Pottsville Formation, Black Warrior Basin (02)

Alabama and Mississippi

Comments on Geologic Parameters

02 Permeability/Hydraulic Conductivity:

Permeability data from oil fields (Galicki, 1986; Beard and Meylan 1987; E. Doherty, personal communication, 1999) are presented on the 2pottsville GIS map. Permeability values range from 0.06 to 54 md. Permeability also appears to occur in fracture-enhanced sands and silts (Ortiz and others, 1993). The normal faulting and lineaments present in the basin are the main factors that seem to control the permeability. Two types of lineaments are characteristic of the N30-60E and N30-60W areas. Some disposal wells have shown good injection rates. But because the permeability is not associated with the rock matrix, injection zones into fractures may have to be determined during drilling with loss of circulation (Ortiz and others, 1993).

02 Reference:

Beard, R. H., and Meylan, M. A., 1987, Petrology and hydrocarbon reservoir potential of subsurface Pottsville (Pennsylvanian) sandstones, Black Warrior Basin, Mississippi: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, v. 33. p 11–23.

Doherty, E.,1999. Report of Investigation. Bureau of Economic Geology.

Galicki, S., 1986, Mesozoic-Paleozoic producing areas of Mississippi and Alabama: Mississippi Geological Society.

Ortiz, I., Weller, R., and others, 1993, Disposal of produced waters: underground injection option in the Black Warrior Basin: Proceedings of the 1993 International Symposium: The University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa, p. 339–364.