic understanding of the Grant Sand Formation to enhance exploration potential.

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