Summary

Recent advances in high-resolution sequence stratigraphy of carbonate ramp systems have direct application to enhancing our understanding of the Upper Jurassic stratigraphy of the East Texas Salt Basin. Currently, the ETSB is enjoying a revival via the recent Cotton Valley Lime (CVL) “pinnacle reef” play. This play element complements the existing traditional CVL/Haynesville “oolite shoal” play type. Consideration of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) regional Mesozoic sequence stratigraphy and paleogeography aids in linking the two play types together in an integrated chronostratigraphic framework, thus providing some predictive capability for reservoir distribution and reservoir quality. Although the “pinnacle” play is currently perceived as a 3-D seismic play, regional sequence stratigraphic analysis assists greatly in locating favorable play trends and high-grading existing opportunities. In this study we present a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic analysis from the western shelf of the ETSB derived from the integration of 2-D and 3-D seismic, with well-log and facies information derived from cuttings.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas