Conventional Oil and Gas Plays in the Idaho-Snake River Downwarp Province

Four conventional oil and gas plays define the fundamental geologic assessment units for the 1995 U.S. National Oil and Gas Assessment within the Idaho-Snake River Downwarp Province. The data, created by the CEOS_EXTRA organization, represents play boundaries mapped by geologists between 1993 and 1994. This collection was formally released in 1996.

Use Cases

• Analyze the spatial distribution of Miocene Lacustrine (Lake Bruneau) and Pliocene Lacustrine (Lake Idaho) plays for paleogeographic reconstruction.
• Compare the geologic boundaries of the Pre-Miocene and Older Tertiary plays to understand regional stratigraphic controls on hydrocarbon accumulation.
• Use the defined play boundaries as a foundational layer for integrating other geologic data, such as seismic interpretations or well logs, within the province.

Strengths

• Contains 4 distinct, geologically defined conventional plays.
• Play boundaries were defined by expert geologists for a national assessment.

Limitations

• Data is over 25 years old and may not reflect current geologic understanding or resource estimates.
• No quantitative resource data (e.g., estimated volumes) is included with the play definitions.
• The dataset is specific to a single province, limiting broader regional analysis without additional data.

Provenance

Source

CEOS_EXTRA, likely as part of the 1995 U.S. National Oil and Gas Assessment.

Collection Method

Geologic mapping and boundary definition by province geologists.

Time Range

Assessment period circa 1995; boundaries defined 1993-1994.

Freshness

1996-12-31

Geography

Idaho - Snake River Downwarp Province (Province 17).