Master of Science / Department of Geology / Matthew Totten / The Viola Limestone is a prominent petroleum reservoir in the Mid-Continent Region, particularly in Oklahoma and Kansas. Coral Coast Petroleum established production from the Viola Ls. in 2011 in their Stephens Ranch lease in Clark County, south-central Kansas. Development of this lease has been hindered by the unpredictable production rates encountered in each of the subsequent eleven development wells. Infield drilling locations to date were chosen by favorable structural position as determined by 3D seismic. The best reservoir conditions, however, do not necessarily coincide with structural position. It was the purpose of this study to determine whether the ideal porosity and permeability are controlled by depositional environment, diagenetic alterations, or a combination of these factors. Several approaches to solve this question were implemented and utilized, including well log analysis, petrographic inspection of well cuttings and thin sections, and the application of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). An exploration model of the Viola Ls. in this field was developed, where the Viola A and B zones were dolomitized during during marine transgressions by mixing of sea water with other Mg-rich fluids. Reservoir conditions are found where these facies were preserved as paleotopographic highs during a subsequent sea level low-stand. These preserved dolomitized facies correspond to the seismic facies identified by seismic attributes in a 3D seismic study by Vohs (2016).

Master of Science / Department of Geology / Abdelmoneam Raef / Seismic reservoir characterization and prospect evaluation based 3D seismic attributes analysis in Kansas has been successful in contributing to the tasks of building static and dynamic reservoir models and in identifying commercial hydrocarbon prospects. In some areas, reservoir heterogeneities introduce challenges, resulting in some wells with poor economics. Analysis of seismic attributes gives insight into hydrocarbon presence, fluid movement (in time lapse mode), porosity, and other factors used in evaluating reservoir potential. This study evaluates a producing lease using seismic attributes analysis of an area covered by a 2010 3D seismic survey in the Morrison Northeast field and Morrison field of Clark County, KS. The target horizon is the Viola Limestone, which continues to produce from seven of twelve wells completed within the survey area. In order to understand reservoir heterogeneities, hydrocarbon entrapment settings and the implications for future development plans, a seismic attributes extraction and analysis, guided with geophysical well-logs, was conducted with emphasis on instantaneous attributes and amplitude anomalies. Investigations into tuning effects were conducted in light of amplitude anomalies to gain insight into what seismic results led to the completion of the twelve wells in the area drilled based on the seismic survey results. Further analysis was conducted to determine if the unsuccessful wells completed could have been avoided. Finally the study attempts to present a set of 3D seismic attributes associated with the successful wells, which will assist in placing new wells in other locations within the two fields, as well as promote a consistent understanding of entrapment controls in this field.