Description: Numerous cross sections of the Lower Devonian interval of the central Appalachian Basin (Abel and Heyman, 1981; Diecchio and others, 1984; Harper and Patchen, 1996; Opritza, 1996; Patchen and Harper, 1996) demonstrate that the Oriskany Sandstone interval is generally continuous. The Oriskany has been interpreted as a transgressive sand unit (Diecchio and others, 1984), and these types of sandstones tend to be highly continuous. However, the upper boundary of the Oriskany is an erosional unconformity, which resulted in significant thinning and, in places, removal of the sandstone unit (Abel and Heyman, 1981; Diecchio and others, 1984). To characterize sand-body continuity, we used the map of Diecchio and others, (1984; their fig. 4), which shows a combination of formation thickness and sandstone percentage. Specifically we characterize sand-body continuity as generally good for areas on this map where the formation is more than 50 ft thick and sand content is more than 50 percent. Other areas of Oriskany where the unit is more than 50 ft thick and/or shale and limestone content is more than 50 percent, sandstone continuity is mapped as fair to poor. Note that areas along the western and northwestern boundaries of the mapped generally-good-sand-body continuity may also have good sand-body continuity; sand intervals in these areas are only slightly less than 50 ft thick. The abundant geophysical well logs can be used in specific areas to further define sand-body continuity.
Service Item Id: af22e82441314be8b25d2417e49c89d8
Copyright Text: Abel, K. D., and Heyman, L., 1981, The Oriskany Sandstone in the subsurface of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Mineral Resources Report 81, 9 p.
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Diecchio, R. J., Jones, S. E., and Dennison, J. M., 1984, Oriskany Sandstone regional stratigraphic relationships and production trends: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Map WV-17, 8 plates.
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Harper, J. A., and Patchen, D. G., 1996, Play Dos: the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone structural play, in Roen, J. B., and Walker, B. J., eds., The atlas of major Appalachian gas plays: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Publication V-25, p. 109–117. *
Opritza, S. T., 1996, Play Dop: the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone updip permeability pinchout, in Roen, J. B., and Walker, B. J., eds., The atlas of major Appalachian gas plays: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Publication V-25, p. 126–129.
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Patchen, D. G., and Harper, J. A., 1996, Play Doc: the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone combination traps play, in Roen, J. B., and Walker, B. J., eds., The atlas of major Appalachian gas plays: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey Publication V-25, p. 118–125