DENVER BASIN- NE COLORADO DATA PACKAGE

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The Niobrara Formation of the Denver Basin represents one of the greatest oil and gas resources in the Western United States. The first oil field in the United States to continuously produce, the Florence Oil Field, started an exploration boom in 1881 that continues to the present day. 

Recent advances in technology, specifically horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have spawned drilling success that created the current boom.  This success illustrates the tremendous potential of a mature basin when new ideas and new technology are integrated. 

To more fully address some of the exploration parameters for the Niobrara, this study integrates the structural interpretation of low-cost potential field (magnetics and gravity) with thermal maturity maps to identify zones of potential infill development and areas that have not been fully explored.       

The potential field interpretation was calibrated against documented field examples where subsurface well and seismic data are available. From this calibration, we have a high level of confidence in the presence, significance and potential of interpreted structural zones.      

In this context, the present study challenges conventional thinking of Niobrara fracturing caused by salt dissolution, polygonal faulting, and/or wrench systems.  

The present study assesses current theories of Niobrara fracturing and presents a new hybrid model that better explains observed relationships between fracturing, Niobrara Formation normal faulting, and basement wrench systems. 

This information should be of considerable interest to exploration geologists attempting to define new exploration areas. 

In addition, those geologists tasked with infill development and field development will benefit from structural ideas about fracturing and the presentation of an innovative model of fracture genesis integrating salt dissolution and normal faulting within an overall wrench system context.       

Most importantly, the project provides geo-referenced potential field and interpretative digital maps amenable to rapid importation into most geoscience mapping packages.  This ease of use will greatly enhance the ability of geoscientists to incorporate new ideas into their exploration and development programs in oil, gas, and biogenic gas.

• Total magnetic intensity   

• Residual magnetic intensity  

 • Reduced-to-Pole (RTP) Residual   

• Total gradient of RTP Residual  

 • Horizontal gradient of RTP Residual   

• Intermediate level pseudo depth-slice   

• Basement level pseudo depth-slice   

• Horizontal gradient of Basement level pseudo depth-slice  

 • First vertical derivative of RTP Residual

• Gravity maps     

• Isostatic Residual   (above)

• Horizontal gradient of Isostatic Residual

The potential field interpretation was calibrated against documented field examples where subsurface well and seismic data are available. From this calibration, we have a high level of confidence in the presence, significance and potential of interpreted structural zones. 

In this context, the present study challenges conventional thinking of Niobrara fracturing caused by salt dissolution, polygonal faulting, and/or wrench systems.  

The present study assesses current theories of Niobrara fracturing and presents a new hybrid model that better explains observed relationships between fracturing, Niobrara Formation normal faulting, and basement wrench systems. 

This information should be of considerable interest to exploration geologists attempting to define new exploration areas.  

In addition, those geologists tasked with infill development and field development will benefit from structural ideas about fracturing and the presentation of an innovative model of fracture genesis integrating salt dissolution and normal faulting within an overall wrench system context.