Changes

The West Texas Super Basin covers more than 57,500 square miles, as outlined in [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]], including more than 50 counties in Texas and 5 counties in southern New Mexico. The basin structure covered a much larger geographic extent during various geologic ages, and sedimentation occurred over a much larger area. Structural and stratigraphic boundaries are difficult to define within a single age, let alone throughout basin development. For example, the eastern border of the basin, as illustrated ([[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]]), is the eastern shelf edge approximate position during the lower Wolfcamp<ref> Brown, L. F., Jr., R. F. Solis Iriate, and D. A. Johns, 1987, Regional stratigraphic cross sections, Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata (Virgilian and Wolfcampian Series): North-Central Texas: Bureau of Economic Geology, 27 pages and 27 plates.</ref><ref> Brown, L. F., Jr., R. F. Solis Iriate, and D. A. Johns, 1990, Regional depositional systems tracts, paleogeography, and sequence stratigraphy, Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata: North- and West-Central Texas: Bureau of Economic Geology Report of Investigations 197, 116 p.</ref><ref name=Duttn2005a>Dutton, S. P., E. M. Kim, R. F. Broadhead, C. L. Breton, W. D. Raatz, S. C. Ruppel, and C. Kerans, 2005a, Play analysis and digital portfolio of major oil reservoirs in the Permian Basin: Bureau of Economic Geology, Report of Investigations 271, 287 p.</ref>. The eastern shelf of the basin continues to the Bend Arch, the axis of that feature being 150 miles farther east. The Eastern Shelf of the basin is typically treated as a separate geologic providence, and it is not a focus area for unconventional resource reservoirs currently being developed by the oil and gas industry. The features illustrated in [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]] and stratigraphic column, [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure2.jpg|Figure 2 (A, B)]], provides the framework for the unconventional resource reservoirs, production, reserves, and activity for this work focused on the Spraberry and Wolfcamp in the Midland Basin and Bone Spring and Wolfcamp in the Delaware Basin. Other figures are included to provide the basin framework during the ages, tectonic framework, and stratigraphy presented.

The West Texas Super Basin covers more than 57,500 square miles, as outlined in [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]], including more than 50 counties in Texas and 5 counties in southern New Mexico. The basin structure covered a much larger geographic extent during various geologic ages, and sedimentation occurred over a much larger area. Structural and stratigraphic boundaries are difficult to define within a single age, let alone throughout basin development. For example, the eastern border of the basin, as illustrated ([[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]]), is the eastern shelf edge approximate position during the lower Wolfcamp<ref> Brown, L. F., Jr., R. F. Solis Iriate, and D. A. Johns, 1987, Regional stratigraphic cross sections, Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata (Virgilian and Wolfcampian Series): North-Central Texas: Bureau of Economic Geology, 27 pages and 27 plates.</ref><ref> Brown, L. F., Jr., R. F. Solis Iriate, and D. A. Johns, 1990, Regional depositional systems tracts, paleogeography, and sequence stratigraphy, Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian strata: North- and West-Central Texas: Bureau of Economic Geology Report of Investigations 197, 116 p.</ref><ref name=Duttn2005a>Dutton, S. P., E. M. Kim, R. F. Broadhead, C. L. Breton, W. D. Raatz, S. C. Ruppel, and C. Kerans, 2005a, Play analysis and digital portfolio of major oil reservoirs in the Permian Basin: Bureau of Economic Geology, Report of Investigations 271, 287 p.</ref>. The eastern shelf of the basin continues to the Bend Arch, the axis of that feature being 150 miles farther east. The Eastern Shelf of the basin is typically treated as a separate geologic providence, and it is not a focus area for unconventional resource reservoirs currently being developed by the oil and gas industry. The features illustrated in [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|Figure 1]] and stratigraphic column, [[:file:M125-WestTexas-Figure2.jpg|Figure 2 (A, B)]], provides the framework for the unconventional resource reservoirs, production, reserves, and activity for this work focused on the Spraberry and Wolfcamp in the Midland Basin and Bone Spring and Wolfcamp in the Delaware Basin. Other figures are included to provide the basin framework during the ages, tectonic framework, and stratigraphy presented.

[[file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|center|framed|{{figure number|1}}Map showing the West Texas Super Basin area and locations of basins and platforms during lower Permian. Also shown are important outcrop locations of Permian age strata, modified from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019>Ruppel, S. C., 2019, Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin: The Permian Basin, USA: Introduction, overview, and evolution, in S. C. Ruppel, ed., Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin: The Permian Basin, USA: Bureau of Economic Geology, Report of Investigations 285 and AAPG Memoir 118, p. 1–27.</ref>; modified from Dutton et al. <ref name=Duttn2005a /><ref name=Duttn2005b>Dutton, S. P., E. M. Kim, R. F. Broadhead, C. L. Breton, W. D. Raatz, S. C. Ruppel, and C. Kerans, 2005b, [https://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2005/05may/0553/0553.HTM Play analysis and leading edge oil reservoir development methods in the Permian Basin: Increased recovery through advanced technologies]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, p. 553–576.</ref>.]]

 

file:M125-WestTexas-Figure1.jpg|{{figure number|1}}Map showing the West Texas Super Basin area and locations of basins and platforms during lower Permian. Also shown are important outcrop locations of Permian age strata, modified from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019>Ruppel, S. C., 2019, Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin: The Permian Basin, USA: Introduction, overview, and evolution, in S. C. Ruppel, ed., Anatomy of a Paleozoic Basin: The Permian Basin, USA: Bureau of Economic Geology, Report of Investigations 285 and AAPG Memoir 118, p. 1–27.</ref>; modified from Dutton et al. <ref name=Duttn2005a /><ref name=Duttn2005b>Dutton, S. P., E. M. Kim, R. F. Broadhead, C. L. Breton, W. D. Raatz, S. C. Ruppel, and C. Kerans, 2005b, [https://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2005/05may/0553/0553.HTM Play analysis and leading edge oil reservoir development methods in the Permian Basin: Increased recovery through advanced technologies]: AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, p. 553–576.</ref>.

[[file:M125-WestTexas-Figure2.jpg|center|framed|{{figure number|2}}(A) Permian Stratigraphic Column for the West Texas Basin (from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019 />). (B) Pre-Permain Paleozoic Stratigraphic Column for the West Texas Basin (from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019 />).]]

file:M125-WestTexas-Figure2.jpg|{{figure number|2}}(A) Permian Stratigraphic Column for the West Texas Basin (from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019 />). (B) Pre-Permain Paleozoic Stratigraphic Column for the West Texas Basin (from Ruppel<ref name=Ruppl2019 />).

The concept of a basin existing under the expansive deserts of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico only become apparent through speculation from fieldwork and evaluation of water well cuttings during the mid-1910–1920 decade. The West Texas Basin presence was not proven and defined until drilling for hydrocarbons during the 1920s. The first economic subsurface exploration and development after water was for potash. Potash was needed by the United States (mid-1910s) for crop fertilization, having lost supply from Germany during the European War<ref>Phillips, W. B., 1915, Prefatory note, in, J. A. Udden, Potash in the Texas Permian: Bureau of Economic Geology and Technology, Bulletin of the University of Texas, Austin, Texas, v. 17, 59 p.</ref> later to become the Great War, and by the mid–twentieth century known as World War I. Even the Santa Rita #1 in the Big Lake Field was evaluated for its potash potential above 2000’ subsurface before being drilled deeper and discovering oil at a total depth of 3050’ (MD).

The concept of a basin existing under the expansive deserts of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico only become apparent through speculation from fieldwork and evaluation of water well cuttings during the mid-1910–1920 decade. The West Texas Basin presence was not proven and defined until drilling for hydrocarbons during the 1920s. The first economic subsurface exploration and development after water was for potash. Potash was needed by the United States (mid-1910s) for crop fertilization, having lost supply from Germany during the European War<ref>Phillips, W. B., 1915, Prefatory note, in, J. A. Udden, Potash in the Texas Permian: Bureau of Economic Geology and Technology, Bulletin of the University of Texas, Austin, Texas, v. 17, 59 p.</ref> later to become the Great War, and by the mid–twentieth century known as World War I. Even the Santa Rita #1 in the Big Lake Field was evaluated for its potash potential above 2000’ subsurface before being drilled deeper and discovering oil at a total depth of 3050’ (MD).