3-D SUBSURFACE VISUALIZATION OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPIAN AND DEVONIAN PRODUCTION IN SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY: A JOINT ARCGIS® AND PETRA® SOFTWARE STUDY

Three dimensional (3-D) modeling and visualization, used as a preliminary evaluation of hydrocarbon producing strata in mature basins, can generate a greater understanding of hydrocarbon emplacement in the subsurface. The Illinois Basin is a large, mature, intracratonic, sedimentary basin with extensive hydrocarbon production across the central and southern regions. The basin is typified by multiple hydrocarbon pay horizons and possesses extensive drilling records with accompanying digital datasets ideal for developing subsurface models.

This research focuses on the development of a 3-D model representing the documented hydrocarbon reservoirs and major marker beds of the Mississippian and Devonian strata, across a four county study area (Warren, Logan, Edmonson, and Butler counties) within the Illinois basin portion of Kentucky. This research identifies localized and regional variations in porosity, lithology, structural closure, drilling and production activity, in relation to the overall lithologic and structural characteristics of the Illinois Basin. The model utilizes geophysical well logs and production data from the Kentucky Geological Survey, Kentucky Oil and Gas Commission, and Western Kentucky University, to generate 3-D features and spatial relationships of the reservoir rocks, major marker beds associated with relevant source and reservoir rock units. This project refines techniques and establishes a standard operating procedure, for identification and visualization of formation properties and hydrocarbon emplacement in the subsurface, using ArcGIS® and Petra® software suites.

Identification of relationships between past hydrocarbon production, reservoir characteristics, and current production activity will lead to a better understanding of hydrocarbon reservoirs of the basin and will thus allow for better reservoir management. Techniques developed and employed during creation and interpretation of the 3-D model can be easily modified and adapted for research at other locations within the Illinois basin and/or similar basins throughout the world.