THE PALO DURO BASIN OF TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO: A NEIGHBORING ALTERNATIVE TO SEQUESTRATION IN THE PERMIAN BASIN

Development of stacked oil & gas reservoirs and accompanied saltwater disposal in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico overshadows any competition for local carbon sequestration. Competition for leases, adequate disposal zones and minimizing risk of induced seismicity shrinks the availability of suitable locations for carbon storage.

The Palo Duro Basin, neighboring the Permian Basin to the north in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico, provides an alternative location for CO₂ sequestration. The basin has long been explored for oil & gas reserves with limited success. However, widespread storage reservoirs, minimal oil & gas production, and low natural seismicity risk make this basin attractive for CO₂ sequestration.

The Palo Duro Basin is a broad structural low that is bounded on all sides by uplifts and stable shelf areas. Within the basin the sedimentary column reaches over 10,000 feet. Formations with the highest reservoir quality, and thus highest storage potential, are granite washes of Pennsylvanian and Permian age, and carbonates of the Permian aged Wolfcamp Group. Granite wash reservoirs in the Palo Duro Basin are sourced from three different uplifts, the Amarillo Uplift, Bravo Dome and Matador Arch, creating widespread storage potential. Porosities range from 10% to 18% with permeabilities up to 600 mD. Carbonates of the Wolfcamp are shelf and shelf margin limestones and dolomites, with porosities ranging from 8% up to 23%, with facies dependent permeability.

Subsurface mapping of these formations has shown storage potential throughout much of the basins 22,700 sq mile area. These high-quality reservoir formations are also at an appropriate depth, pressure, and salinity for sequestration throughout the basin. Further study and exploration of the Palo Duro Basins storage potential could provide an alternative location for projects looking for CO₂ sequestration in the crowded Permian Basin.