Stratigraphic architecture of the Floyd (Neal) Shale in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama and Mississippi: Implications for regional exploration potential

The Floyd (Neal) Shale is an organic-rich black shale in the Black Warrior Basin that is being explored for its unconventional gas potential. To understand the stratigraphic architecture of the black shale facies in Mississippi, a detailed examination of well logs, conventional core, well log correlation (cross sections) and isopach maps were used to delineate and characterize the Neal Shale depositional facies.;From this study it can be concluded that parasequences associated with the upper Pride Mountain Formation, Hartselle, Floyd Shale and Bangor Limestone are equivalent to resistive units in the Neal Shale in Alabama. In Mississippi, the upper Pride Mountain Formation and Hartselle are distinctly separate and the Floyd Shale and Bangor Limestone comprise all equivalent units in the Neal Shale. The Neal Shale reaches maximum thickness of 125 ft and structurally deeper areas with maximum thickness of shale are key areas to focus for future potential gas exploration.