Geochemical characterization of the Devonian-Mississippian Woodford Shale from the McAlister Cemetery Quarry, Criner Hills Uplift, Ardmore Basin, Oklahoma

Abstract

Abstract It has been estimated that technically recoverable reserves from shales in the continental U.S. are believed to be approximately 24 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 750 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas. In Oklahoma the most important hydrocarbon source rock is the Woodford Shale, proposed to be the source of some 70% of the state's liquid hydrocarbon reserves. Such a regionally widespread source rock provides potential for both academic study and industrial opportunities. In this study representative samples of the Woodford Shale from the McAlister Quarry outcrop have been characterized by a variety of geochemical techniques. TOC values range from 0.07 to 15.6 wt% and, based on Rock-Eval Pyrolysis, most of the samples plot within the Type I/II kerogen range, with several low TOC samples plotting in the Type III kerogen range. TOC and biomarker parameters, suggests that two sections of the Upper Woodford are immature paleosols, having been subaerially exposed due to abrupt episodes of sea level fall during the Late Devonian. Evidence for these zones of paleoweathering includes highly depleted TOC, increased oxygen index (OI) values, loss of n-alkanes, decreases in the aryl isoprenoid ratio (AIR), sesquiterpenoids, cheilanthanes, hopanoids, and decreases in many of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The values of several paleoenvironmental proxies for samples immediately following the Frasnian-Famennian (F–F) Stage extinction boundary within the Upper Woodford suggests that a large influx of weathered terrigenous material occurred at that time. The presence of pyrogenic compounds implies that paleowildfires were widespread throughout the Middle and Late Devonian in the North American midcontinent. It is possible that these influxes of weathered terrestrial organic material stimulated algal blooms that led to the anoxic water column conditions often attributed to the F–F Stage extinction event. Investigation of the stratigraphic framework of these source rocks assists in evaluating their potential as hydrocarbon producers and/or unconventional reservoirs. Integration of geochemical data adds another powerful dimension to this approach. It has been proposed that the Woodford Shale was deposited during a 2nd order depositional sequence. The lower member represented the transgressive systems tract (TST), the Upper member the highstand systems tract (HST), and the Middle member bridging the transition between the two. Numerous 3rd order parasequences were also identified as being part of the overall 2nd order sequence and could be correlated to the Devonian sea level curve. The major objectives of the study were: While this study focuses locally on the McAlister Quarry samples, it is also of regional importance. The Woodford is a prolific source rock throughout the Anadarko Basin and has been the subject of extensive exploration and production efforts, particularly in the past decade with the development of horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing techniques. Continued investigation of the heterogeneity of the shale will greatly enhance the ability to predict more productive facies within the formation throughout the basin.