<p> The Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk is a tremendous hydrocarbon reservoir. The Austin Chalk is partly self-sourced,but is primarily sourced by the underlying Eagle Ford Formation. There have been numerous studies investigating the fracture network in the Austin Chalk to understand hydrocarbon migration and maximize recovery. However, limited research has been conducted to investigate the natural fracture system of the Eagle Ford formation, and to constrain migration pathway to the overlying Austin Chalk. Such research would reveal hydrocarbons pathways through the Eagle Ford and into the Austin Chalk. </p><p> This study investigates the fracture system of the Eagle Ford Formation that potentially served as migration pathways for hydrocarbons to the overlying Austin Chalk. The geochemistry of fracture fill is used to constrain fluid composition and source, and condition and timing of fluid migration. This project focuses on outcrops along U.S. Highway 90 north of Del Rio, as well as various quarries near Del Rio, San Antonio, and Waco in order to characterize the natural fracture system of the Eagle Ford Formation. Thin sections of fracture fill were collected for microstructural analysis to constrain paleostress, and vein crack and sealing mechanism over time. Geochemistry of the vein fill, Rock-Eval, and X-ray fluorescence are analyzed to constrain fluid-rock interaction and hydrocarbon migration.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10928888 |
| Date | 12 April 2019 |
| Creators | Miller, Madison |
| Publisher | University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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