Depositional and Exploration Model of the Gray Sandstone (Upper Jurassic), Cotton Valley Field, Northern Louisiana

The lower Buckner Gray Sandstone series in Cotton Valley field, northern Louisiana consists of discrete sandstone lobes of limited lateral extent. The continuity of the Gray Sandstone across the area is due to the overlapping of discrete sandstone lenses. Net sand isochore maps show the Gray Sandstone to be a series of dip-parallel lobes clustered at the mouth of a feeder channel that bifurcates downdip. Individual lobes may be amalgamated with adjacent lobes and contain sedimentary features and ichnological fabrics most commonly associated with episodic storm deposits. Gray Sandstone production from Cotton Valley field occurs over a large salt-induced anticline. Production occurs either over the crest or flanks of the anticline.

The Character of Coal Bearing Strata of the Ferron Sandstone, East-Central Utah

The Ferron Sandstone (Cretaceous) of east-central Utah is a significant reservoir rock for a prolific gas play in the region. Three facies are present in core of the sandstone. Coarsening upward sequences of laminated shale and siltstone that grade upward to horizontally laminated fine-grained sandstones make up the delta front. Coal, carbonaceous shale and oyster coquina make up the delta plain environment, and massive sandstone bodies represent a shallow shelf environment. Ichnofacies seen in core range from high energy beach sandstone (Skolithos) to low energy, mud-rich marsh deposits (Thalassinoides). Several zones within the sandstone have high porosity, but most of the primary porosity has been filled by calcite cement. Partial dissolution of the calcite cement has created porous zones. However, the cement has restricted pore throats making the effective porosity very low.

A Transect and Outcrop-Core Comparison of the Viola Formation from the Arbuckle Mountains and the Fort Worth Basin

The Ordovician Viola Formation outcrops extensively in the Arbuckle Mts of Oklhoma. The Viola is well exposed on I-35, particularly on the southern limb of the Arbuckle anticline. Based on their petrographic characteristics, ten intervals have been recognized in this exposure. In ascending order, lithologies consist of poorly washed biosparites with variable peloids and intraclasts, a phosphatic-pyritic hardground, organic carbon-rich shale, fossiliferous micrites and dismicrites, packed sparites, sandy sparites, and grainstones. Ternary petrographic plots of the Viola have been used to delineate compositional fields for the different intervals. Previous work has suggested that a shallowing upward trend controlled facies development during the entirety of the deposition of the Viola. This work demonstrates that, while an overall shallowing upward motif is present, detailed facies analysis indicates that several minor fluctuations in water depth took place during deposition of the formation.

Brian W. Atwell

Originally from Breckenridge, TX, Brian Atwell resides in Fort Worth where he pursues both higher education and a career in petroleum geology. As of May 2008 Brian will graduate with an M.S. in Geology from TCU, where he previously obtained a B.S. in Geology. Brian currently serves as a teaching assistant for the Geology Department at TCU and has worked as a geology intern with XTO Energy Inc. since January 2006. His associated honors include the Graduate Student Teaching Award for the 2006-2007 school year and membership in the National Scholar's Honor Society.

Brandy Perry

Brandy Perry is a second year graduate student at Texas Christian University. A native of Shreveport, LA, she received her Bachelor of Science in geology at Louisiana Tech University in 2006. Brandy has completed internships at several oil and gas companies and a geophysical consulting firm. Her research includes a field study of the Mississippi River Delta, and her current study of the Ferron Sandstone.

Erin Noelle Payne

Erin N. Payne is a Geology Masters Candidate at TCU. She has lived in Fort Worth most of her life, attending a local public school where she participated in soccer, marching and concert band, and scientific endeavors such as Masters of the Universe; a group that travels to local elementary schools teaching various scientific concepts through experiments and presentation. Payne was also a member of and attended Science National Honor Society meetings, which helped to connect high school students to local and national science news, events, and scholarships. She had the privilege of attending two study abroad programs, TCU in Scotland, and Boston University's Field Camp in Iceland and Ireland. After field camp ended in the summer of 2005, she began work at XTO as an intern. While at XTO, Payne's responsibilities have expanded, including detailed work on Morrowan turbidites in West Texas, and more recently working in East Texas fields on both sandstones and limestones. Payne graduated cum laude with her undergraduate degrees in both Geology and Mathematics from TCU in 2006 and since has been enjoying graduate school classes and developing a thesis.