Integrated Interpretation Processing in Noonen Ranch field

Abstract

The Noonen Ranch field in Adams County, Colorado, is a Cretaceous aggradational stream deposit formed by the deposition of sand in an erosional valley carved in the D-Sandstone and Huntsman shale. The erosional valley was formed during a sea level lowstand after the conformable deposition of the D-Sandstone atop the Huntsman shale. The subsequent rise in sea level caused a series of distinct sand bodies to be deposited in the erosional valley. A number of small fields have been developed along the trace of these ancient valleys. Noonen Ranch field is a typical size field for this area, with an aerial extent of approximately 1 {times} 0.5 mi and a maximum thickness of 25 ft. Manual data manipulation and display techniques were used in the original development of these fields. Recent reworking of the data in preparation for three-dimensional modeling forced a regeneration of cross sections and maps in the field area. A workstation-based integrated system was used for this new work and several problems were encountered. The rework showed that modern technology does not help in the data compilation process in a new area but greatly speeds the generation of the displays needed for interpretation and presentation. Using thesemore » new processing tools, the interpreter can become inundated with displays, which may actually hinder the interpretation process. However, with the advent of three-dimensional modeling and processing tools, the need for integrated processing and data systems will continue to grow.« less