Geology and petroleum source rocks in the Hunt No. 1-16 State Well

Abstract

- The Hunt Oil Company No. 1-16 State well was drilled for petroleum exploration to a total depth of 6890 ft in north-central Catron County, New Mexico during late 1989. The well drilled through the top of the Spears Group (Tertiary) near the surface, the Baca Formation (Tertiary) at 1370 ft, the Upper Cretaceous at 3290 ft , the Triassic at 3630 ft, the San Andres Formation (Permian) at 3890 ft. the Glorieta Sandstone (Permian) at 4290 ft, the Yeso Formation (Pennian) at 4560 ft and the Abo Formation (Permian) at 6253 ft. Precambrian metarhyolites were encountered from 6792 ft to total depth. An intrusive diorite of probable Tertiary age is present within the Yeso from 5180 to 5580 ft. Drill cuttings were analyzed for petroleum source-rock potential. Dark-gray Cretaceous shales contain sufficient total organic carbon (TOC) to be petrole um source rocks but are thermally immature. Yellowish to brown San Andres limestones also contain sufficient TOC to be source rocks and are moderately mature. Kerogens in the San Andres are dominantly amorphous and herbaceous; a mixture of oil and gas is likely to have been generated. Hydrocarbon shows were encoun tered in the San Andres. Yellowish to brown Yeso limestones also contain sufficient TOC to be source rocks. The Yeso is thermally mature and yielded several hydrocarbon shows. Maximum thermal maturation has been attained by carbonates proximal to the diorite intrusive, indicating that heat emitted from the intrusive enhanced thermal maturation.