Shale gas reservoirs of Utah: Survey of an Unexploited Potential Energy Resource (OFR-461)

By: S. Schamel

Given the very limited amount and scope of information in the literature relevant to Utah's black shales, the 'screening criteria' that could be applied in this project, in most instances, was limited to just (1) organic richness and maturity of the black shale, (2) thickness of the kerogen-rich interval, (3) likelihood of natural and induced fracturing, determined subjectively, and (4) potential barriers to hydraulic fracturing, or water-saturated zones, in adjacent strata. As a consequence, the assessments presented herein are subjective and should be considered preliminary, pending further data gathering and analysis.

This project has recognized five kerogen-rich shale units as having reasonable potential for commercial development as shale gas reservoirs. These are four members of the Mancos Shale in northeast Utah - the Prairie Canyon, the Juana Lopez, the Lower Blue Gate, and the Tununk. The fifth is the black shale facies within the Hermosa Group in southeast Utah.

Other Information:
Published: 2005
Pages: 114 p.
Location: Box Elder, Carbon, Daggett, Emery, Garfield, Grand, San Juan, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber Counties