Seismic Interpretation of the Arikaree Creek Field, Denver Basin, Lincoln County, Colorado, potential new play type in the Denver Basin

Abstract

A fifteen square 3D seismic survey at the Arikaree Creek Field in Townships 5 and 6 South, Range 54 West, Colorado, Denver Basin was evaluated for fault movement direction and displacement within the Paleozoic strata. The field was discovered in 2012, produces primarily from the Mississippian Spergen dolomites formed by secondary low temperature hydrothermal fluids. The survey, done prior to discovery, indicates structural displacement up to 30 millisecond, a high angle reverse fault in a compressional setting, strikes to the north-northeast. Time slices suggest faulting is of Atokan-Morrowan in age, deep seated into the Precambrian, near vertical to high angle, both reverse and normal faulting. Along the main fault, three Riedel shears are propagating near 15 degrees from the fault causing scissor faulting resulting in alternating horst and grabens against the margin. The eastern margin of the fault is a high angle normal fault, up to 20 milliseconds of displacement from the main fault. The overall style of faulting is compressional, right stepping, sinistrial fault with an en echelon forming at the margin. The low temperature hydrothermal secondary dolomitization of the reservoir related to a wrench system indicates a similar trap type to the highly productive brecciated dolomite reservoirs in the Devonian and Ordovician rocks found in the Michigan Basin and Ordovician rocks in the Cincinnati Arch area, Kentucky and Tennessee.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90221 © 2015 Mid-Continent Section, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 4-6, 2015