Factors Affecting Quantity of Oil Accumulation Around Some Texas Gulf Coast Piercement-Type Salt Domes

Abstract

This paper represents a new kind of research on salt domes. Its primary purpose is (1) to determine the cause of the wide range in the quantity of oil accumulation on various piercement-type salt domes and, (2) to determine if some formula may be applied that would generally ascertain the productivity of a dome before an exploration program is conducted thereon. Twenty-four domes in the Texas Gulf Coast were studied: twelve are located in the Frio formation trend, and twelve are located in the Yegua formation trend. Calculations, based on the amount of structural uplift of the sediments around a dome and the area in square miles affected by the uplift of the dome, produced an area-uplift factor which, when considered with other factors and applied properly, reveals the ap roximate amount of oil that the dome is ultimately expected to produce. Two other important factors discussed are the rim syncline, and the oil-catchment area around a dome, and the effects of these two factors on the quantity of oil accumulation around piercement-type salt domes. Although the detailed study for this paper was limited to twenty-four domes, the conclusion advanced was found to have general application to other domes in the Gulf Coast.