Arizona Geological Survey www.azgs.az.gov | repository.azgs.az.gov OPEN-FILE REPORT OFR-13-09 V. 1.O Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas exploration in Arizona Steven L. Rauzi & Jon E. Spencer Arizona Geological Survey July 2013 Team of geoscientists investigating the Neoproterozoic Chuar Shale in Nankoweap Canyon
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Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas exploration in Arizona Steven L. Rauzi & Jon E. Spencer
Arizona Geological Survey
July 2013
Team of geoscientists investigating the Neoproterozoic Chuar Shale in Nankoweap Canyon
Arizona Geological Survey
M. Lee Allison, State Geologist and Director
Manuscript approved for publication in July 2013Printed by the Arizona Geological Survey
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Recommended Citation: Rauzi, S.L. and Spencer, J.E., 2013, Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas exploration in Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Open File Report, OFR-13-09 v. 1, 9 p.
1
Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas
exploration in Arizona
by
Steve Rauzi Oil and Gas Administrator
&
Jon Spencer Senior Geologist
Arizona Geological Survey Open-File Report 13-09
July 2013
Arizona Geological Survey 416 W. Congress St., #100
Tucson, AZ 85701 www.azgs.az.gov
1
Introduction
The recent development of horizontal drilling techniques and application of hydraulic fracturing
to horizontal wells has dramatically increased oil and gas production in the U.S., notably in areas
with extensive organic-rich shale and calcareous shale deposits. Shale formations that contain
hydrocarbons without sufficient porosity and permeability to yield economic amounts of oil and
gas with conventional drilling techniques are being reconsidered in light of these technological
advances. In this report we identify 10 rock formations in Arizona that consist dominantly of
shale or phyllite (very low grade metamorphic shale) that represent potential areas of interest for
shale-oil and shale-gas exploration (Table 1, Fig. 1). Many of these units are weakly
metamorphosed, and are perhaps too thermally mature to contain recoverable oil or gas in known
exposures. However, lateral equivalents of these units may be less metamorphosed and so
contain recoverable hydrocarbons. These equivalents could be present but concealed, especially
in structurally complex areas in southeastern Arizona.
Table 1. Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas exploration in Arizona
Unit and Age Location Notes
Mancos Shale –
Upper Cretaceous
Northern
Arizona
Unknown TOC, dark gray, extent is Black Mesa
Fort Crittenden Formation –
Upper Cretaceous
Southeastern
Arizona
Basal shale, black Physa, unknown extent
McCoy Mountains Formation –
Upper Jurassic to Upper
Cretaceous
Southwestern
Arizona
Maroon, purple, gray mudstone and phyllite
Apache Canyon Formation,
Bisbee Group – Cretaceous
Southeastern
Arizona
Thick black shale, Whetstone Mountains, Sonoita
area
Crystal Cave Formation –
Jurassic
Southeastern
Arizona
Thick black shale in structurally complex area
DBK Shale, Hermosa Group –
Pennsylvanian
Northern
Arizona
Persistent 10 ft black shale in Dineh-bi-Keyah Oil
Field, uncertain extent
Aneth Shale –
Devonian
Northern
Arizona
Production from possible correlative at Walker
Creek Oil Field
Morenci (Portal/Percha) Shale –
Devonian
Southern
Arizona
Equivalent to fissile black Percha Shale in New
Mexico
Bright Angel Shale –
Cambrian
Northern
Arizona
Questionable TOC, better seal than source
Walcott Shale, Chuar Group –
Neoproterozoic
Northern
Arizona
Good TOC (up to 8.29%), unit is preserved in a
Neoproterozoic half graben north of Grand
Canyon
Pioneer Shale, Apache Group –
Mesoproterozoic
Central Arizona Extensive exposures of phyllite and fine-grained
sandstone
2
Figure 1. Potential targets for shale-oil and shale-gas exploration in Arizona. See Table 1 for brief
description and age of each unit.
3
CHARACTERISTICS OF ARIZONA SHALE AND PHYLLITE UNITS
Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
“The Mancos Shale is predominantly dark gray, bluish-weathering, siltstone and
claystone.” (Nations and others, 2000, p. H11).
Extends across entirety of Black Mesa in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties in
northeastern Arizona (Rauzi and Spencer, 2013).
The Mancos “is about 700 ft thick on the north side of Black Mesa and thins to about 475
ft in the southernmost complete exposures at Blue Point on Padilla Mesa. It continues to
thin southward toward its pinch out near Show Low” (Nations and others, 2000, p. H11).
Regional stratigraphic cross sections from the Kaiparowits Basin in Utah through Black
Mesa and to the San Juan Basin in New Mexico are published in Nations (1989).
Penetrated by three exploration wells in Arizona: Skelly 1 Hopi-A, Amerada 1 Hopi, and
R.Y. Walker 1 Navajo. Well logs and Mancos Shale sample cuttings for all three wells
are available at the AZGS.
Upper Cretaceous Fort Crittenden Formation
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
Basal black shale, randomly spaced zones rich in black, thin-shelled Physa and fossil
wood, fossiliferous mudstone records marginal lacustrine mudflat (Hayes, 1987).
Extends across eastern Pima, Santa Cruz, and western Cochise counties in southern
Arizona.
Shale member ranges up to 850 ft thick.
Generalized stratigraphic and columnar sections are published in Inman (1987) and
Hayes (1987).
Late Jurassic - Late Cretaceous McCoy Mountain Formation
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
Maroon, purple, gray mudstone. “The mudstone member (900 m thick) consists of thick
intervals of gray siltstone and mudstone interbedded at regular intervals with thin
horizons of sandstone and conglomerate” (Harding and Coney, 1985, p. 760).
“Homogenous mudstone and siltstone interbedded with minor sandstone and
conglomerate are common in the uppermost part of the unit (mudstone member).”
(Tosdal and Stone, 1994, p. 478).
Extends westward across southern La Paz County from southeast of Quartzite into
California (Spencer and others, 2011).
Mudstone member ranges up to 2900 ft thick (Harding and Coney, 1985, p. 760).
Generalized stratigraphic and columnar sections are published in Harding and Coney
(1985) and Tosdal and Stone (1994).
4
Early Cretaceous Apache Canyon/Schellenberger Formations of Bisbee Group
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
Thick black shale. “The Apache Canyon Formation (820-1640 ft thick) is composed
dominantly of thin-bedded dark-gray to black mudstone and limestone in varying
proportions.” (Dickinson and others, 1989, p. 453-454).
Extends across most of southern Cochise County in southeastern Arizona but primarily
Whetstone Mountains and Sonoita areas.
Ranges from 820-1640 ft thick across the area with 1000 ft of dark to black shale in the
Mountain States 1A well in 29-19s-18e. Graphic lithologic log and Apache Canyon
sample cuttings for are available at the AZGS.
Stratigraphic and columnar sections are published in Hayes (1970) and Dickinson and
others (1989).
Middle-Late Jurassic Crystal Cave Formation
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
“Dominant lithic type is black to dark-gray siltstone and mudstone with a blocky
character, generally lacking in fissility…Plant fragments are common…black mudstones
represent anoxic deposition…” (Lawton and Olmstead, 1995, p. 27 and 32).
Extends northwest-southeast across Chiricahua Mountains between Portal and Douglas in
eastern Cochise County.
Partial measured section of 475 ft.
Composite stratigraphic sections are published in Lawton and Olmstead (1995) and
Lawton (2000).
Pennsylvanian DBK shale in Hermosa Group
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC)
“The top of the lower member is a persistent 10 ft bed of black carbonaceous shale”
(McKenny and Masters, 1968, p. 2047).
Named herein for subsurface presence at Dineh-bi-Keyah Field and may be source bed
for oil accumulation in igneous reservoir rock of Oligocene age. The black shale may
extend across northern extent of Defiance uplift in northern Apache County.
Ten ft thick at Dineh-bi-Keyah Field.
Stratigraphic electric-log section showing relationship of black shale to the producing
horizon at Dineh-bi-Keyah is published in McKenny and Masters (1968).
Penetrated by as many as 56 exploration wells in the Dineh-bi-Keyah area. Well logs and
shale sample cuttings are available at the AZGS.
Devonian Elbert/Aneth shales
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
5
Aneth Formation is known only in the subsurface. It was first described in the Shell No. 1
Bluff Unit in southeastern Utah by Knight and Cooper (1955).
“The Aneth at its type section is composed of dark argillaceous dolomite with thin
interbeds of black shale and dark-colored siltstone” (Parker and Roberts, 1966, p. 2410).
Restricted to northwestern Apache County.
Three to four feet thick at Walker Creek Field.
E-log stratigraphic cross section published in Parker and Roberts (1963 and 1966). E-log
type section published in Harrison (1975).
Penetrated by as many as 83 exploration wells in northeastern Arizona. Typical section is
shown in the Texaco 2 Navajo-AG well in the Walker Creek Field, which produced oil
from the overlying McCracken Sandstone of the Devonian Elbert Formation. Well logs
and Aneth sample cuttings are available at the AZGS.
Devonian Morenci/Portal/Percha shale
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
“The upper 30-50 m is an olive-brown to reddish-brown shale called the Morenci
shale…the shale is unfossiliferous, but regional stratigraphic relations suggest it
correlates with the shale member of the Percha formation to the west and with the
[predominantly fissile black] Percha Shale to the east in New Mexico.” (Schumacher,
1978, p. 178). “Member 2 consists of hard, fissile, siliceous black shale that is readily
differentiated from the members above and below by its dark color and complete lack of
carbonate sediments.” (Sabins, 1957, p. 477).
Possible present across most of Graham County and eastern Pima County in southeastern
Arizona.
“Thickness of the shale member ranges from less than 10 ft to more than 200 ft.”
(Schumacher and others, 1976, p. 64).
Generalized columnar and stratigraphic sections are published in Sabins (1957) and
Schumacher and others (1978).
Cambrian Bright Angel Shale
No geochemical analyses, unknown total organic carbon content (TOC).
“The Bright Angel Shale is a mixture of many lithologic types, mostly mudstones, and
fine-grained sandstones, but the dominant rock is a shaley, green mudstone. Some of this
green rock is smooth, micaceous, and fissile; some is covered with fucoidal structures,
and splits along irregular, bumpy surfaces.” (McKee, 1969, p. 80) “Lithologically the
formation consists of sandstone, siltstone, and shale.” (Middleton, 1989, p. 275).
Extends across the Arizona Strip north of Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona.
“The thickness of the Bright Angel Shale decreases gradually from northwest [402 ft] to
southeast [325 ft].” (Noble, 1922, p. 41-42). “The Bright Angle Shale is over 135 m (445
6
ft) thick in the western Grand Canyon, thinning markedly toward the east.” (Middleton,
1989, p. 275).
Stratigraphy of Cambrian rocks exposed in Grand Canyon is published in McKee (1969)
and Middleton (1989).
Penetrated by five exploration wells in northwestern Arizona: Western Drilling/Valen 1
Federal, Brooks Exploration 1-26 Federal, Ultimate 2 Short Creek, Gulf 1 Cordillera 1 BJ
Federal, and Shields 12-24 Federal. Well logs and Bright Angel sample cuttings are
available at the AZGS.
Neoproterozoic Chuar Group, Walcott Shale Member of Kwagunt Formation
Geochemical analyses with good TOC (up to 8.29%) published in AZGS OFR 98-17 and
02-01. “The TOC of 32 samples ranged from 0.07 (poor) to 8.29% (excellent) and
averaged 1.93% (good).” (Wiley and others, 1998, p. 24).
“The thin-bedded, black, highly organic shales, found primarily in thin beds of the
Tanner and Carbon Canyon Members, in the upper portion of the Awatabi Member, and
in most of the Walcott Member, indicate deposition in the dysaerobic to anaerobic water
zones…” (Wiley and others, 2002, p. 49.
Extends from north-central Arizona into south-central Utah and preserved in half graben.
Measured thickness of the Walcott Member ranges from 763 ft to 922 ft (Wiley and
others, 2002, Table 1).
Stratigraphic outline of Grand Canyon Supergroup published in Elston (1989)
Penetrated by at least one exploration well in Arizona: Shields 12-24 Federal. Well logs
and Chuar Group sample cuttings and core chips are available at the AZGS.
Mesoproterozoic Apache Group, Pioneer Shale/black facies of Dripping Springs Quartzite
Geochemical analysis from outcrop samples have good TOC (up to 1.6%) published in
Desborough and others (1984, Table 1, p. 54).
“It is not known if there was sufficient organic-rich material in the black facies of the
Dripping Springs Quartzite and in the upper member of the Mescal Limestone to have
generated and expelled significant volumes of hydrocarbons for migration and economic
accumulation in reservoirs” (Desborough and others, 1984, p. 52).
Extends across most of Gila County in central Arizona.
Black facies of Dripping Springs ranges up to 120 ft thick.
Stratigraphic relations of the Apache Group and a generalized columnar section are
published in Granger and Raup (1964) and Desborough and others (1984).
References cited
Desborough, G.A., Poole, F.G., Daws, T.A., and Scarborough, Robert, 1984, Hydrocarbon
source rock evaluation of the Middle Proterozoic Apache Group, Gila County, Arizona, in
7
Woodward, Jane, Meissner, F.F., and Clayton, J.L., eds., Hydrocarbon source rocks of the
greater Rocky Mountain region: Denver, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, p. 51-
55.
Dickinson, W.R., Fiorillo, A.R., Hall, D.L., Monreal, R., Potochnik, A.R., and Swift, P.N., 1989,
Cretaceous strata of southern Arizona, in Jenney, J.P., and Reynolds, S.J., eds., Geologic
evolution of Arizona: Arizona Geological Society Digest 17, p. 447-461.
Elston, D.P., 1989, Grand Canyon Supergroup, northern Arizona: Stratigraphic summary and
preliminary paleomagnetic correlations with parts of other North American Proterozoic
successions, in Jenney, J.P., and Reynolds, S.J., eds., Geologic evolution of Arizona: Arizona
Geological Society Digest 17, p. 259-272.
Granger, H.C., and Raup, R.B., 1964, Stratigraphy of the Dripping Spring Quartzite,
southeastern Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1168, 119 p.
Harding, L.E., and Coney, P.J., 1985, The geology of the McCoy Mountains Formation,
southeastern California and southwestern Arizona: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v.
96, no. 6, p. 755-769.
Harrison, G.C., 1975, Facies analysis of the Devonian in Black Mesa Basin: Flagstaff, Northern
Arizona University, M.S. thesis, 57 p., 1 sheet.
Hayes, M.J., 1987, Depositional history of Upper Cretaceous Fort Crittenden Formation in
southeastern Arizona, in Dickinson, W.R., and Klute, M.A., eds., Mesozoic rocks of southern
Arizona and adjacent areas: Arizona Geological Society Digest, v. 18, p. 315-325.
Hayes, P.T., 1970, Cretaceous paleogeography of southeastern Arizona and adjacent areas: U.S.
Geological Survey Professional Paper 658-B, 42 p.
Inman, K.F., 1987, Depositional environments and sandstone petrography of Cretaceous
sedimentary rocks, Adobe Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, southeastern Arizona, in
Dickinson, W.R., and Klute, M.A., eds., Mesozoic rocks of southern Arizona and adjacent
areas: Arizona Geological Society Digest, v. 18, p. 301-314.
Knight, R.L., and Cooper, J.R., 1955, Suggested changes in Devonian terminology in the Four
Corners area, in Cooper, J.C., ed., Geology of parts of Paradox, Black Mesa, and San Juan
Basins, Four Corners Field Conference: Four Corners Geological Society Guidebook, p. 56-
58.
Lawton, T.F., 2000, Inversion of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous extensional faults of the Bisbee
Basin, southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, in Lawton, T.F., McMillan, N.J.,
and McLemore, V.T. eds., Southwest passage, a trip through the Phanerozioc: New Mexico
Geological Society 51st Field Conference Guidebook, p. 95-102.
Lawton, T.F., and Olmstead, G.A., 1995, Stratigraphy and structure of the lower part of the
Bisbee Group, northeastern Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, in Jacques-Ayala, C., Gonzalez-
Leon, C.M., and Roldan-Quintana, J., eds., Studies on the Mesozoic of Sonora and adjacent
areas: Geological Society of America Special Paper 301, p. 21-39.
8
McKee, E.D., 1969, Paleozoic rocks of Grand Canyon, in Baars, D.L., ed., Geology and Natural
History of the Grand Canyon region: Four Corners Geological Society 5th Field Conference
Guidebook, p. 78-90.
McKenny, J.W. and Masters, J.A., 1968, Dineh-Bi-Keyah Field, Apache County, Arizona: AAPG
Bulletin, v. 52, no. 10, October, p. 2045-2057.
Middleton, L.T., 1989, Cambrian and Ordovician depositional systems in Arizona, in Jenney,
J.P., and Reynolds, S.J., eds., Geologic evolution of Arizona: Arizona Geological Society
Digest 17, p. 273-286.
Nations, J.D., 1989, Cretaceous history of northeastern and east-central Arizona, in Jenney, J.P.,
and Reynolds, S.J., eds., Geologic evolution of Arizona: Arizona Geological Society Digest
17, p. 435-446
Nations, J.D., Swift, R.L., and Haven, H.W., 2000, Summary of Cretaceous stratigraphy and coal
distribution, Black Mesa Basin, Arizona; Chapter H of Geologic assessment of coal in the
Colorado Plateau, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah: U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 1625-B, 34 p.
Noble, L.F., 1922, A section of the Paleozoic formations of the Grand Canyon at the Bass Trail,
Chap. B, in Shorter contributions to general geology, 1922: U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 131-B, p. 23-73 [published separately as U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 131-B; U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 131 published in 1923].
Parker, J.W., and Roberts, J.W., 1963, Devonian and Mississippian stratigraphy of the central
part of the Colorado Plateau, in Bass, R.O., and Sharps, S.L., eds., A symposium: Shelf
carbonates of the Paradox Basin, Fourth Field Conference, June 12-16, 1963: Four Corners
Geological Society, p. 31-61.
Parker, J.W., and Roberts, J.W., 1966, Regional Devonian and Mississippian stratigraphy of the
central Colorado Plateau: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 50, no.
11, p. 2404-2433.
Rauzi, S., and Spencer, J., 2013, A brief overview of the Cretaceous Mancos Shale in
northeastern Arizona and its hydrocarbon potential: Arizona Geological Survey Open-File
Report 13-08, in review.
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Arizona: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 41, no. 3, p. 466-510.
Schumacher, Dietmar, 1978, Devonian stratigraphy and correlations in southeastern Arizona, in
Callender, J.F., Wilt, J.C., Clemons, R.E., and James, H.L., eds., Land of Cochise,
southeastern Arizona: New Mexico Geological Society 29th Field Conference Guidebook, p.
175-181.
Schumacher, Dietmar, Witter, D.P., Meader, S.J., and Keith, S.B., 1976, Late Devonian
tectonism in southeastern Arizona, in Wilt, J.C., and Jenney, J.P., eds., Tectonic digest:
Arizona Geological Society Digest, v. 10, p. 59-70.
9
Spencer, J.E., Richard, S.M., Gehrels, G.E., Gleason, J.D., and Dickinson, W.R., 2011, Age and
tectonic setting of the Mesozoic McCoy Mountains Formation in western Arizona, USA:
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