Geological and computer traps in petroleum exploration

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1986

Department

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Abstract

Structure contour maps on top of the Viola Limestone in the southern portion of the Forest City Basin were computer contoured for 5-year intervals from 1950 to 1985 using raw data and first-through sixth-degree trend surfaces and residuals. The trend surfaces show maximum improvement in correlation coefficient and sum of squares in 1960. A shift in the position of positive residuals from west to east was located in going from low to higher ordered surfaces. Production was concentrated in the + 60 to + 79-ft residual contour interval. Prediction of residual value is poor for most contour intervals but, for the time interval 1980-1985, is about 75% accurate. Errors are within one contour interval. Combining probabilities gives +60 to +79-ft as the best interval to drill at present. A prediction of remaining producing or show in the area was arrived at by calculating the frequency distribution of all holes drilled and of dry holes drilled for 50-ft contour intervals using Johnson distributions. The result suggests a number of shows and producers yet to be located, particularly in the subsea elevations below - 1800-ft and above - 1500-ft. Potential is best, of course, where these raw data subsea elevations coincide with a positive residual from the third-degree surface of + 60-+ 79-ft.

Publication Title

Computers and Geosciences

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