Shale oil resource play potential of the Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

Book excerpt: The Green River Formation in the Uinta Basin has may characteristics typical of an ideal shale oil resource play. It is a world-class oil-prone source rock. In nearly all parts of the basin there are many thousands of net feet of Type-l and Type-ll kerogen-rich calcareous mudstones, many intervals of which have average total organic carbon (TOC) of 5-10% or greater. In the north-central and western parts of the basin a substantial part of the formation is in the oil-generative window. Furthermore, organic maturation simulations done in this study using PRA BasinView-3D™ indicates early entry into the oil-generative window. In the northwest parts of the basin the lower Green River Formation was generating oil even before the end of the Eocene and slowing of sediment accumulation in the basin. The Green River Formation is unquestionably a superb petroleum system responsible for very large cumulative production of oil and associated natural gas, and an even larger potential oil sand resource. This DVD contains a 65-page report.