Characterization of Rodessa Formation Reservoir (Lower Cretaceous) in Van Field, Van Zandt County, Texas

The Rodessa Formation is one of the major oil and gas reservoirs in the East Texas Basin. In Van Field, the upper Rodessa Formation consists of interbedded biotic and abiotic mudstones to grainstones. The lower Rodessa is composed of interbedded sandstones, shales, and limestones called the Carlisle Member. Based on core and well log interpretation, the Rodessa Formation was deposited on a broad, restricted, shallow marine platform interpreted to be lagoonal, subtidal, and intertidal. Both Rodessa limestone and sandstone have been altered significantly by diagenetic processes that include micritization, cementation, dissolution, neomorphism and compaction. Dissolution is the main factor that resulted in enhanced porosity and permeability while cementation adversely affected porosity. Diagenesis is interpreted to have begun in the marine phreatic environment and continued through the freshwater phreatic and shallow burial environments. Two reservoir units have been identified from core and well log interpretations. The potential reservoir within the Rodessa Formation occurs in the Carlisle Member which is composed mainly of medium to coarse grained sandstone with porosities and permeabilities in ranges of 8 to 11 percent and 46 to 896 millidarcies, respectively. The water saturation analysis has also shown the reservoir to be hydrocarbon bearing, having water saturation below 46 percent.