t

SPE/DOE
Society of
Petroleum Enghrears

U.S. Department
of Energy

SPE/DOE 10791
A Detailed Geologic Study of Three Fractured Devonian Shale Gas
Fields in the Appalachian Basin
by Robert C, Shumaker, West Virginia University

The paper was presented al the SPE/DOE Unconventional GasRecoverySymposium

of the SocietyofpetroleumEngineersheld in Pittsburgh.
PA. May 16-18.1982. Thematerialis subjecf10Correchon
bythe author.Permission10copyis restrictedto 2n abstract of not more than 300
words. Write 6200 N. Central Expwy., Dallas, TX 75206.

ABSTRACT
Analysis
of three shale gas fields
illustrates
the importance
of basement structure
in developing
fracture
permeability
within the thick Devonian
A porous fracture
shales of the Appalachian
basin.
facies
within the organic
rich lower Huron shale
member of the Ohio Shale relates
to a regional
stress
field
created
by differential
shortening
of overlying
sedimentary
section
across the lower Huron detachment
Greater
zone during the Alleghanian
deformation.
permeability
(commercial)
occurs near the outer
Linear trends of
margin of tectonic
shortening.
wells
with abnormally
high
final
open flows relate
to linear
trends of highly
fractured
shale.
These
trends were probably
caused by unique stress
fields
created
along flexures
in the shale above basement
fault
zones.
INTRODUCTION
The Devonian shale is an informal
stratigraphic
name applied
to a body of organic
clay-rich
sediments
that extend across nearly
25% of the North American
continent.
This black and gray shale generally
lies
between Mississippian
sands or shales
and Middle
Devonian limestones.
The shales onlap these carbonates along an erosional
surface
of low relief.
The thin shale is usually
called
the lVoodford
shale in basins of the western plain states,
In the
Illinois
basin (Figure
1) the shale is called
the
New Albany shale (3o-1OO meters thick),
and in the
Michigan basin it is called
the Antrim shale (2540 meters thick).
Within the western Appalachian
basin the thick shale sequence
(up to 400 meters
thick)
is usually
called
either
the Ohio shale or
the Chattanooga
shale (Figure
2).
Stratigraphic
problems arise
eastward,
within the central
portion
of the Appalachian
basin,
where the shales
change
facies
to interbedded
sands and silts
of the Appalachian
Catskill
deltaic
sequence
[Figure
3).
It is only along the western flank of the
Appalachian
basin that the Devonian shale produces
large quantities
of gas.
The major areas of production are in eastern
Kentucky in a blanket-like

deposit
and as discreet
fields
in western West
Virginia
and Ohio (Figure 4).
It is only the
production
of southwestern
Nest Virginia
and eastern
Kentucky that is the subject
of this report,
The
fields
there have produced over one trillion
cubic
feet during the last fifty
years,
but the shale
has produced shallow gas for local consumption
for
over 100 years in several
areas of the eastern
United States.
Expl~~atory
gas wells are shallow,
being located
randomly,
either
in proximity
to
other producing
wells or on the basis of available
area.
acreage in or at the margin of the ~roductive
Geologists
have generally
reasoned that fractures
create
the permeability
within the shale of the
study area, and that they are necessary
to release
the entrapped
gas in commercial
quaWities.
The U.S. Department of Energy undertook
an
evaluation
of the importance
of geologic
structure
(1) the formation
of fractures
within the
to:
shale,
and (2) the production
of gas from the
shale.
This paper reports
on the results
of this
study which is a part of a much broader U.S. DOE
program that undertook
a total
characterization
of
the eastern
gas shales.
DISCUSSION
Two aspects
of our structural
study are
particularly
interesting
in regard to understanding
the relationships
between shale gas production
and
geologic
structure.
The first
result
comes from
the study of fractures
Found in oriented
cores of
the shale by Mark Evansl , and the other comes from
the geologic
analysis
of three producing
shale gas
fields,
The evaluation
of fractures
found in oriented
shale cores,
taken from within our study area in
the Appalachian
basin (Figure 4), has shed light on
the type and distribution
of subsurface
fractures
in the erogenic
foreland,
Even though several
of
these cores were taken in what initially
was
considered
undeformed foreland
sediment,
they all
contained
vertical
natural
fractures,
joints,
to
depths of over 6000 feet,
and most surprisingly,
these cores contained
slickensided
fractures,
small
.

In very general
terms,
the systematic
joints
faults.
from these cores form three sets:
one related
to
present
day in-situ
stress,
which is thought to be
Mesozoic in agcl,
and the other two which form an
orthogonal
cross and longitudinal
joint
systcm that
is Alleghanian
in age.
Generally
the orthogonal
joint
pattern
bccomcs more complex toward the
This is
southern
productive
area of eastern
Kentucky,
precisely
where the highest
areal production
occurs,
The strac,
slickcnlincs,
on the shear fractures
arc
subparallel
to the cross joint
set, which suggests
a common origin
for the entire
fracture
pattern.
However, complexities
in the fracture
patterns
found in eastern
Kentucky imply more than one stress
Shumakcr2 suggested
that open and mincralepisode.
ized fractures
were most prevalent
in the highly
organic portions
of the shale based on studies
of
Evansl showed that
the first
few oriented
cores.
the open and mineralized
joints
within the shale
were most numerous in the highly organic
portions
of the section
based on 13 cored wells,
and he
generally
supported
the proposal
that production
comes from partially
mineralized
vertical
fractures
of a porous fracture
facies
within t!~e highly organic
shales
in the lower portion
of the Devonian shale.
Ile more intensely
fractured
shale section
in the
commercially
productive
area is interpreted
to
contain
a decollcmcnt
surface,
or perhaps more
aptly,
a zone of differential
shortening
across the
TI~c differential
shortening
organic
shales.
creating
the fractures
is found in the distal
portion
of a more extensive
area of transport
and shortening
above decollcment
surfaces
that extends
deeper into
the section
in the more deformed eastern
Appalachian
basin (Figure
S).
?Iis detachment
extends
into the
core area of the Appalachian
orogcnic
belt,
as would
be expected,
if the fractures
relate
to the culminating
orogcnic
event,
the Alleghanian
orogeny.
An important
limiting
factor
to the commercial
production
from the organic
shale is the vertical
extent
of the fracture
facies
in the organic
shale
zones.
The enclosing
shales
form part of the source,
and they also form a scul to the organic
shale rescrIt is important
to generally
maintain
the
voir.
seal integrity
during well completion
treatment
and stimulation
in order that water from porous
adjacent
formations
does not enter the chemically
sensitive
shale reservoir
(Figure 6),
In plotting
the areal distribution
of fracture
patterns,
it was found t}lat most of t}lc present
day
commcrcial production
falls
within an area of
limited
tectonic
transport,
This area is characterizcd by the prcscncc
of a complex orthogonal
fracturc system that includes
inclined
slickcnsidcd
fractures,
Only limited
production
is found in
the zone of more extensive
tectonic
transport
to
the cast within the highly deformed portion
of the
Production
from this area is
orogcnic
forcland,
from
characterized
by hi.ghcr than normal pressure
fracture
zones of little
sustained
production.
In
shales of that area horizontal
slickcnsi~ics
predominatc in the transport
zone, but inclined
slickcnsidcs
The fracture
pattern
js
arc also very common.
strongly
oriented,
more intense,
penetrative,
and
poles to slickcnsidcd
surfaces
plot in a girdled
distribution
with maxima related
to normill faults
and to the primary tind Rciclcl shcur directions,
In the more productive
urea of minimal transport

a shear system symmetrically

distributed
about
horizontal
stress
r!irection
prevails,
but the
fracture
trends
arc less predictable
and trends
bc more complex.

the
can

A reduction
in production
is found cratonward
of t}le commercial
shale production.
This may relate
to proximity
of the shale outcrop,
However, cores
taken of the shale in that area show a notable
decrease
in the numbers of slickensided
surfaces
and a decrcasc
in frequency
of open or mineralized
joints,
The regional
joint
pattern
of this area
could be characterized
as a simple orthogonal
system which should be less productive.
There
appcars
to be, then, a distinct
lateral
change in
the nature
and permeability
of the pattern
across
the basin with the complex orthogonal/shear
pattern
segment being the most productive.
A second
aspect of our investigation
that has
application
to shale gas exploration
and exploitation
comes from a detailed
analyses
of production
and
structure
of three gas field
areas (Figure 7).
Two
of these areas are distinct
fields
at the northern
margin of the main productive
area, whereas,
the
third
is within the main producing
area of the
Big Sandy field
in eastern
Kentucky.

Detailed
investigations
of the Nidway-Extra
field
of Putnam County, Nest Virginia,
by William
h, Sc}~aefer4 established
a direct
relationship
between production
from the organic
portion
of the
Devonian shale (the lower Huron shale)
and the
structural
trend (Figure 8) of the field.
Schaefer
was able to confirm that initial
and final
open flows,
flows after
explosive
frac (Figure 9), from wells
at Nidway-Extra
arc greatest
along the northwestern
limb of the very low relief
Nidway anticline.
The
production
is greatest
near the flex line of the
adjacent
syncline,
off-structure.
}{e also found a
lesser
increase
in production
along the southeastern
1imb,
The striking
similarities
of high flow rates
with structural
position
along the fold is forcibly
brought out by comparing Figures
taken directly
from
Schaeferls
text4.
Furthermore,
he showed that the
thickening
of the lower Huron shale (Figure
10),
the primary reservoir,
into the adjacent
syncline
suggests
growth of the structure
during sedimentation,
tle interpreted
this to mean that basement deformation
was an important
factor
in the formation
of the
Nidway anticline,
From these data (Figures
8, 9 and
10) at the Nidway-llxtra
field,
one cannot be absolutcly
certain
if it is the thicker
lower Huron
organic
shale or if it is fracturing
associated
with
thc folcling which contributes
most to the noticeable
One might
incrcasc
of off-structure
flow rate,
argue that even if fractures
are present,
they are
not necessarily
structural
in origin.
Such fractures
could be caused either
by Iithologic
factors,
such
as composition,
or as the result
of differential
compaction
of thin shale on, and thick shale off
structure.
Regardless
of the cause, an empirical
exploration
rationale
was proposed based on Schaeferts
stucly,4
Direct cvidcncc
for the exact and underlying
cause for this increased
production
of off-structure
WC1lS was elusive
even though Schaefer
had suggested
the fractures
were structural
in origin,
and he made
a major guiding breakthrough
for an empirical
exploration rationale.

.+,l
(u

If one combines the knowledge gained at the

Midway-Extra
field
with what is known of the
then additional
insight
is
Cottageville
Fields,
obtained
into the specific
cause of commercial
shale gas production
for that portion
of I$est
Virginia
(Figure
7).
/\t first
glance,
the structural
similarity
between Cottagcvillc
and the Nidway-llxtra
Structurally,
the Cottagcfield
is not striking.
vine
field
appears
to lic along a very low rcli:f
monoclinal
flcxure
on a southeast
dipping regional
Nartin and Nuckols6 suggested
slope (Figure
11),
that the cause for the flexurc
was a basement fault.
Detailed
interpretation
of seismic data collcctcd
by Geophysical
Services
Incorporated
by Glenn
Sundhcimcr7
(Figure
12) confirmed
the presence
of
a flexure
in the sediments
and a basement fault
directly
under the trend of the most productive
WC1lS along the southeastern
flank of the Cottagevine
field
(compare Figures
12 and 13).
Note the
southeast
regional
dip and the subdued flexure
including
a synclinc
just updip, northwest
from
These structures
are similar,
the fault
(Figure
12).
although
not identical,
to ones mapped by Kutner8
from detailed
subsurface
geologic
data.
Nuck~ls9
has found that sedimentary
patterns
of the organic
shales are complex around this structure,
His
maps also show that the best production
does not
uniquely
follow the thickest
lower Huron organic
The best production
is westward,
shale section.
up dip, along the fault
as mapped by Sundheimer7
If onc eliminates
the regional
dip
(Figure 12).
from Sundheimers
isotimc
structure
map, then the
Cottageville
field becomes a low fold with flanking
It is only then that the Cottageville
synclincs.
field
appears
similar
to the Midway-Extra
field,
but
Cottageville
has lCSS relief,
Keeping the relationship at Nidway-Extra
in mind, compare the position
of the fault,
the fold crestal
trace,
and the trace
of the flanking
northern
syncline
with the production
trends
at Cottageville
as mapped by de hys and
Shumakers (Figures
13 and 14).
There is a marked
similarity
of final
open flow trends
at !didwayExtra with production
as mapped at Cottageville.
This similarity
is accentuated
by lower productivity
along the crest
of both structures,
At Cottagcville
there is a near coincidence
of productive
trends
shown on the summary trend map (Figure
15) above
and parallel
to the basement fault,
The trends
are
not nearly as numerous for the northern
synclinc
(Figlre 15) which, incidentally,
maybe the southwest
In the case of
terminus
of another
buried
fault.
Cottagevillc,
the identity
bctwccn structure
and
production
seems far more conclusive
than that at
of the greater
quality
;didway-Extra
simply bccausc
and quantity
of data.
At Cottagcvillc
it is clear
that better
WC1lS, by all production
statistics,
occur off-structure
and that the best wells generally
Dc hys and
occur directly
above the basement fault.
ShumakcrS contoured
the production
data at Cottagcvillc
with a mechanical
style
in that preliminary
investigation
attempting
to avoid bias in their
contouring,
Had they contoured
the production
data as Schacfcr
did with final
open flows at
Miclway-Extra,
and if they had both Schaefers
results
and Glenn Sundhcimcrs
ma}~when contouring
the
Cottagcvillc
data in 1977, thc!n they would }]avc
contoured
the Cottagcvillc
data to a more linear
trend,
and the identity
of structure
and production
trends would hc more striking.

Using re-interpreted
Cottageville
as background,
one can now go back to Midway-Extra
and suggest
that the northwestern
flank of that structure
is
faulted
at the basement level.
The justification
for this interpretation
is the growth aspect of
the structure
and location
of the high productivity
wells.
At Cottageville
such WC1lS are located
along
and above a proven basement fault.
If one concludes
that the Midway-Extra
field
is faulted
on both
flanks then the marked asymmetry of production
is
puzzling.
This asymmetry may relate
to Alleghanian
stress
being concentrated
on the western flank of
that structure
to create
anomalously
fractured
shale
in the detached
reservoir
horizon
along that trend.
However, it may relate
to intersecting
structural
trends
on that flank which create
a more complex
fracture
pattern
and more permeability
there.
Clearly,
Nidway-Extra
and Cottageville
document
the importance
of geologic
structure
and specifically,
basement faulting,
to increased
fracture
pcrmeability
and high production
trends
from the shale.
The productive
asymmetry suggests
an interplay
with
detached
Alleghanian
deformation
along the margin
of the pre-existing
basement derived
faults
or
intersecting
fracture
trends.
It further
suggests
that the permeability
in the detachment
horizon,
the porous fracture
facies,
is not a uniform blanket
permeability
for this part of Nest Virginia.
If
it were, then production
would be found on the
crest of the structure.
The compilation
of detailed
geologic
structure
maps for Martin County provides
sufficient
data to
test the applicability
of interpretations
made at
Cottageville
and Midway-Extra
to a third study area
which lays at the northern
margin of the Big Sandy
gas field
(Figure
7).
The data for the analysis
of
this area comes from subsurface
fracture
data of
Evansl;
the surface
structure
map and raw data
the surface
structure
trends of
compiled by Leell;
Long12; the production
data compiled by J. Negusisopach and structure
n,aps
de lfys13; the unpublished
of Lannan and Okoye; and the senior authorts
efforts
at re-interpreting
certain
of these maps.
The subsurface
structure
of the area, as mapped
by Lecll,
shows the west trending
broad Warfield
anticline
and fault
entering
the county on its
eastern
margin (Figure
16).
The fold plunges
westward and a parallel
trending
surface
fault
terminates
near a north-south
trending
low which
LCC1l interprets
as a strike-slip
basement fault.
A
continuation
of the Narficld
anticline
rises westward
from the structural
low.
This anticline
is often
conncctcd
to the Irvine-Paint
Creek anticlinal
trend
(Figure 7),
The surface
harfield
fault,
which
Lecll interpreted
to be a detached
thrust
fault,
seemingly
terminates
near the same north-south
trending
structural
low,
However, the steep southern
flank of the Itarfield,
which is an cast-west
trending
monoclinal
flcxure,
nrobably
reflects
a basement
fault
that continues
westward across the intersecting
10W. That these are major basement structures
is
suggested
by their
influence
on sedimentation
(Shumakcr14),
the paralleling
magnetic
intensity
trends
(ShutnakcrlO),
and the adjacent
east-west
trending
basement faults
which arc part of the
eastern
Kentucky fault
systcm (Pigurc 7).
If the
interrelationship
bctwccn basement structure
and
production
found at the previous
two fields
holds
ii,,

growt.n faulting
.nhances
local fracture
density
creating
areas and trends of greater
production.
Don Nea115 expanded the impact of our work by
noting the coincidence
of higher initial
open flows
from shale gas wells located
on the flanks
of
other geological
structures
elsewhere
in southern
Our study also suggests
that interWest Virginia.
sccting
structural
trends may be favorable
areas
for exploration.

here, then increased

production
should bc found along
the synclinal
structure
and at the base of the
Areas and trends
of
monocline at their
flex lines.
high production
(Figure 17)do correspond
very closely
to the north-south
trending
structural
low (Figure
between
16) . As noted there is a correspondence
structure
and sedimentation
so that the production
also parallels
certain
stratigraphic
trends
(compare
Figures
16, 17 and 18).
There is a suggestion
that
the areas of highest
gas flow occur at the intersections
of east-west
trending
lows with the northsouth trending
saddle.
The relationship
of final
open flows
with structure
is similar
to that found
at Cotcageville
and Midway-Extra,
but in this
case one cannot rule out the possibility
that part,
or even all of the increased
production
relates
to sedimentary
loading
and distortion
by the Berea
sand channel that follows
the structural
low.
If
production
comes from the shale directly
beneath
th,e Berea, rather
than the deeper Lo~ier Huron, then
one would consider
the loading phenomena to be
important.
Detailed
production
data are not
available
to the author which would be necessary
to determine
the stratigra
hic position
of the
production,
Negus-de Wys1? showed a high calciummagnesium geochemical
anomaly from the shale within
this area.
This suggests
that secondary
mineral
to gas production
just
propping may be important
as it is at Cottageville
and Midway-Extra.
The
east-west
trending
monocline which forms the
southern
flank of the anticline
and which probably
is a basement fault,
also affects
shale gas production,
but there is not a perfect
correlation
between
the trends.
Not all wells are large producers,
This is not unprecedented
as not all basement faults
are reflected
by high production
from the shale.
On trend,
in the adjacent
county to the west,
production
visibly
increases
along an extension
of
this flexure.
These observations
suggest
that the
relationships
between production
and structure
established
to the north at Cottageville
and MidwayExtra apply equally
well in the eastern
Kentucky
area.
However, further
analysis
is required
within
the heart of the Big Sandy field
to determine
if
they hold there.

It is not suggested
that exploration
rationales,
developed
through this analysis
of the Appalachian
basin,
present
unique solutions
for the location
of fracture
porosity
in organic
shales.
However,
our models do form a basis of exploration
for
fractured
reservoirs
in erogenic
forelands,
and
they should at least be considered
viable
exploration
rationales
for these areas.
The application
of the rationales
developed
within the Appalachian
foreland
trough to the
interior
basins
of the continental
United States,
which probably
lacks detached horizontal
transport,
is open to question.
Based on the results
of this
study,
it would appear that a highly permeable
regional
fracture
porosity
is less likely
there,
but
that the flanks of flexures
over normal faults,
particularly
at intersecting
basement fault
trends,
If a portion
of the shale
should be prospective,
acts as a seal for a lithologically
controlled
porous fracture
facies,
then it also seems reasonable
to presume that faults
of small throw and/or monoclinal
flexures
would be the most prospective
structural
features.
If such flanks of geological
structures
do hold hydrocarbons,
then it is essential
that well completion
treatmeni.s
of limited
size be designed
to preserve
that adjacent
seal in
order to limit entry of chemically
incompatible
formation
water into the fractured
reservoir.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to acknowledge the U.S.
Department of Energy for their
financial
support
of this research,
and in particular,
he wishes t~
thank technical
progress
officers
Charles Komar,
William Overbey, Arlen Hunt, and Claude De?.n of the
Morgantown Energy Technology Center for all of
their
assistance
over the past five years.
The
basis for this report
is rooted in the research
and efforts
of fellow faculty,
staff,
and graduate
students
who worked on the DOE grant at West Virginia
University.
Many scientists
assisted
our progress
during the life of the project,
but of special
significance
to the results
reported
in this paper
were the efforts
of:
Russell
Wheeler, Mark Evans,
David Kutner, Kevin Lee, Brian Long, Jane Negusde Wys, William Schaefer,
and Tom Wilson.

CONCLUSIONS
research
show that
The results
of DOE sponsored
a sufficient
thickness
of organic
shale and a proper
thermal maturation
of the shale are prerequisites
for potential
commercial
production,
but that within
the study area,
it is the presence
of open natural
fractures
which determines
the quantity
of gas
produced.
Based on analysis
of shale cores we
suggest
that it is the organic portions
of the
Devonian shale,
primarily
the lower Huron shale,
which contains
a porous fracture
facies
that forms
the primary reservoir
for regional
shale gas
production
in West Virginia
and eastern
Kentucky.
Commercail production,
by 1979 standards,
in the
study area of the Appalachian
basin coincides
with
a zone of limited
tectonic
transport
near the terminus of more extensive
detached
transport
of
sediments
found to the east,
in the Appalachian
foreland.
This commercial
zone is characterized
by inclined
slickensided
fractures
and conjugate
systems of mineral-propped
vertical
joints,
Our
analyses
of three producing
shale gas fields
in the
Appalachian
basin
further
indicates
that basement

REFERENCES
1.

40

!!Fractures
in oriented
Devonian
Evans, Mark A.:
shale cores from the Appalachian
basin,
West
Virginia
University
Department of Geology and
Geography Nasters
Thesis,
Norgantown,
277 p,
(1980) ,

2.

3.

Porous fracture
facies
Shumaker, Robert C.:
in the Devonian shales of eastern
Kentucky and
West Virginia:
The Caledonides
in the U.S.A.,
proceeding
volume I.G.C.P,
project
meeting
at Virginia
Polytechnic
Institute
and State
University
Geological
Sciences
!4emoir No. 2,
p. 18 (1979).

12.

Long, B. R.:
Regional
survey of surface
joints
in eastern
Kentucky,
DOE/METC/UGRFile No. 195,
West Virginia
University
Department
of
Geology and Geography Nasters
Thesis,
Morgantown,
66 p. (1979).

13.

t!The eastern
Kentucky gas
Negus-de Wys, Jane:
field--a
geological
study of the relationships
of Ohio shale gas occurrences
to structure,
stratigraphy,
lithology,
and inorganic
geochemical
parameters,
Morgantown Energy
Technology Centers
UGR File No. 262, West
Virginia
University
Department of Geology and
Geography Ph.D. Dissertation,
Morgantown,
199 p. (1980).

14.

!l~e effect
of basement
Shumaker, Robert C.:
structure
on sedimentation
and detached
structural
trend within the Appalachian
basin,
Geological
Society
of America, abstract
for
combined northeastern
and southeastern
section
meeting (1982).

15,

Neal, Donald W,: Subsurface

stratigraphy
of
the middle and upper Devonian classic
sequence
in southern
West Virginia
and its relation
to
gas production,
West Virginia
University
Department of Geology and Geography Ph.D.
Dissertation,
Norgantown,
144 p. (1979).

Larese,

Richard E., and Heald, Nilton T.:

of selected
Devonian shale core
samples from CGTC 20403 and CGSC 11940 wells,
Lincoln and Jackson Counties,
West Virginia,
United States
Technical
Information
Center,
U.S. Department of Energy Research and
Development Administration,
NERC/CR-77/6, 27 p.
(1977] .
*petrography

4.

Schaefer,
William W.: G:ology and producing
characteristics
of certain
Devonian brown shales
in the hiidway-Extra
field,
Putnam County, West
Virginia,
West Virginia
University
Department
of Geology and Geography Masters Thesis,
Morgantown, 67 p. (1979).

5.

Negus-de Wys, J., and Shumaker, Robert C.:

t!pilot
study of gas production
analYsis
methods
applied
to Cottageville
field,
United States
Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy
Technology Center,
MERc/CR-78/6, 45 p. (1978).

6.

Martin,
P., and Nuckols,
E. B., 111:
Geology
and oil and gas occurrence
in the Devonian
Devonian
shales,
northern
West Virginia:
shale production
and potential,
U.S. DOl?/MERC
Special
Report,
MERC/SP-76/2, p. 20-40 (1976),

7.

Sundheimer,
Glenn R.:
Seismic analysis
of
the Cottageville
field:
Second Eastern
Gas
Shales Symposium, METC/SP-78/6, v. II, p. 111120 (1978),

8.

Evaluation
of shallow
Kutner,
David P.:
structural
features
?s they relate
to basement
faulting,
West Virginia
University
Department
of Geology and Geography N,S. Option 11, final
report,
Morgantown, problem under .shumaker,
10 p, (1979).

90

(\!OUIIt
~~The Cottageville
Nuckols,
E. B., 111:
Alto) gas field,
Jackson County, West Virginia:
a case study of Devonian shale gas production,
West Virginia
University
Department of Geology
and Geography Masters Thesis,
Norgantown,
132 p. (1979),

10.

llForm-line
structure
and
Shumaker, Robert. C.:
basement structure
maps of the Appalachian
basin--a
comparison:
The Caledonides
in the
volume I,G,C.P.
project
U.S.A., proceeding
meeting at Virginia
Polytechnic
Institute
and
State University
Geological
Sciences
Memoir
No.

11,

2, p.

18 (1979).

Subsurface
structure
of the eastern
Lee, K. D.:
Kentucky gas field,
West Virginia
University
Department of Geology and Geography Masters
Thesis,
Norgantown,
53 p. (1980),

.-

1!?

STRATIGRAPHICUNITS !!4SWDV AND RELATIONSHIPS

TO NEWALBANVSHALEANOCHATTANOOGASHALE
(Bfler Swager,

Iys!em

Series

Ml$a.

Lower
Miaa.

1978, Provo,

1977, Llneback,

Units of
New Albany
Shale
In S. IN..W. KY,
Rockford

Sunbury

Shale

c
Blg Stone

8edlord

Serea

T
Cleveland

A
N

Three

Lick Sed

Morgan Trail
Member

Upper

Member

Middle

Member

Lower

Mamber

KY.

Olentangy

:
A

N
Selmler
Member

A
N

Centfal

Marcellus

Bloche$... . . . .
Member

Mid,
Oev.

H
Parllal
Chagrin
Shale
Equ[valanl

Middle Gray
Slltatone
Member

o
G

HS

:
o

Shale

A kl
Camp Run
Member

Sequence

A
N

Gap Member

A
:

;
N

Unlls 01
Chattanooga
Shale
In W,VA,.E.TENN,

Member

1943)

Llmaslone

CleggCreek

19S5, McFarlan,

Units 01
Ohio Shala
In OH..E. KY.

Jacob~
Henryvllle
Sed
Underwood
Sed
Falllng Run Bed

u
D
E

1968, Miller,

Ut+

!4
L
~

RA
OL
NE

:
A

Lower Black
Shale
Member

Shele
Shale

Huntersvllle
Cheril
Needmore
Shale

Absent
de WY% 197

Figure

so:;~asl

2.

Devonian

shale

nomenclature:

W.rthwn Panmndle
West Vifglnla

Appalacl]i

basin

Northeast
Wosl Virglnla

W*SI

hl

Greenland GaFJ
Formation

IChemunel

>
D,,,,

Schwlolormc,

Bralller

1ieww3.

Facies

relationships:

IIcvonian

ehalc

black shit.

Nil%non

rodbads

Iknestmic

F\rmatlon

Harrell

1977

ha,.

Shale

and

LEGEND
~

Outcrop

Devonian

Black

Contract

area

area

of

1 Petersburg

Devonian
Shale

rocks

gas

production
- .,
\
1
\
\\

~SD

2 Parsons

\\
}

~--

,rld~ ~:i
/

Cored

Wells

[Evans,

19791

1/6 .,

\(

MARYLAND

NTAIN

SYNCLINE

1A

Figure

4.

APPALACHIAN BASIN
+3rnlla*Nw
+-BIG

Study

area

APPALACHIANFOLD-THRUSTBELT
SE+3

SANDY SHALE (3AS FIELD~

PINE MUNTAIN

THRUST

,Otac

o
I
I
i
I
I

\
\

--------I l_~/ \/-\*,

/\~/
/\-/~

r\-,
1~/\\/

.+

~e-i=r,\ /\w,

______
--------pRE.CAmBRIAN ,N l,\/,\

-----

---

A
-,s /,\l~I@\ 7----~1~ 1,7--, /_\, \ \-, yT

.-.

StfUMAKER-lS7B

Fi.gtlre
-

5.

:;tructural

cross

section:

castorn

,:(wtuc!;y

No. 12s6
No. 1283
2700

No,6899

3200
.
Ail.. P9rf.. 133 M

2800

,..x

Ii
0 2

290

B.F..84 M
A.F,.!83Al

3400

am
gg

!*
y

y
i :7

e, F4

Q
2

B.F. OM
AF, it9 M

o
3160

Cai. alm

Den.

cl

B.F,O M

A.F. 198 #

O#m.

${

3600

Den.

Fractured

Devonian

Shale

wel13,

oil

.&m.

Perry

County,

y:

,&

,,%/
Y

. ../

!ndcx mop:

SIIIIIC gos fields

+,

@~!$

..

I;igutc 7,

E. 0, Ray,1968

Kentucky

FIELD STUDY AREA

1. CoUaswille Fteld Mea
2 Midway Eal!a Field Area
A Maltln County F,.ld A,,,
fOuU,n*d
2h.laPwdwtimlla791

c1

discussed

+)

0
~
~

,ntlcllnal fold crest

Structural contours on baso

O, I.oww

Figure

8,

Subsutface

c, 1,I 20
W, Sohstfw,

1079

Huron

structure:

Midway-Extra

field,

W, Vat

-+4
~,1, s 100

McF/o
W, Sohaofw,1079

~ux?
. 9,

Isopotcmtiul

map:

final

open

flow

from

Dcvoniun

SIUIIC

?
Antlallnal

fold orest

Mllas

w, aohmrq

10?9

SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE FRACTURES

COTTAGEVILLE AREA, WV
R C. SHUMAKER

19S1

Surface Fracture Tren&

Regional Coal Face Cteat Trerr& Interpreted

try Strurnaker from W. k Geof@cal Survey
Nap W-11.
real.
Subsurface Devonian Shale fractures from
0rk3IWLf
core
Sotii wfrere taken from
producing horizon onfy. Larese and
Heafd. 1977; Evans, 1980-

H
.#=

--r- -----.-
#4/.
.
:
---

Fimre

H.

Werner. 197T

,.J

Structure on TOII of Berea SandHone.

Kutner. 197S

f3asernent Fauft Trend

- - Mapped by Sondheii.
---- Inferred

1979

Outline of Cottageuitfe Gaa Fietd

.8

Subsurface structure: CottagevilIe field, W. Va.

+-+-::flflyi=y
#/

///295-

/ /-Os (9,2

12.

lsot

ime map:

,34 COTTAGEVILLE
/

1000 3000 5000

i
Figure

Sundheimer.

structure

on top

of

basement

1979

M.sson\Jackson
County i County

\
i,

/0

\,

,,0

~o

7//

A \

/~

\
1

so.

I
I

Figure 13.

IsoflOW map: highest

MILES

annual production

~a$

0.5

0.5

,+

KILOMETERS

ff

..

dc Wys

md snummml

Cl.

MMCF

(1st or 2nd year production)

:20

----

lwfu

Mason \Jackson
County tCounty
\,

$.

.<#

u
$

MILES

o
-

0.5

0.5

KILOMETERS

de Wys and Shumsker,197S

Cl. :5 MMCF

Figure 14,

Isoflow map: mean annual production

i
1 Drilling
2 Highest

Mason \Jackson
Count ylCounty

KEY
Completion

Date

,%

Annual
Production
3 First Fivo Years Cummclative
4 Total
Cumulative
Production
5 Mean
Annual
Production
6 Loss Rotiolst
Year
7 Loss Ratio 2nd Year
8 Loss Ratio 3rd Year

Production
/

..2

1:

4
MILES

S2>0.

i- I

}--n

-./

s&

0.5

KILOMETERS

Modified

Figure

15.

Production

trends:

Cottageville,

W. Va.

from de Wysand

Shumaker,1978

...

->>

WA!4FIELD
-550

.
.

.. .

,qOQ
,,$J
.nO

.
.

-650

,,OQ
.

---

Figure

16,

Subsurface

structure:

Martin

--

Trace of Surface Thrust ?

County,

Ky,

,..

k-----

--

-----------i----------,---------c-

---- -

.-

.
.

.
=-

~-

b.

+-===

.
.*.

.
. .

..

.
.

(
.

-+.-<
./

/,4

.
. ,-

0<4

(,
.-,

//

R. C. Shumaker,
Values

given

in millions
of cubic feet per day.
* Well spot. Data collected
1
01

.,
. .

/.
/
DEVONIAN SHALE ISOPOTENTIAL [after shot]
MARTIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY

.*
.

,
.

.
,

19S1
Contour
Interval
100,000.
by J. Negus. OeWya.
1
~

M.C.F:Day

Malss

Interpreted

--7

Strike Slip Fault

Crest of Subsurface Fold on

Big Lime Base
y

Trace

of

Surface Thrust ?
from Lee, 1980

Figure

17,

Isopotential

map:

final

open

flow

Jiii52?
20

r
120

/
.
*

20>

.
.

--l s Y\

.
.

L/-l

, ~
, *,>

..+*

CONTOUR INTERVAL=10 It

KEvIN LEE,19B0

Figure

18,

lsopach

map:

Berea-Bedford

interval

SPEIDOE
society of

Petroleum

Enghraere

U.S. Department
of Energy

SPE/DOE 10792
Reflection Seismology as an Exploration Tool for Fractured Zones
in Gas-Bearing Shale Cottageville, West Virginia: A Case Study
by James E. Ruotsala and Richard T. Williams, West Virginia University

The paper was presented at the SPE/DOE Unconvenllonal Gas Recovery Symposium of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held m Pittsburgh,
PA, May 16-18.1982. The material IS subject to correction by the author. Permission 10 copy IS restricted to an abstract of not more than 300
words. Write: 6200 N. Central Expwy., Dallas, TX 75206.

study because there is a considerable

amount of
data available,
including
reflection
seismic
data, gas production
data and subsurface
geologic
data including
two cores.
The specific
questions
answered by this study are:
what is the seismic
expression
of the gas filled
fracture
zone at
and what role can reflection
seisCottageville;
mology most effectively
play in exploration
and
development
of field::
similar
to Cottageville.

ABSTRACT

The Cottageville,
Kest Virginia,
gas field
produces from the Lo~ier Huron Member of the Ohio
Shale formation
of the Upper Devonian.
The production results
from increased
permeability
caused by
A normal baseanomalous fracturing
of the shale.
ment fault,
which lies below the fracture
zone, may
control
fracturing
in the shales.
Seismic reflection
data obtained
in the urea in
1977 show the fault
extending
up into the Ordovician.
These data are also analyzed
fo-: seismic
velocity
and attenuation
anomalies
associated
with the gasproducing
fracture
zone,
Gas production
occurs in
an area several
miles long but only about one mile
wide,
Increased
fracture
intensity
and presence
of
gas in the shale within this
limited
area serve to
decrease
the shear strength
of the rock, decreasing
the seismic velocity.
Similarly,
greater
attenuation
of the high-frequency
components of the seismic
wave can be expected.
Examples from the Cottageville
data showing basement structure
and seismic
Jelocity
and attenuation
anomalies
associated
with gas production are presented,

The reflection
seismic method is the recording
of acoustic
energy that is generated
at the surface
of the earth,
portions
o.? which return
to the
surface
by reflection
an,~ refraction.
The packets
of reflected
energy,
called
reflection
events,
The useful measurements
are of primary intere?c.
of a reflection
event are its travel
time from
its a~.plitude
and polarity,
source to receiver,
and its spcctrzl
content,
These measured quantities
depend on the geometry and physical
properties
of
the subsurface,
The seismic
expression
of the fracture
zone
at Cottageville
is determined
by comparison
of
seismic data recorded
across the producing
zone
with data recorded
nearby across a non-productive
area and with synthetic
seismic
data from a model
based on atailable
geologic
data.

An exploration
rationale
for prospecting
for
easterrl
shale gas is developed.
Although the total
area covered by gas-bearing
shales
i.n the eastern
United States
is large,
individual
gas fields
within
this area are relatively
small,
Reflection
seismology is used to target
specific
exploration
wells
after
reconnaissance
by other methods has been done,

COTTAGEVILLEGAS FIELD
The Cottagcville
gas field
is located
in
Jackson County, Nest Virginia
(Figure
1),
The
wells produce Devonian shale gas from the Lower
llur6n Member of the Ohio Shale Formation,
3700 feet
below the surface.
The field
is an elongate
area,
approximately
I!z miles wide and 6 miles long that
trends northeast,
as shown on Nuckolsr
(1979)
initial
open gas flow map (Figure
2),
The most
productive
wells (more than 100 Ncf/day)
lie in
a 2000 foot wide zone.

INTRODUCTION
Gas production
from the organic
rich brown
Devonian shales
in the Appalachian
Basin has long
been thought to be controlled
by anomalous fracture
porosity
and permeability.
Successful
future
development
of this rescurce
will depend on the
ability
to map these fracture
zones in the subsurface,

Fracturing
of the producing
Lower Huron is
documented in two cores,
the locations
of which
arc shown on Figure 2. The Jackson 1371 produced
180 Ncf/day after
stimulation
(Evans, 1979).
Evans
loggccl the fractures
in this core, distinguishing

The research
rlcscribed
in this report
has the
objcctivc
of determining
how reflection
seismology
can be used in prospecting
for zones of fracturing.
The Cottagcvillc
gas field
was chosen for a case
A.

betwccrr natural

and coring-inciuccd

fractures.

The Jackson 1369 initially

produced 4,000
\lcf/daY,
interrupting
coring,
and stabilized
at
Larcse and l{cald
1,007 Ncf/day (Nuckols,
1979).
(1977),
in a petrographic
study of this core,
reported
the occurrence
of mineralized
fractures.
ihe fractures
were found to hc partially
filled
~tith dolomite,
leaving vuggy openings
which arc
generally
connected
to effect
good permeability.
The seismic data available
for this study were
recorded
in 1977 by Geophysical
Scrviccs,
Inc. (GSI),
The
under contract
to the Department of Energy.
was
GSIS SIISLOOP1 method, a
field procedure
configuration
designed
to provide
areal covcragc
Reflection
points
(stack bins)
of the subsurface.
arc distr$butcd
over an area of 12 square miles.
A
LIRI{OS[;ISsource was utilized,
with three vibrators
There were 48 gecin-line,
sweeping 60 to 20 Ilz.
phone groups in the rccciving
array set out on roads
and trails,
forming a loop.
The spacing bctwccn
gcophone groups was 400 feet and the spacing
bctmcn
successive
source locations
was 220 feet,
The data from the
each having
10 to 1S sweeps.
sKccps at each source location
were summed and
correlated
with tbc 60 - 20 Ilz source sKccp signal.
The processing
clone by GSI included
3-d mi~raco:~mon depth point stack and time-varying
tion,
d:convol~tion,
This interpretation
includc[i construction
of isotimc
maps of eight reflection
events
and computation
of average and interval
Vclocitics.
various
maps were produced,
including
ikom these,
depth to each of the reflectors,
isopach maps of
thickness
between pairs of reflectors
and average
Sck!cral faults
in
and interval
velocity
maps.
the Prcc~mbrian
were intcrprctcd.
intcrprctcd
a normal fault
Sundi]cimcr (1979),
The seismic expression
from the GSI seismic
~iata.
(Figure 3) of the fault
extends upifard into the
Ordovician,
about 6,000 feet below the producing
zone in the Devonian.
,\s mappccl by Sundhcimcr,
the
fault
stritics
s 55 E and underlies
gas production
The southeast
in the soutilwcst
part of the ficl~i.
block is do~ thrown about 300 feet at its maximum
displ:lccmcnt.
iMY riMCE NODELLISG
By pcrfornring
ray trace rnodelling,
synt}lctic
scisrnic data can bc cornputcd for a gi.~cn geologic
nrodcl,
The tccbniquc
is a rnathcma.tical
rcprcscntation of ti]c propagation
of acoustic
energy through
For a nrodcl of spccificd
geometry
the subsurface.
and physical
prop~rtics
:ay paths,
travel
times,
and polarity
and amplitude
of rcflccti.on
events
arc cornputcd.
Comparison of the resulting
syntilctic
seismogram to rccordcd
data is useful
in tile intcrprctation
of the rccor(icd data.
,1 mathematical
rcprcscntation
(iigurc 4) of
a cross-section
through the gas field
~~as produ~e~i
i]y constructing
horizontal
interfaces
rcprcscntilg
~lcoustic
the upper four reflectors
mapped by (XI.
aSSigJ)Cci
to
the
intervals
i)ctwvcn
Velocities
reflectors
arc laterally
ilomogcnco~<s, witil ti]c
cxccption
oi tile interval
rcprcscnting
.hc producing
This intcrva]
has a low velocity
region
ilori.zon.
The velocity
dc~rcascs
toh!ards
900 meters wicic.

the center
from both sides of this anomalous zone.
M its minimum, the velocity
is 1S percent
less than
that of the interval
outside
the low velocity
zone.
This velocity
reduction
is based ton an increase
of porosity
associated
with the presence
of gasfilled
fractures.
Synthetic
seismograms
were constructed
by
The
computing raypaths
through the model section.
trajectory
of a ray, for a given emcrgencc angle
Zrom the source,
is governed by Snells
law and
depends on the changes in acoustic
velocity
encountered
along its path.
Travel times of
reflection
events were computed by integrating
the
length riividcd by velocity
along the raypath.
Amplitude
and polarity
of the reflection
events were
computed from the velocity
contrast
acrosz the
reflecting
interface.
The resulting
reflectivity
function
was convolved with a wavclet to produce
Synthetic
traces
from
a synthetic
seiscic
trace.
a number of ray paths reflcctcd
by the lower four
interfaces
were combined to produce a synthetic
seismogram.
A few of the ray paths and the synthetic
seismogram for the model of Figure 4 are silown in
Figure 5. Each trace
is plotted
midway between
The reflection
its source and receiver
locations.
cvcnts for those ray paths that pass through the
low velocity
zone are delayed,
This results
in
kinking
of tile two lower reflectors
on the seismogranr (Figure 6) computed for a Iatcrally
homogcneous cross section.
In addition
to being delayed,
tile ray paths
zone are
which pass through the loIi velocity
refracted
by it.
The low velocity
zone acts as
a lens,
focusing
some of the returning
rays and
Tile resulting
lateral
variation
dispersing
others.
of ray intensity
at the surface
is manifested
as
anomalous reflection
amplitude.
i{ccordcd seismic
d:t~. wre compared to the
synthetic
scisrnogranrs in an effort
to locate the
expected
anomalies
in travel
time and ampiitudc.
TKO rec~rds
illustrating
these anomalies
are located
as sho.un in Figure 2. Record 1 was recorded
with
the scurce at the extreme easterl.
end of the profile
with l.he geophonc groups set out to the west$
Record 2 was
CrOSSLIIg
the gas-producing
Zone.
rccordcd
witil the source at the extreme southern
cnd cf the profile
with the gcopilonc groups set out
Record 2 lies outside
the gas
to the northeast.
field.
illc scisrnic rccor[is arc shown in Figures 7
and 8.
Record 1 is similar
to the synthetic
scismogram of Figure 5 in ti~at ti~c reflection
from the
lowest intcrfacc
ciccrcascs
in amplitude
going cast
to west (left
to right)
and is lost in tile noise
Ivcst of trace
14.
Kinking of the event associatcci
with ciclaycd travel
time is not c)idcnt,
possibly
i~ccausc of the poor signal
to noise ratio,
wilich
is related
to the diminished
amplitude.
ilccord

is
6, the
lateral
homogeneous example,
in that the reflection
of interest
continues
across
the entire
record.
across
ii]c amplitude
of tile event is mol,c consistent
the record than in recorci 2,
similar

%-l

to

?,

tbc

which

synthetic

lies

outside

seismogram

the

of

ficl[i,

i:igurc

ATTENUATIONAND SPECTRAL ANALYSES

in areas wberc the near surface

attenuation
as severe as at Cottagiville,
If so, this
could be a useful
exploration
tool.

A number of investigators
have reported
anomalous attenuation
of high frequency
acoustic
cr,ergy propagating
through rock with gas-filled
Pore
spaces.
Crowc and Alhilali
(1974) discuss
models
used to predict
attenuation
and dispersion
of
The computed dispersion
and
acoustic
energy.
aticnuation
for a gas and overlain
by a higher
All three models predicted
greater
impedance unit.
attenuation
for the gas charged sediment than for
IIamilton
(1972),
in a paper
the overlying
unit.
concerning
the measurement
of comprcssi,mal
wave
attenuation
in marine sediments,
reported
that gas
bubbles trapped
in pore spaces of sediments
have
a marked affect
on both velocj.ty
and attcntiation.
The affects
arc anomalously
~ow velocity
and anomalously high attenuation
of high frequency
energy,
The effects
were observed
to bc dcpcndcnt
on both
the concentraticm
aud size of the bubbles.

is not
technique

Directly
mapping gas filled
fracture
zones
usin~ the reflection
seism;.c method is limited
to
siting
exploration
wells after
prospective
areas
have been found using other reconnaissance
methods.
Regional
seismic
coverage
st!fficiently
dense to
locate a target
the size of tnc Cottageville
field
The reflection
seismic
is prohibitively
cxpcnsivc.
method can be used after
prospective
areas arc
located
by geologic
mapping, magnetic and gravity
interpretation
of aerial
photographs,
and
surveys,
The
seismic profiling
of basement structures.
success
of these reconnaiss~nce
tools depends on
understanding
the relation
between the occurrence
of gas-filled
fracture
ZOJICSand other geological
features,
such as basement structures.
,\CKNOlfLEDGNNiTS

In an effort
to observe the effects
of attenuation on the Cottagcvillc
seismic
data,
amplitude
spectra
in a window across record 1 vere computed.
The windoi, was .5 seconds long, with its top in the
The resulting
amplitude
spectra
producing
interval.
Son.c of the ray paths passing
are not systematic.
through the prociucing
zone ba)c spectra
that arc
:<idcr and richer
in high frequency
content
than
,\ll the spectra
rays that miss the producing
zone.
exhibit
rather
severe attenuation,
including
spectra
calculated
from shallow portion:
of :raccs
C1OSC
to the source.
This indicates
that t~erc is
considerable
attenuation
in the near :urfacc,
which
masks attenuation
in the producing
zone.

The work dcscribcd

in this study i~as supported
by a Department of Energy contract,
DE-AT21-79MC11284
Task Order 24, through the Norgantown Energy
Technology Center.
FOOTNOTES
..
1Registered

tradcma>k

of Geophysical

Services,

trademark

of Continental

Oil

Inc.
2Registcred
Company.
REJTRJNCJLS

CONCLUSIONS
Present
analysis
suggests
that the gas producing
zone at Cottageville
is directly
observable
through the expression
of anomalous travel
times
and amplitudes
as prcdictcd
by the ray trace
modelling.
Ilowclrcr, the single-fold
seismograms
need to have a good signal-to-noise
ratio
so that
the reflection
events exhibiting
anomalies
arc WC1l
defined.
This requirement
is made more difficult
by I IC prediction
of tl.u modelling
that those events
having anomalous travel
tlmcs also exhibit
anomalously
low amplitudes.
Documentation
of lateral
changes in frequency
content
to find anomalous attcnua.tion
has not hccn
Spectral
analyses
indicate
there is
fruitfull
considerable
attenuation
in the near surface
which
masks any Iatcral
changes in Srcqucncy content
duc
to anomalous attenuation
in the producing
zone.
This near surface
attenuation
also contributes
to
the deterioration
of the signal-to-noise
ratio of
the seismic data.
The techniques
of directly
map)ing subsurf.cc
gas filled
fracture
zones using the reflection
seiscommon depth
ilodclling
mic method need more study,
point seismogram
in addition
to common offset
traces
from common depth point gathers
or limiting
stacking
to traces
of a small range of offset
distances
may
bc helpful
to the intcrprctcr.
!dodclling
can bc
helpful
in predicting
the success of such strategies.
Spectral
cbangcs

in

analyses
frequency

to find
content

anomalous lateral
prove successful

may

31

1.

Crowe, C., and K. Alhilali,

1974, Anplitudcs
of seismic
events and their
dcpendcncc
on the
absorption-dispersion
pairs
of the incdia,
preprint
of a paper presented
at the 44th
Annual Nceting,
Society
of Exploration
Geophysicists,
Xovembcr 10-14, 1974, Dallas,
Texas.

-1
..

Evans, Nark A., 1979, Fractures

in oriented
Devonian shale Cores from the j\ppalachian
Basin, MS thesis,
JJcpartmcnt of Geology and
Geography,
Kest \irginia
IJnivcrsity.

3.

llamilton,
E, L., 1972, Comprcssional-wave
attenuation
in marine sediments,
Geophysics
v, 37, 110. 4, p. 620.

4.

Norgan, ,N. t\. , and G, R. Brrccl,

dimensional
scistnic
investigation
(;ottagcl,illc
Field Kcst Virginia
for DOE CO]itr;lCt,

.s,

Sllckols,
E. R,, 1979, The Cottagcville
olount
Alto) gas field,
Jackson County, hcst Virginia:
A case study of Devonian sbalc gas production,
MS thesis
,Dcpartmcnt
of Geology and Gcograpt~y,
Ifcst Virginia
~Oliycrsity,

6,

Sundheimcr,
Glenn R,, 1!)79, unpublished
isotimc
structural
map: top of the basement,
CottagcVillc
ficlfl:
hcst Virginia.

1980, Three
in the
fina.. report

&

Parkersburg

WEST VIRGINIA

\ \

.;-.

-!
I
i

_...d

---~

._

-------

-------

----

- -_

I
o

0.

!
!

c)

--L

Meigs

Co.

-
-_
j

Ga!lia Co.
I

*-------

0
5
0

10

5
5

10

15

15
20

25

20
30

Statute

~i,ometer~

Scale: 1:250,000

Fig. 1 Location Cottageville gas field

.%

Miles

.JRCKSON

137 I

JFICKSUN

136Y

RECORO 2

2880 mTER.

1 f!lLE

,
,

INITIRL OPEN
CONTOUR lt4TERVfIL

V9R IfW4E

NUCKOLS

100

FLCW
- 500

1000 MCF/O

[1279)

Fig. 2 Gas production Cottageville gas

field

- --

.1
.2
.3
.4
.5

).6

LONER

w4@J
@O.8

1.2

1
1
-1
Fig, 3-

GSI seismic data crossing production

OF
+
U267

4633

3.s0(3

2743

M/SCC

M/SEC
LIY!KR
4633 Wxc

HURON

HuRON

Fig, 4 Model of cross sect[on with low velocity zone

LOWER
ORDOVIC]FIN

1/ /
II

500

////

27W3

M/SEC

1{{11
///

METERS

5580

CDP
0

M/SEC

(METERS)
500

1OpO

1500
.0

.2

.4

.6

.8

1.0

1,2

Fig. 5 Synthetic seismogram model with low velocity zone

.,.

1000
lI+H+FEET
o

&i-J$IETERS
0

50@ I
METERS

CDP
0

(METERSI

500

1000

1500
.0

.2

,4

1,1

.6

,8
1-

I.a

140

1,2

1.2

Fig, 6 Syntheticseismogram

laterally homogeneous model

..*

,tl

, Ll

I 11

J)

#-

1,0
.>-

1.2

Fig, 7-

Record 1 crosses gas production

-.

,1]

..-

,8
REFLECT

1,

1,

1,

RECORD

OLITSIDE

OF

FIELD

Fig. 8 Record 2 outside of the gas field