Andy Stefaniak¹, Jeff Eckert¹, Damon Buffington¹, Art Donovan², Tim Demko²

(1) ExxonMobil Production Company, Houston, TX
(2) ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX

ABSTRACT: Redevelopment of El Paistle Deep Field, Kenedy County, Texas

El Paistle Deep Field is a lower Frio (Oligocene), abnormally pressured gas field located on along the Texas Gulf Coast. Discovered in 1963, with initial development in the 60's and early 70's, the field to date has produced 121 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 2.1 million barrels of condensate from 28 wells (10 active). 3D seismic (50 sq.mi.) acquired in late 1996 and advanced completion technologies spurred ExxonMobil and partner Headington Oil Company Ltd. to redevelop the field starting in 1998. To date, 8 successful wells have been drilled in this ongoing program resulting in a rate build-up from 5 Mcfd to 65 Mcfd.

Northern Kenedy County was an active depocenter during Frio time resulting in numerous alternating sand/shale prone sequences. Primarily deposited in near shore marine environments along a mostly wave-dominated and to a lesser degree fluvial- dominated shoreline, the resulting sandstone reservoirs record a complex relationship between sediment supply, synsedimentary faulting, and accommodation space.

A sequence stratigraphic framework, integrating seismic, well-log, core and engineering data, was developed for the field to refine drill-well locations, understand reservoir heterogeneity, and help assess remaining potential. Recognition of subtle sequence boundaries in the seismic data, aided by micro imager and dip-meter logs, has greatly increased the understanding of the role of sequence boundary formation in the distribution and development of these reservoirs. Further appreciation of these sequence geometries could yield a better understanding of existing and yet to be developed fields in the Frio trend and in similar depositional settings.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado