Featured speaker Jim Puckette of Oklahoma State University dives into silica enrichment in the Woodford and Caney Shales. In the Woodford Shale, silica enrichment is manifested as distinct silica-cemented bands that contain tests of radiolarians, the likely biogenic source of most silica in silica cement. Silica enrichment in the Caney Shale occurs without an obvious biogenic source of Si or developing the banding and beds evident in the Woodford Shale. Puckette notes identifying differences between reservoir and non-reservoir intervals, including density porosity, clay mineral content and resistivity.
Featured speaker Jim Puckette of Oklahoma State University dives into silica enrichment in the Woodford and Caney Shales. In the Woodford Shale, silica enrichment is manifested as distinct silica-cemented bands that contain tests of radiolarians, the likely biogenic source of most silica in silica cement. Silica enrichment in the Caney Shale occurs without an obvious biogenic source of Si or developing the banding and beds evident in the Woodford Shale. Puckette notes identifying differences between reservoir and non-reservoir intervals, including density porosity, clay mineral content and resistivity.
Why it Matters: Based on analyses of several organic-rich mudrocks, XRF derived elemental concentrations can provide geochemical data crucial to identifying brittle reservoir and ductile clay-rich seal intervals.