1st Research Conference - Gulf Coast Section SEPM

The Deep Tuscaloosa Gas Trend of Southern
Louisiana.
Bland, F.X., Chevron USA, New Orleans, LA (p. 11-12)
The discovery in May, 1975, of the deep, high pressured gas reservoirs in the
Chevron No. 1 Alma Plantation well, located just northwest of Baton Rouge in
south-central Louisiana, has sparked the most intensely competitive
exploration play in the country today. The combined attractions of the
discovery of a new trend of deep Tuscaloosa age sandstone objectives deposited
south of the underlying Lower Cretaceous shelf edge in a lightly explored and
essentially non-productive portion of the state, in conjunction with indicated
high gas flow potentials, initially high exploratory success ratios, available
land, and most significantly, rising gas prices, afforded an opportunity (for as
many as 100 different operating, investment, and service companies, major
and independent alike) to accept the formidable challenges of the exploration of
the hostile pressure and temperature environments of the deep Tuscaloosa
formations.
The geological and geophysical work, directed specifically toward the discovery
of this trend, commenced by Chevron in 1963 and spanned over 11 years
before the first discovery was made. The evolution of Chevron's geological and
geophysical thinking during this period is reviewed, as well as an outline of
some of the major problems involved with the exploitation of this trend. A
summary of results during the initial five years of development is presented.