SEISMIC SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE BARNETT SHALE AT NEWARK EAST FIELD, TEXAS. U.S

A seismic sequence stratigraphic framework for the Barnett Shale has been developed from a 3D seismic volume acquired within the Newark East Field in the Fort Worth Basin. Core description and high resolution facies analysis have revealed considerable internal stratigraphy within the Barnett Shale in this area. Several lithofacies were identified in core and calibrated to log response using a clustering analysis program (GAMLS), then correlated across uncored wells, thus establishing the stratigraphic framework for the seismic interpretation. Special processing of the seismic volume (SpikeManTM) enhanced the resolution of the data and a synthetic trace was generated to tie the seismic to the well logs. The following five intervals were identified from the seismic-log correlation: (1) Upper Barnett Shale, (2) Forestburg Formation, (3) mudstone without calcareous cement, 4) mudstone with calcareous cement (Singh et al., companion abstract) , and (5) interbeds of the above mudstones; the latter three facies are contained within the Lower Barnett Shale. Isochron maps were constructed for each interval as well as for the complete Lower Barnett Shale interval and the entire Barnett Shale. The Forestburg formation thickens in a southeast-northwest trend while the Lower Barnett Shale thickens in a southwest-northeast trend. This latter trend is consistent with published thickness trends of the entire Barnett Shale.