14 Practical Sequence Stratigraphy XIV: Correlation 21 Climate Change VII: The Spin Cycle 27 Halliburton: Connecting the Reservoir to the Pipeline 33 Wanted: Ideas for Technical Sessions for GeoCanada 2010 Convention 36 2009 Awards Reception

JULY/AUGUST 2009 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 7 Canadian Publication Mail Contract – 40070050 Since 1927... Define Reservoir Parameters with Confidence

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Define Reservoir JULY/AUGUST 2009 – VOLUME 36, ISSUE 7 ARTICLES Parameters with Practical Sequence Stratigraphy XIV: Correlation ...... 14 Climate Change VII: The Spin Cycle ...... 21 Halliburton: Connecting the Reservoir to the Pipeline ...... 27 Confidence 21st Annual CSPG-CSEG 10km / 5km Road Race and Fun Run ...... 30 CSPG OFFICE Wanted: Ideas for Technical Sessions for GeoCanada 2010 Convention ...... 33 #600, 640 - 8th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 1G7 Another Successful Long-time Members Reception ...... 34 Tel: 403-264-5610 Fax: 403-264-5898 Web: www.cspg.org 2009 Awards Reception ...... 36 Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm 2008 Medal of Merit ...... 39 Executive Director: Lis Bjeld Email: [email protected] 2008 H.M. Hunter Award ...... 40 Advertising & Sponsorship Coordinator: Alyssa Middleton Email: [email protected] 2008 Honourary Membership Award ...... 42 Communications Coordinator: Heather Tyminski Email: [email protected] 2008 President’s Award ...... 44 Member Services Coordinator: Kasandra Klein Email: [email protected] President’s Special Recognition Award ...... 46 Registration Coordinator: Dayna Rhoads Email: [email protected] Joint Annual Convention Committee DEPARTMENTS Convention Manager: Shauna Carson Email: [email protected] Executive Comment ...... 5 Convention Coordinator: Tanya Santry Email: [email protected] Technical Luncheons ...... 8 EDITORS/AUTHORS Division Talks ...... 12 Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG office. Submission deadline is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to issue Rock Shop ...... 20, 46 date. (e.g., January 23 for the March issue).

To publish an article, the CSPG requires digital copies of the document. Text should be in Microsoft Word format and illustrations should be in TIFF format at 300 dpi., at final size. For additional information on manuscript preparation, refer to the Guidelines for Authors published in the CSPG Bulletin or contact the editor.

Technical Editors Ben McKenzie Colin Yeo (Assistant Tech. Editor) Tarheel Exploration EnCana Corporation Tel: 403-277-4496 Tel: 403-645-7724 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Coordinating Editor Looking to maximize opportunities in today’s volatile market? Heather Tyminski Comunications and Public Affairs, CSPG Tel: 403-513-1227, Email: [email protected] Combine the power of PETRA® and IHS Critical Information including well and ADVERTISING log data to define reservoir parameters and determine new opportunities faster and Advertising inquiries should be directed to Alyssa Middleton, Tel: 403-513-1233, email: [email protected]. The deadline more cost effectively. to reserve advertising space is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to issue date.

Let IHS information solutions improve your decision-making and reduce your risk. The RESERVOIR is published 11 times per year by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. This includes a combined issue for the months of July and August. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish. The RESERVOIR is not intended to be a formal, peer-reviewed publication. Additional information on the RESERVOIR’s guidelines can be found in the May 2008 issue (p.46-48; For more information on PETRA visit us at available at http://www.cspg.org/publications/reservoir/reservoir-archive-2008.cfm). No official endorsement or sponsorship by the CSPG is implied for any advertisement, insert, or article that appears in the Reservoir unless otherwise noted. FRONT COVER www.ihs.com/reservoirsolutions Best 2009 Calendar Photo. Erg Chebbi dune field, near Merzouga, The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. Morocco. Barchan and star dunes make up this dune field that is 22 kilometres long (north-south) and five kilometres wide. Its dunes reach a maximum height ©2009 IHS Inc. All rights reserved. Design & Layout by Sundog Printing. Printed in Canada by Sundog Printing. of 150 metres. Photo by Rhea Karvonen. Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are available at the CSPG office for $3.00 each. RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 3 built to trim size 8.325 x 10.875” Bleed .25 Since 1927...

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GasPump_Jun.indd 1 6/8/09 1:19:53 PM built to trim size 8.325 x 10.875” Bleed .25 Since 1927... EXECUTIVE COMMENT A message from the CSPG Assistant Programs Director, Scott Leroux

The Joint Annual Convention: What has happened to the Technical Program?

CSPG With another CSPG/CSEG/CWLS joint are committed to joint conventions until EXECUTIVE convention in the books, the latest meeting 2015. of the three societies was quite successful President despite the economic challenges it faced. Over the past few years I have felt there Graeme Bloy • Canada Capital Energy Corporation As most of you are well aware, the has been a growing perception that the [email protected] Tel: (403) 975-5784 annual joint convention is a large income technical program is growing stale (losing component for CSPG on an annual basis technical and business relevancy to issues Vice President and has been a “C3-Geo” joint convention facing our members). Although this is since the AAPG was last here in 2005. difficult to quantify (the 2009 CSPG John Varsek • EnCana Corporation Previously, the CSPG combined efforts Membership Survey may help) we can [email protected] Tel: (403) 645-2000 with our sister societies on numerous analyze some of the trends with respect Proudly brought to you by Professionals in occasions, dating back to at least the early to technical program submissions over the Past President eighties. years and highlight some of the challenges Geoscience and Engineering Lisa Griffith • Griffith Geoconsulting we face with the annual convention. [email protected] Tel: (403) 669-7494 This comment is a look back at the Joint Convention, and my own view of how For most CSPG members, the backbone Finance Director the technical program has changed over of the conference is the technical program David Garner • Chevron Canada Resources the last few decades. How may we learn (including Core Conference) and as the [email protected] Tel: (403) 234-5875 from the past as we move forward into 2008 CSPG Technical Program Co-Chair Alberta’s Professional Geoscientists and Engineers provide Albertans the future? I know first-hand how difficult it is to put with many of the essentials of daily living. The work that they do allows together a quality program that is not only Assistant Finance Director all of us to enjoy warmth, light, power, water and the ability to travel The idea of joint conventions is nothing cutting edge, but relevant and popular with Greg Lynch • Shell Canada Ltd. and communicate over distance. new; bringing together various geological the diverse membership interests at any [email protected] Tel: (403) 691-3111 societies happens all the time. The north- one time. The 2009 program had a total Since 1920, Members of APEGGA, The Association of Professional south alignment of the CSPG with the of 286 abstracts accepted (Oral, Poster, Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta, have made a Program Director US-based AAPG and SEPM in 1970, 1982, and Core); 58% were submitted by CSPG difference in the daily lives of millions of Albertans by bringing science Randy Rice • Suncor Energy Inc. 1992, and 2005, the east-west culmination members, 36% by CSEG members, 2% by and innovation to life. [email protected] Tel: (403) 205-6723 of the more national CSPG/CSEG/CWLS/ CWLS members, and the remaining 4% GAC/MAC/CGU for GeoCanada 2000 were by non-members, a trend, with some The P.Geol., P.Geoph., P.Eng., and R.P.T. professional designations and the 20+ societies in the upcoming variance, that holds true for most joint represent the highest standards of quality, professionalism and ethics ASSISTANT Program Director in geoscience and engineering. APEGGA Members can take pride in Scott Leroux • EnCana Corporation GeoCanada 2010 have brought forth conventions. Admittedly, some people the role they play and the contribution they make to Alberta. [email protected] Tel: (403) 645-2000 diverse technical programs, networking, hold more than one membership so the and a varied multidisciplinary audience. It numbers are not absolute. has also allowed exhibitors and sponsors APEGGA and its over 55,000 Members are committed to public safety SERVICES DIRECTOR and well-being through the self-regulation of the geoscience and the convenience of “one-stop-shopping” As part of a larger study of primarily Ayaz Gulamhussein • NuVista Energy Ltd. engineering professions in Alberta. at a single event. The success of the earlier CSPG/CSEG and more recently CSPG/ [email protected] Tel: (403) 538-8510 joint conventions and the need for multi- CSEG/CWLS joint conventions, a number Visit www.apegga.org for more information. year planning and operational efficiencies have been analyzed for data (1984, 1994, Assistant Service Director led to the commitment of the Executives 1998, 2006-2009) in detail. The goal of this Penny Colton • Geophysical Service Inc. to have joint conventions as the norm study is to get an anecdotal understanding [email protected] Tel: (403) 514-6267 beginning in 2006. This relationship was of abstract submission sources (Academia, formalized by the Joint Annual Convention Industry E&P, Government, Service Outreach Director Committee (JACC) in 2008 which is Companies, Consultants, Research Bodies, Geologists Mike DesRoches • Talisman Energy Inc. chaired today by Tony Cadrin and consists and Other – often business). As you of representatives from CSPG, CSEG, can see from Table 1, there have been Professional Geophysicists [email protected] Tel: (403) 513-6843 { Engineers and CWLS, as well as two full-time staff some noteworthy shifts over the years. members. Its mandate is to “improve both A full reporting of this analysis is beyond Communications Director the technical and operational aspects of our the scope of this column however, some Peggy Hodgkins • CGGVeritas convention programs.” The three societies (Continued on page 7...) [email protected] Tel: (403) 266-3225 we make a difference www.apegga.org RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 5

GasPump_Jun.indd 1 6/8/09 1:19:53 PM Since 1927... Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists 20th ANNUAL MIXED GOLF TOURNAMENT www.cspg.org FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009 - LYNX RIDGE GOLF CLUB

Format: Modi ed Texas Scramble, shotgun start at 8:00 am. Teams will be assigned according to handicap or average score. This is a fun tournament open to both men and women. Registration includes a continental breakfast, dinner, green fees, and power carts.

Registration Deadline August 7, 2009 (Priority will be given to CSPG Members). CSPG Members: Register online at http://www.cspg.org/events/events-social-golf.cfm. Non-Members and Guests: Mail or fax your form to CSPG’s of ce (contact information below).

� CSPG - Member # � Non Member Name:

Company:

Address:

Phone (daytime): Phone / Cell (evening):

Email:

� Male � Female Club Handicap or average 18 hole score:

Guest Name: (One guest allowed per CSPG Member)

� Male � Female Club Handicap or average 18 hole score:

Please note: A waiver must be signed by EACH participant five business days prior to the Mixed Golf Tournament. A waiver form will be distributed to you once your registration form has been processed. If a waiver is not signed prior to the tournament, your registration will be removed from the tournament. All registrations must be accompanied by full payment. All cancellations or amendments to registrations must be received in writing via email to Dick Willott at [email protected]. Phone requests will not be accepted. The cancellation or amendment must be received by 4:00 pm on August 14, 2009. A 15% cancellation and administration fee will apply.

For more information, contact Dick Willott at 403-543-5387, Brenda Pearson at 403-206-3339, or David Caldwell at 403-852-5571.

$ 85.00 Member $ 125.00 Non-Member / Guest $ 25.00 Extra Meal Ticket (Non-playing guests. Maximum 10 spots;  rst-come,  rst served.) $ TOTAL (GST Included. GST # 118836295)

� VISA � MC � Cheque/Money Order (Payable to CSPG)

Card Number: Expiry:

Name of Cardholder: Signature:

Registrations to be sent to: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Attn: Mixed Golf Tournament 600, 640 – 8 Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 1G7 Phone: 403.264.5610 Fax: 403.264.5898

Since 1927... (...Continued from page 5) Whatever the reason may be, it is one thing interesting preliminary trends are worth to criticize, but another to do something mentioning. that will improve what is essentially your event. The annual convention will remain One of the most encouraging trends is an integral part of our Society’s structure, the consistent and strong number of reducing the frequency does not appear contributions from academia. A deeper to be an option so how do we create the look shows that students from Canadian program that you want? We are a technical universities dominate and was apparent society who wants to see great technical again this year with an excellent student presentations, but have seemingly become line-up. On the other side is the slow more reluctant to “step up to the plate”. decline of participation by consultants as I encourage the entire CSPG membership well as the more noticeable decline of to think about the future direction of Industry E&P participation in the Technical the joint convention and think of ways Program over the years. Once supplying up to encourage more participation. We are to 25% of the Technical Program, Industry always looking for new blood and new E&P submissions have decreased to only ideas and we need your help. How do CORPORATE 13% of the 2009 program (first authors). we encourage people to share their great MEMBERS ideas and make it worth their while? Do Since a large proportion of the CSPG we need to change the model? Do we need membership falls into this category (myself to invite additional and different societies APACHE CANADA LTD. included) we need to ask ourselves, why to participate by running special sessions? is this happening? Is it the attitude of Or is there a way to encourage the oil BAKER ATLAS the companies on publishing (real or and gas industry to come back to the ConocoPhillips Canada limited perceived)? Is it because it is too time podium, possibly by showcasing technical consuming? Has our material become prospects that are non-confidential (or Devon Canada Corporation more confidential? Is it because many of us For Sale). The Technical program at the enerplus resources trust work in a mature basin where exploration annual convention is very good, but can and frontier activity is on the decline? Or always be improved. We welcome your geologic systems ltd. could it be that we are victims of our own suggestions. GEOMODELING TECHNOLOGY CORP. success. The CSPG runs 12 successful Technical Divisions, many of which provide Suggestions or comments can be sent to Hunt Oil Company Of Canada high quality talks monthly. Add to this JACC through Shauna Carson (scarson@ HUSKY ENERGY INC. the heavily attended Technical Luncheon geoconvention.org) or any member of program (both CSPG and CSEG) and the executive listed on our website IHS you can see that there are several straws (http://www.cspg.org/contact/contact- Imperial Oil Resources draining the same pool. Participation from committees-executive.cfm). the government sector seems to parallel Lario Oil & Gas Company times when major projects have come to little rock document services fruition. It also underlines the strong and consistent contribution from the GSC, MJ Systems which we are fortunate to have based here Murphy Oil Company in Calgary. Nexen Inc. 7HFKQLFDO3URJUDP6XEPLVVLRQVE\6HFWRU PENN WEST PETROLEUM LTD. &63*&6(*&63*&6(*&:/6-RLQW&RQYHQWLRQV Petro-Canada Oil And Gas  5HVHDUFK

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 7 TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS SEPTEMBER Luncheon sponsored by

Please note: working in environments with evaporites Fingerprinting The cut-off date for ticket sales is (hence brine formation-water), or in Thank You to our 1:00 pm, Thursday, September 10, 2009. shallow (fresh formation-water) settings. A formation waters CSPG Member Ticket Price: $38.00 + GST. new fingerprinting technique using stable Non-Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium Corporate Members using stable in formation waters has been developed Due to the recent popularity of talks, we that overcomes many of the problems with Thank you for taking a leadership role in working with isotopes: strongly suggest purchasing tickets early, as we previous methods. the CSPG to advance the science of petroleum geology. cannot guarantee seats will be available on the applications to cut-off date. An ongoing sampling program has collected several thousand samples from producing petroleum Did you know that you can book a table for the wells and drillstem tests, initially in the Technical Luncheon? To book your table, or to Williston Basin (Canada-USA) and more exploration and buy individual tickets, visit www.cspg.org or call recently in the Alberta Basin. These data CSPG’s office at (403) 264-5610. have lead to the creation of an isotopic production database of formation waters that has During petroleum exploration and enabled the use of isotopic fingerprinting SPEAKER production operations the question often techniques in a variety of exploration and B. J. Rostron arises “Is the fluid recovered during production operations, including: Department of Earth and Atmospheric well testing pure formation water or Sciences, University of Alberta contaminated with drilling fluid?” A variety 1) During drillstem testing and swabbing of water chemical techniques (e.g., Stiff operations to determine if the recovered 11:30 am diagrams) have historically been used to fluid is formation water, and hence the Tuesday, September 15, 2009 answer this question. However, standard validity of collected fluid sample(s). Telus Convention Centre chemical fingerprinting techniques can be Calgary, Alberta problematic or ambiguous, especially when 2) As a production monitoring tool, to determine if produced fluids are originating in the perforated zone (versus ‘leaking’ into the wellbore from other formations). Repairing wells producing “out of zone” water can extend their life. LittLe Rock 3) As an aid to exploration, by enhancing Document Services understanding of reservoir continuity.

These techniques are relatively fast and inexpensive, and have proven very useful to the petroleum industry.

BIOGRAPHY Ben Rostron is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta. He has a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering (Waterloo), and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Geology (Alberta). His research is focused on mapping and numerical simulation, of the large-scale movement of subsurface fluids (oil, gas, water) in geologic basins. Simon Haynes receiving the draw prize from Lis Bjeld, CSPG Executive Director. Rostron is a member of CSPG, AAPG, and GSA and is registered as a P.Eng. / P.Geol. with CSPG Draw Prize Winner teck coMiNco CSPG held a laptop draw at our booth at the APEGGA and APEGS. CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention in May 2009 for CSPG members. LiMiteD We would like to congratulate Simon Haynes for winning the DellTM VostraTM 1510 laptop, generously donated by toURMALiNe oiL coRP. Debian Information Technology. Thank you to all those who participated in the draw.

8 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 Thank You to our Corporate Members Thank you for taking a leadership role in working with the CSPG to advance the science of petroleum geology.

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 9 TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS SEPTEMBER Luncheon sponsored by

Comparisons with modern deep-sea slides to the surface as possible by swimming with Avalanches: and slumps are presented which identify the current. Mouth and nose become filled identical avalanche morphologies of with snow in an instant – almost before the turbidity current fracture lines, slide scars, flow valleys, and individual is aware of what has happened. run-out fans. The main difference is scale. Every attempt has to be made to retain one’s analogues that Whereas avalanches tend to run less than senses, to hold one’s breath, keep one’s mouth a kilometre, but occasionally can go much closed, protect the face, and to preserve kill further, deep-sea slumps set off huge gravity an air pocket once the avalanche “quick mass flows that, in the case of the Bengal phases,” whereby it essentially converts to SPEAKER Fan, can run as far as 2,000 km. The end a rigid immoveable mass as the finer-grained Dr. John Harper products are similar in many cases; being snow metamorphoses and freezes. Once Harper Consulting International Inc. debris flows, slab avalanches or slides, sluffs, having been entombed, the trapped individual channelized deposits, leveed margins, distal suffocates in either the packed snow or the 11:30 am fans, meandering channels, and spillover subsequent ice mask which forms as exhaled Thursday, September 24, 2009 lobes. Water content variations in avalanche air melts the surface of the pocket and then Telus Convention Centre deposits can result in significantly different freezes. Calgary, Alberta surface character to the deposits which can be likewise identified in the deep marine. Recognition of conditions and potential Please note: Inner bend and the thicker, major outer dangers (risk analysis is something to which The cut-off date for ticket sales bend deposits occur in like fashion between we are accustomed) can be addressed at is 1:00 pm, Monday, September 21, 2009. modern turbidity currents and avalanches. many levels from Google imagery, to use of CSPG Member Ticket Price: $38.00 + GST. Canadian Avalanche Association area reports, Non-Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. To watch an avalanche is to see a flume study to Alberta Environment snowfall (snow in motion. The huge plume reacts in air as pillow) records, to use of the “Avaluator,” Due to the recent popularity of talks, we it does in flume water studies. The internal to awareness of local conditions, and to strongly suggest purchasing tickets early, as we motion of the plume is identical to that seen analysis of snow pits. Training courses and the cannot guarantee seats will be available on the in the water versions. The slide initiates at purchase of appropriate rescue equipment is cut-off date. an uppermost fracture line of varying height imperative. Of course, once it is necessary depending on how much of the sediment for you to have to use the equipment it Did you know that you can book a table for load is involved, whether it is only a surface almost too late anyway. So the best advice is the Technical Luncheons? To book your slide or it fractures to the underlying ground. to exercise restraint in exuberant situations company’s table, or to buy individual tickets, In the latter case significant volumes of rock and not become a victim. In a risk sense the visit www.cspg.org or call CSPG’s office at can become incorporated – so much so that equipment is necessary “once you get on the (403) 264-5610. geologic studies have tried to characterize curve.” The trick is to avoid getting on the the fabric, texture, and bed stacking curve! Avalanches! The word conjures up images relationships of the sediments. quite familiar to Canadians in winter, We are fast approaching a new winter season. especially those in mountainous regions, Almost instantaneously, after the fracture Snow has already begun to accumulate. Please although avalanches occur wherever snow line initiates, a huge area downslope of the let this be a reminder to renew your training, can build up an accumulation. In reality – in fracture detaches and the deposit begins to practice your skills, evaluate the degree of geologic terms – avalanches are turbidity move as a mass of snow blocks of all sizes, risk you are willing to accept, and if necessary currents, and their deposits are snow loose snow, maybe rocks, and trees, and too make sure your will is up to date. Reservoir Characterization turbidites. Avalanches are all about the often humans and their skis or snowmobiles, instability of snow sediment overload. down the chutes and bowls, over the rock I would like to extend my thanks to the Instability occurs as a result of snow cliffs, and channelized around bends. The producers of the avalanche film “The Fine overloading on steepened slopes on which front of the flow begins to mix with the air, Line” which won awards at the Banff film Analyze your reservoir using the most advanced software and consulting services. there occur defined slide surfaces. Sediment thereby creating the plume. Flow lobes race festival, and for which they gave permission Software for inversion, AVO, 4D, multicomponent and rock properties. overload is the result of heavy snowfall, or and spurt out in front of the main flow, picking for use of the leader I used to introduce this wind loading (cornices are generally in up and incorporating downslope snow in the talk. The film, which is a superb training tool, Consulting services include the mapping of fracture density and orientation, evidence). Slope angles corresponding to avalanche’s body. Velocities can reach as high can be purchased at Mountain Equipment stochastic inversion, pre-stack simultaneous inversion and Lambda Mu Rho. instability range from about 30° to 50°. At as 200 km/hour. Outer bends, base of slope Co-op in Calgary, Alberta for nominal cost, higher angles it is difficult for the snow to fans, and accumulation lows are where the as can the “Avaluator.” Count on Hampson-Russell to help you understand your reservoir. accumulate and hold. At lower angles the bodies commonly are deposited. As the flow snow stabilises very rapidly and holds in begins to slow, it fans into its proximal and BIOGRAPHY place. Interestingly, a slope angle of 18° is distal portions which are commonly defined John D. Harper, Ph.D., P. Geol., FGSA, FGAC: considered steep by most skiers. Double- by channels and levees just as are the marine previously Senior Geological Advisor, ConocoPhillips black runs tend to be in the high 20°s and equivalents. Canada Ltd.; Retired Full Professor, Petroleum steeper. Defined slide detachment surfaces Geology, and the first Director of the Centre for result from extended periods of freeze and Once caught in the mass flow, unless trapped Earth Resources Research at Memorial University thaw, or rain and freeze, or sun melt and at the margin, there is absolutely no chance of Newfoundland to January 1, 1998, and freeze. of escaping other than trying to keep as near (Continued on page 45...) Contact: Tel: +1 403 266 3225 cggveritas.com/hampson-russell 10 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 09A-SV-227-V1 Reservoir Characterization

Analyze your reservoir using the most advanced software and consulting services. Software for inversion, AVO, 4D, multicomponent and rock properties. Consulting services include the mapping of fracture density and orientation, stochastic inversion, pre-stack simultaneous inversion and Lambda Mu Rho. Count on Hampson-Russell to help you understand your reservoir.

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09A-SV-227-V1 (Continued on page 38...)

DIVISION TALKS INTERNATIONAL and structural Division sponsored by

12:00 Noon this study radically alter earlier views of the A gravity collapse Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Wytch Farm and regional petroleum system, ConocoPhillips Amphitheatre, 3rd Floor suggesting the need for detailed review origin for the West End of Gulf Canada Square of burial history, hydrocarbon maturation, 401 – 9th Avenue S.W. and migration, which will lead to renewed Hampshire Basin, Calgary, Alberta exploration. and its effect on The Hampshire Basin is a topographic BIOGRAPHY depression in southern England, some 3,500 Peter Jones (B.Sc., F. G. S., FGSA, P. Geol., the petroleum km2 in area. It extends about 140 km from Academician of Russian Academy of Natural west to east and up to 40 km from north to Sciences) is a consulting geologist, specializing system of the south. Geologically it is a half-graben, with in petroleum exploration in areas of complex normal faulting along its north edge and the structures and deformed belts. Wytch Farm and Purbeck monocline forming a hanging wall rollover fold along the south edge. Starting Jones formed International Tectonic Consultants other oilfields in in the nineteenth century, the structural Ltd. in 1980 to specialize in petroleum history of the region had been described in exploration in areas of complex structures, Southern terms of mid-Cretaceous rifting followed primarily associated with thrust and fold belts. by Tertiary (Alpine) compression. The He has worked all over the world including the England 1973 discovery of the Wytch Farm oilfield U.S.A., UK, Former Soviet Union, China, the in Mesozoic sediments provided well and Far East, and South America. SPEAKER seismic data leading to a new model for the Peter B. Jones evolution of the area through the mechanism Jones has published numerous papers and International Tectonic Consultants Ltd. of inversion tectonics. That model postulated achieved international recognition for his work on Cretaceous rifting with normal faults that the frontal margins of deformed belts in a 1982 CO-AUTHOR became inverted during the Tertiary to form paper described by Ian Vann (VP technology David Clark supposedly Alpine-related folds and reverse of BP) as the “most important breakthrough and thrust faults. in structural geology in a decade.” That paper was also described as “the biggest advance in Our study supports neither the original 50 years” by Dr. Richard Powers of the USGS. HUGH REID’S interpretation nor the inversion tectonic model. There is no evidence for compressive In 1997 he was awarded the Douglas Medal of FALL folding and repetition in the shallow basin the Canadian Society of Petroleum geologists, section, nor evidence that Cretaceous for “having contributed enormously to our COURSES normal faults in the deeper reservoir section understanding and evolution of deformed belts became reactivated and inverted in the in general and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Tertiary to form “Alpine” compressional fold and thrust belt in particular.” PRACTICAL DST CHART structures in the shallow section. Instead, INTERPRETATION we propose that the present-day structure INFORMATION (Thorough Basic Course) is a result of large-scale sub-horizontal There is no charge. Please bring your lunch. The southward movements along blind bedding- facilities for the talk are provided complimentary Oct. 5-9, 2009 plane detachments in over-pressured and of ConocoPhillips Canada and refreshments by mobile Upper Cretaceous and Jurassic clays Geochemtech Inc. and Triassic salt, with emphasis on the vital role of the Upper Cretaceous Gault HYDRODYNAMICS Clay as a lubricant for large-scale bedding- Structural Division Information plane slippage. This mechanism is consistent If you are interested in joining the Structural SEMINAR with a structural model of Miocene or Division e-mail listing which currently provides (Oil & Gas Finding Aspects) later extension, driven by southward gravity luncheon reminders and a few other notices of Oct. 19-23, 2009 collapse along blind detachment faults, a interest to the structural community, if you care process proved through marine seismic to suggest a technical topic or present a talk profiles of large-scale gravity collapse to the division, or if you have a field trip idea, structures along the continental margins please contact Darcie Greggs at (403) 691-3111 edges of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. or [email protected]. In-house courses available. For course outline visit: Removal of “Alpine” deformation implicit in International Division older versions of the structural evolution For further information or if you would like to give www.hughwreid.com of the Hampshire basin suggests that a talk, please contact Bob Potter at (403) 863- its development can be related to the 9738 or [email protected] or Trent Rehill 262-1261 catastrophic opening of the English Channel, at (403) 606-6717 or [email protected]. some 450,000 years ago. The conclusions of

12 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 DIVISION TALKS structural GEOLOGY Division sponsored by

Fall 2009 Field Trip: the rise and fall of Turtle Mountain

FIELD TRIP LEADERS C. Willem Langenberg Long Mountain Research

Tijmen (Tim) Hartel Suncor Energy Inc.

Saturday, September 26, 2009 The Rise and Fall of Turtle Mountain Southern Alberta Foothills

The Turtle Mountain Anticline is a modified fault-propagation fold, formed by folding and thrusting, which resulted in an east-verging anticline with an overturned forelimb of competent Paleozoic carbonates, with softer Mesozoic shales, sandstone, and coal below and in front The main destination will be a short but The group will leave Calgary on the evening of it. Subsequent uplift and differential steep hike halfway up to “North Peak” of Friday September 25, and overnight in erosion created a very steep slope which to a splay of the Turtle Mountain Thrust. Blairmore (~210km drive). We will have a eventually collapsed in April 1903. The Participants will have to be in good full day in the field on Saturday September resulting rock slide destroyed the southern physical condition and willing to get wet 26, and return to Calgary that evening. edge of the town of Frank; hence its name: feet (river crossing involved – bring old Participants only have to cover their own “The Frank Slide.” Many combinations of sneakers and dry socks!). Furthermore food (breakfast / lunch) and the hotel cost factors have been proposed as a possible we will visit a reference section of the on Friday night. The group will be limited trigger for the Frank Slide: slope angles Mount Head formation and the Frank Slide to 25 CSPG members. If you would like to with respect to bedding and/or joint boulder field, which contains Mississippian participate in this field trip, please e-mail surfaces, the weather, footwall erosion, carbonates with layer-parallel chert bands, Jean Chatellier at JChatellier@talisman- earthquakes, and coal mining. offset by centimeter-scale ‘normal faults’ energy.com. (see photo above).

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 13 Practical Sequence Stratigraphy XIV: Correlation | by Ashton Embry

Introduction correlation of stratigraphic surfaces that have relationships to time were discussed in Embry In previous articles in this series, I have a low diachroneity or are time barriers. Low 2008a, b, and c. The material-based surfaces described the various types of sequence diachroneity surfaces are often delineated of sequence stratigraphy that are either stratigraphic surfaces that have been in biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and time barriers or have low diachroneity, and recognized, as well as the different types chemostratigraphy but such methods are are thus useful for establishing a correlation of sequence stratigraphic units that have often not available for subsurface studies. framework, are: been defined on the basis of those surfaces. Furthermore they can be very costly and time However, it must be emphasized that the consuming. • Subaerial unconformity primary contribution of sequence stratigraphy (SU) (time barrier) to petroleum geology is that it provides an Sequence stratigraphy is very useful for • Unconformable shoreline excellent methodology for correlating strata constructing an approximate time-stratigra- ravinement (SR-U) (time barrier) and this topic is addressed herein. phic framework because, as previously • Slope onlap surface (SOS) (time barrier) described, a number of the surfaces of • Maximum regressive surface Stratigraphic correlation is accomplished sequence stratigraphy are either time barriers (MRS) (low diachroneity) by matching distinct stratigraphic surfaces or have low diachroneity. Most importantly, • Maximum flooding surface or horizons recognized in a stratigraphic sequence stratigraphy is readily applicable (MFS) (low diachroneity) succession at one locality to their equivalent to subsurface studies and can be done with counterparts in a succession at another seismic, well log, and / or core databases. In The material-based surfaces of sequence locality. This allows the extension of this article, the use of sequence stratigraphy stratigraphy that are not useful for recognized stratigraphic units and surfaces for correlation is discussed and a number constructing an approximate time into new geographic areas and potentially to of examples of correlations using sequence correlation framework are those that are areas around the world. stratigraphy with well logs are provided. very diachronous. These are the regressive surface of marine erosion (RSME) and the One of the main goals of correlation is to Sequence Stratigraphic diastemic portion of a shoreline ravinement establish an approximate time-stratigraphic Surfaces Useful for (SR-D) (Embry, 2008a, b). However, it is correlation framework so as to allow Correlation useful to correlate such surfaces as part of facies relationships to be determined As discussed in previous articles, sequence the delineation of facies distributions within and predictions of facies occurrences to stratigraphic surfaces are those that represent the correlation framework. be made. Interpretations of depositional breaks in the stratigraphic record or history and paleogeographic evolution also changes in depositional trend. Six, material- As discussed in Embry (2009), two, time- depend upon such a framework built by the based surfaces have been defined and their based surfaces have also been defined as part of sequence stratigraphy although a reasonable argument can be made that such surfaces are much better assigned to chronostratigraphy rather than sequence stratigraphy. These time-based surfaces are the basal surface of forced regression (BSFR), which equals the time surface at the start of regional base level fall, and the correlative conformity (CC), which represents the time surface at the start of regional base level rise. Like all time-based surfaces, these surfaces have no defining physical characteristics and thus their use for correlation is very limited. This assessment is supported by the lack of any publications that have used such surfaces for correlation of well log sections.

Correlating Shallow Marine Strata The sequence stratigraphic model for siliciclastics in a ramp setting (Embry, 2008d) is illustrated in Figure 1 and shows the three surfaces of sequence stratigraphy that are Figure 1. Sequence stratigraphic model for a siliciclastic ramp setting (Embry, 2008d). Note that the SR-U, useful for the correlation of shallow marine MRS, and MFS all occur in shallow marine strata and these surfaces are excellent for correlation in such strata. strata. These are the unconformable shoreline Towards the basin margin, nonmarine strata become intercalated with the shallow marine strata and an SU ravinement, the maximum regressive surface, and SR-D can also be delineated and correlated. and the maximum flooding surface. As shown

14 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 fining-upward (increasing gamma) succession (Figure 8 in Embry 2008b). Confirmation of the existence of an SR-U requires the demonstration of truncated strata below it.

Figure 2 is a three-well, gamma-ray cross- section of the lower Charlie Lake Formation (Upper Triassic) in northwestern Alberta and the data were kindly supplied by my colleague, Jim Dixon. The Charlie Lake Formation consists mainly of interbedded shale, siltstone, and sandstone with less common limestone and anhydrite. The depositional setting was a shallow, restricted seaway and individual units can be correlated over large areas (J. Dixon, pers. comm., 2007).

The datum for this cross-section is a Figure 2. Stratigraphic cross-section of lower portion of Charlie Lake Formation, northwest, Alberta. The datum is the base of the Charlie Lake, a lithostratigraphic surface. Maximum regressive surfaces, maximum flooding lithostratigraphic one, the base of the surfaces, and one unconformable shoreline ravinement have been correlated. The SR-U truncates strata east- Charlie Lake Formation, which is marked wards and very minor onlap occurs above it. Data courtesy of J. Dixon. by a unit of anhydrite overlying a sandstone unit at the top of the Halfway Formation. A lithostratigraphic contact is usually not the best choice for a datum because of the potential high diachroneity of such a surface but it is certainly objective. In this case, this contact appears to have low diachroneity as demonstrated by its near parallelism with an easily correlatable MRS about 10 m above. I have correlated this cross-section mainly with MRSs and MFSs delineated on the basis of gamma ray signature.

In most cases, where control is very close and a cross-section is not long, the MFSs and MRSs will parallel each other because differences in subsidence rates tend to be very small over short distances. The presence of an unconformity is suspected when two different sets of parallel MRSs and MFSs are present and are at any angle to each other. On this basis, I have interpreted the occurrence of an unconformable shoreline ravinement (SR-U) beneath a sharp-based, fining-upward, limestone unit (informally called the “A marker”) (Figure 2). This interpretation is supported by the truncation of an MRS and the progressive eastward thinning of the Figure 3. Stratigraphic cross-section of Upper Triassic (Carnian) strata on the southwest flank of the Sverdrup Basin, Melville Island, Arctic Canada. Only large-magnitude sequence stratigraphic surfaces have been cor- section between the “A marker” and the related and a prominent SR-U that caps the Carnian succession is used as the datum. An SR-U forms the base first correlatable MRS above the datum. of the succession and two SR-Us occur within. MRSs and MFSs are truncated by the SR-Us and the lowermost All the correlated surfaces above the SR-U Carnian sequence is absent in the well on the basin edge (Hecla-C-32). nearly parallel it and minor, eastward onlap is expressed as a slight thinning of the section on the model (Figure 1), the maximum U. The maximum regressive surface marks the between the SR-U and the overlying MFS. flooding surface is often very widespread and change from a coarsening-upward trend to a it is usually the easiest surface to recognize fining-upward one and on gamma logs it is best Figure 3 illustrates a stratigraphic cross-section and correlate. As discussed in Embry (2008c), placed at the lowest gamma horizon (Embry, of Upper Triassic, shallow marine strata on the MFS represents the change from a fining- 2008b) unless, once again, more detailed data the southern flank of the Sverdrup Basin in upward trend to a coarsening-upward one, indicate a different placement. As seen on the Melville Island area of Arctic Canada. In and on gamma logs is best placed at the highest Figure 1, the MRS correlates laterally to an this case, the wells are much farther apart gamma horizon unless higher resolution data unconformable shoreline ravinement (SR-U) than the previous example and more section (e.g., core) support a different placement. and, in combination, these two surfaces allow is present (300 m versus 50 m). Because of the delineation of a widespread correlative this, only large-magnitude surfaces have been Between every two MFSs in shallow marine horizon. On gamma logs, an SR-U is often correlated, although there are opportunities strata, there will be either an MRS or an SR- marked by an abrupt contact, overlain by a (Continued on page 16...)

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 15 (...Continued from page 15) for correlating smaller-scale surfaces. The datum is a prominent unconformable shoreline ravinement (SR-U) near the top of the succession and it passes basinward into a readily recognizable MRS that separates two distinctly different depositional regimes (2nd order boundary). Because this surface was essentially horizontal when it was formed (shoreface erosion at sea level), it makes a very good datum.

Once again, MRSs and MFSs are correlated on the basis of gamma ray signature and sample descriptions. Unconformable shoreline ravinements are delineated where truncation can be demonstrated. Some minor depositional thickening for individual units is visible downdip, but notably, most changes in thickness are due to the effects of marginward truncation beneath the unconformities. This indicates that the unconformities were generated by tectonic movements rather than by eustasy. This topic will be more fully explored in the next article. Figure 4. Stratigraphic cross-section of Lower Jurassic strata in the southwestern Sverdrup Basin. The datum is a prominent MRS near the top of the Lower Jurassic (late Toarcian). The cross-section is dip oriented and Figure 4 also illustrates shallow marine strata extends for over 100 km. Large-magnitude MRSs and MFSs have been correlated and they all dip basinward, in a ramp setting (Lower Jurassic, western approximating the original sea floor dip. Sandstone units found in the eastern two wells “shale-out” basinward Sverdrup Basin) and in this case, there is a beneath the MRSs. large distance between the control points and the line of section is close to the direction sonic log by a very slow travel time (high non-marine strata of the lower portion of of depositional dip. In sections parallel to clay content). This surface can be readily the Isachsen Formation on Eglinton Island, depositional strike or those which extend recognized throughout the basin and marks Arctic Canada (Sverdrup Basin). Prominent only a short distance down dip (e.g., Figures the height of a major transgression in the subaerial unconformities are delineated 2, 3), depositional dip has little to no effect early Toarcian (a global event). beneath very coarse-grained, fluvial channel on stratal geometry of the larger magnitude deposits and the basal one is used as the surfaces. However, in this case, depositional In summary, maximum flooding surfaces, datum. This SU overlies offshore marine dip is a significant factor in the geometry of maximum regressive surfaces and strata and is a major 1st order boundary in the correlated surfaces. unconformable shoreline ravinement surfaces the basin. The SU’s allow the lower Isachsen are ideal surfaces for correlation in shallow Formation to be subdivided into two The succession portrayed in Figure 4 is marine strata. Various orders of these depositional sequences (Figure 5). conformable with the only unconformity surfaces are usually present and the low- present being an SR-U at the base of the order, high-magnitude surfaces are the easiest MFSs can be delineated and correlated in succession. A prominent maximum flooding to correlate. High-order, low-magnitude the marine interval of each sequence and surface (3rd order) is used as a datum for surfaces can be correlated if reasonably close these surfaces subdivide each sequence lack of a better one. It must be kept in mind control is available. into a lower transgressive systems tract that this MFS datum was not a horizontal (TST) and an upper regressive systems tract horizon at the time of formation but sloped Correlating Interbedded (RST). The contact between nonmarine basinward, approximating the sea floor Nonmarine and Shallow strata below and marine strata above occurs dip. Using an originally sloping surface as a Marine Strata within the TST of each sequence and is a horizontal datum will distort original stratal As shown of Figure 1, when nonmarine diastemic shoreline ravinement. The highly geometries somewhat. strata are intercalated with shallow marine diachronous nature of such a SR-D is well strata on the basin margins, the potential for illustrated by the upper one which climbs The larger-magnitude MRSs and MFSs are the recognition of subaerial unconformities stratigraphically upward (i.e., becomes correlated on Figure 4 and any smaller-scale (SU) and diastemic shoreline ravinements younger) towards the more marginal well on correlation is precluded by the large distances (SR-D) exists. The reason for this is that the left (Figure 5). Note that the correlated between control points. The correlatable the occurrence of nonmarine strata either MFSs essentially parallel the datum and each surfaces approximate the dipping sea floor at directly above (SU) or directly below (SR-D) other (i.e., very low diachroneity) and no the time of their formation and thus diverge is one of the defining characteristics of these depositional dip is discernable for the MFSs from the datum because of the greater surfaces. If nonmarine strata are not present on this short section. water depths to the west. The sandstones in a succession, then SUs and SR-Ds cannot that underlie the MRSs in the east change be delineated. Figure 6 illustrates the correlatable surfaces facies to shale and siltstone basinward as associated with an incised valley deposit that water depth increased. The first MFS below Figure 5 is a cross-section of an interval of can be considered as a plum of nonmarine the datum is well characterized on the Lower Cretaceous, interbedded marine and strata in a pudding of shallow marine

16 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 deposits. The cross-section consists of four, reasonably close wells in southern Saskatchewan and includes the transition from the nonmarine Mannville Group at the base to the deep shelf, marine shales of the Lower Colorado Group at the top (logs and facies interpretation from O. Catuneanu). These strata are mainly shallow marine sandstone, siltstone, and shale but an interval of fluvial sandstone occurs in two wells. A prominent MRS has been chosen as the datum and it is overlain by an easily picked MFS. The surface at the top of the nonmarine Mannville strata is a diastemic shoreline ravinement (contact of marine strata overlying nonmarine strata).

The presence of the isolated pod of nonmarine sandstone complicates an otherwise standard correlation of MRSs and MRSs. A subaerial unconformity (SU) must be placed at base of the nonmarine strata to explain their isolated occurrence. A diastemic shoreline ravinement (SR-D) once again occurs at the contact between the fluvial strata and the overlying marine strata. Because a shoreline ravinement is usually not an isolated surface, it is reasonable, if not mandatory, to extend the SR that occurs on top of the fluvial strata into the adjacent marine strata. The SR in the marine strata would be a significant unconformity (SR-U) (SU eroded) as opposed to being a minor diastem as it is when it overlies the fluvial strata. Its placement in the marine strata is guided by the constraints that it should be at approximately the same stratigraphic Figure 5. Stratigraphic cross-section of Lower Cretaceous strata (lower Isachsen Fm) from the southwestern flank level as the SR-D (SR is close to a horizontal of the Sverdrup Basin, Eglinton Island, Arctic Canada. The succession consists of intercalated nonmarine and surface) and it should occur at the base of a shallow marine strata. A 1st order SU at the base of the succession is used as the datum. The delineation of two other SUs allows two depositional sequences to be defined. The correlation of an MFS within the marine strata of fining-upward succession. each sequence allows each sequence to be subdivided into a transgressive systems tract (TST) and a regressive systems tract (RST). A diastemic shoreline ravinement (SR-D) occurs within each TST at the boundary between As shown on Figure 6, the SR-U in the marine the nonmarine strata and overlying marine strata. Because of the highly diachronous nature of the SR-Ds (climbs strata might have otherwise been interpreted stratigraphically), such surfaces are not used as part of the time correlation framework or as a system tract boundary. as an MRS if the control points with the fluvial strata and the accompanying SR-D were not available. Conversely, if an SR-U is interpreted to occur in a section of shallow marine strata (e.g., Figures 2, 3, and 4), then the occurrence of incised valley, nonmarine deposits, which stratigraphically hang down from the SR, is a potential exploration target for that area. Finally, it is worth noting that the stratigraphic interval between the SR and the overlying MFS is thicker and sandier where it overlies the incised valley strata where supply was greater.

Correlation in Fluvial Strata Correlation with sequence stratigraphy in successions of fluvial strata that have no Figure 6. Stratigraphic cross-section of Lower Cretaceous strata from southern Saskatchewan. The nonmarine strata of the Mannville Group are overlain by a succession of shallow marine strata that overall deepen- marine intercalations can be difficult. The upward to offshore shale and siltstone of the Lower Colorado Group. A prominent MRS is used as the datum. only sequence stratigraphic surface that Fluvial strata occur in two wells and an SU is delineated below these strata with an SR-D above. The shoreline is common is the subaerial unconformity ravinement is correlated into the adjacent marine strata as an SR-U. The SU is cut off by the SR-U, forming that occurs at the base of channel deposits the flanks of an incised valley. Data courtesy of O. Catuneanu. (Continued on page 18...)

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 17 Correlating Deep Marine Siliciclastics Sequence analysis in deep-water siliciclastics also presents substantial challenges. The sequence stratigraphic surfaces that can be expected in this environment are the slope onlap surface (SOS), maximum regressive surface (MRS), and the maximum flooding surface (MFS). In an interval of stacked submarine fan deposits, an MRS can be drawn on top of the units of coarsening-upward, turbiditic fan deposits (e.g., Johannessen and Steel, 2005; Hodgson et al., 2006). Such a horizon may occur near the top or well within the package of turbidites.

In the same succession, the MFS can be drawn at the horizon of the finest sediment, usually within a shale unit that separates thick intervals of turbidites (Sixsmith et al., 2004). Identification of an SOS in siliciclastics is difficult and is best done on seismic sections where the stratal geometry inside the thick, shale-dominant slope succession can be determined. Some workers have interpreted the base of the first turbidite as a correlatable sequence stratigraphic surface Figure 7. Stratigraphic cross-section of Upper Devonian carbonate strata in the west Pembina area of western (e.g., Posamentier et al., 1988; Van Wagoner Alberta. Carbonate ramp strata, in which MRSs and MFSs are readily correlated, occur below and above a reef / off-reef interval. An unconformable shoreline ravinement (SR-U) caps the reefal strata and correlates with a et al., 1990). However, in many cases such prominent slope onlap surface (SOS) on the reef flank. Siliciclastic shale and siltstone, deposited during base a surface is simply a scoured, within-trend level fall, onlap the SOS and are overlain by prograding ramp carbonates deposited during the subsequent base facies contact (a diastem within a coarsening level rise. Data courtesy of J. Wendte. upward, regressive succession) and is not a surface of sequence stratigraphy. In general, (...Continued from page 17) phic data can be integrated to help identify the base of a turbidite package is very or at the top of paleosols. It is difficult to SUs. Zaitlin et al. (2002) and Ratcliffe et al. gradational and is diachronous both down dip correlate such subaerial unconformities (2004) provide a solid example of identifying and laterally (Hodgson et al., 2006). In some with confidence and it is often even harder regional SUs in a fluvial succession through instances, where turbidites onlap the slope, to establish a hierarchy of surfaces. It is also the use of changes in mineralogical and the base of the turbidite succession, where it important to distinguish between subaerial chemical composition. onlaps, coincides with an SOS. unconformities that are regional truncation surfaces and subaerial diastems (channel Maximum flooding surfaces can sometimes Correlating Carbonate Strata scours) that are the product of river be tentatively determined in fluvial strata Sequence analysis for carbonate strata is migration during rising base level. and may be represented by a horizon that in many respects very similar as that for exhibits a marine influence (e.g., brackish siliciclastic strata although some differences A subaerial unconformity at the base of an water facies). In absence of any indication of do occur. These differences are due mainly to incised valley represents a regional base a marine influence, an MFS in fluvial strata differences in how carbonate sedimentation level fall and is likely a large-scale sequence can be delineated with reasonable objectivity responds to base level change as compared boundary. It must correlate with a soil horizon within the interval with the highest ratio to siliciclastic sedimentation. For example, in the interfluve areas although it is usually of overbank fines to channel sandstone during times of falling base level, rates of very difficult to establish such a correlation (i.e., the change from fining-upward to siliciclastic sedimentation in marine areas are without excellent control. A good example coarsening-upward). This interval also tends often enhanced due to increased delivery of such work is McCarthy and Plint (1998) to be associated with the thickest and most of sediment to a basin. However, carbonate who correlated subaerial unconformities in a common coal seams. Overall, widespread sedimentation in a shelf / slope / basin setting, well exposed succession of channel deposits MFSs do not appear to be common in fluvial often significantly decreases with base level and overbank strata with soil horizons. Their strata and this is supported by the general fall because much of the carbonate shelf (the work demonstrates the need for very close lack of regionally correlatable seismic carbonate sediment factory) is exposed. control for such correlations. reflectors in such strata. However, the same types of surfaces of sequence stratigraphy that are recognized in It is important to try to recognize In summary, SUs are the main sequence siliciclastic strata occur in carbonate strata. and correlate the large-scale subaerial stratigraphic surfaces available for correlation They can have a few different attributes unconformities that may be present. These in fluvial strata. However, it is usually very in carbonates than they do in siliciclastics. are sometimes associated with a significant difficult to delineate and correlate such Notably the SOS is often very well expressed change in grain composition and / or clast surfaces and close control and data from and can be readily delineated when present. size. Other stratigraphic data such as other stratigraphic disciplines are often chemostratigraphic and magnetostratigra- required. For shallow marine carbonates, these include

18 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 a maximum regressive surface, maximum shoreline ravinement, slope onlap surface). Hodgson, D., Flint, S., Hodgetts, D., Drinkwater, flooding surface, shoreline ravinement, Such a framework is essential for predicting N., Johannessen, E., and Luthi, S. 2006. and regressive surface of marine erosion. facies development away from control points Stratigraphic Evolution of Fine-Grained Submarine Subaerial unconformities form during times and for reconstructing depositional history Fan Systems, Tanqua Depocenter, Karoo Basin, of base level fall but most become modified and paleogeographic evolution. South Africa. Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. by subsequent marine erosion and are thus 76, p. 20-40. unconformable shoreline ravinements. Each general depositional environment has at least one type of sequence stratigraphic unit Johannessen, E. J. and Steel, R. J. 2005. Shelf- The determination of MRSs and MFSs depends that is useful for correlation. In successions margin clinoforms and prediction of deep water on facies analysis and the determination of with intercalated nonmarine and shallow sands. Basin Research, v. 17, p. 521-550. sediment supply trends in the carbonate marine, siliciclastic strata, four surface types strata. These are often not as clearly are often present (SU, SR-U, MRS, MFS). In McCarthy, P. J. and Plint, A. G. 1998. Recognition expressed on mechanical logs as they are in deep marine, siliciclastic settings, correlatable of interfluve sequence boundaries: integrating siliciclastic rocks. They can often be more surfaces include MRS, MFS, and SOS, with the paleopedology and sequence stratigraphy. easily delineated on logs when fine-grained SOS often being hard to delineate. Geology, v. 26, p. 387-390. clastic sediment is part of the depositional system (see Wendte and Uyeno, 2005). For In carbonate strata, subaerial unconformities Posamentier, H., Jervey, M., and Vail, P. reefs and carbonate banks, one or more SOSs (SU) are very rare and unconformity surfaces 1988. Eustatic controls on clastic deposition are almost always present on the slopes. on the basin flanks are almost always I-conceptual framework, In: Sea level changes: an unconformable shoreline ravinements (SR- integrated approach. C. Wilgus, B. S. Hastings, Figure 7 illustrates a sequence correlation U). Slope onlap surfaces are common in C. G. Kendall, H. W. Posamentier, C. A. Ross, and for a carbonate-dominant succession that carbonate platform / slope / basin and reef J. C. Van Wagoner (eds.). Society of Economic contains carbonate ramp deposits that lie settings and are usually readily delineated and Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special both below (Nisku Fm) and above (Wolf Lake, correlated. Publication 42, p. 109-124. Blue Ridge mbrs) an interval of reef (Zeta Lake Mbr) and off-reef strata (Cynthia Mbr). Correlation from basin edge to basin centre Ratcliffe, K., Wright, A., Hallsworth, C., Morton, These data were supplied by Jack Wendte and is best accomplished with maximum flooding A., Zaitlin, B., Potocki, D., and Wray, D. 2004. are from the West Pembina area of Alberta surfaces. A combined maximum regressive An example of alternative correlation techniques (see Wendte et al., 1995). surface and unconformable shoreline in a low accommodation setting, nonmarine ravinement is also useful for such regional hydrocarbon setting: the (Lower Cretaceous) MRSs and MFSs are readily correlated in correlations. Mannville Basal Quartz succession of southern the carbonate ramp deposits below the reef Alberta. AAPG Bulletin, v. 88, p. 1419-1432. (Figure 7). A slope onlap surface has been References delineated on the flank of the reef and is Embry, A. F. 2008a. Practical Sequence Sixsmith, P., Flint, S., Wickens, H., and Johnson, marked by a high gamma (starved interval) in Stratigraphy IV: The Material-based Surfaces S. 2004. Anatomy and stratigraphic development the off-reef well. The SOS joins with an SR-U of Sequence Stratigraphy, Part 1: Subaerial of a basin floor turbidite system in the Lainsburg on top of the reef and both these surfaces Unconformity and Regressive Surface of Marine Formation, Main Karoo Basin, South Africa Journal formed when base level fell such that most Erosion. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. Sedimentary Research, v. 74, p. 239-254. of the reef was exposed (SR-U) and the The Reservoir, v. 35, issue 8, p. 37-41. slope was starved of sediment (SOS). During Van Wagoner, J. C., Mitchum, R. M., Campion, the later stage of base level fall, argillaceous Embry, A. F. 2008b. Practical Sequence K. M., and Rahmanian, V. D. 1990. Siliciclastic siliciclastic sediment prograded into the area Stratigraphy V: The Material-based Surfaces sequence stratigraphy in well logs, cores and and onlapped the SOS (Figure 7). of Sequence Stratigraphy, Part 2: Shoreline outcrops: AAPG Methods in Exploration, no. 7, ravinement and Maximum Regressive Surface. 55 p. With base level rise and transgression, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. The carbonate sediment production greatly Reservoir, v. 35, issue 9, p. 32-39. Wendte, J., Bosman, M., Stoakes, F., and increased and siliciclastic sediment input Bernstein, L. 1995. Genetic and stratigraphic ceased. Carbonate ramps then built out over Embry, A. F. 2008c. Practical Sequence significance of the Upper Devonian Frasnian Z the siliciclastics which had filled in the deep, Stratigraphy VI: The Material-based Surfaces of marker, west-central Alberta. Bulletin Canadian inter-reef areas. MRSs and MFSs are readily Sequence Stratigraphy, Part 3: Maximum Flooding Petroleum Geology, v. 43, p. 393-406. correlated in these post-reef ramp strata. Surface and Slope Onlap Surface. Canadian This example shows how the delineation Society of Petroleum Geologists. The Reservoir, v. Wendte, J. and Uyeno, T. 2005. Sequence and correlation of sequences stratigraphic 35, issue 10, p. 36-41. stratigraphy and evolution of Middle to Upper surfaces helps to elucidate the depositional Devonian Beaverhill Lake strata, south-central history of a succession. Embry, A. F. 2008d. Practical Sequence Alberta. Bulletin Canadian Petroleum Geology, v. Stratigraphy VII: The base level change model for 53, p. 250-354. Summary material-based sequence stratigraphic surfaces. Sequence stratigraphy provides an excellent Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. The Zaitlin, B. A., Warren, M. J., Potocki, D., Rosenthal, methodology for constructing an approximate Reservoir, v. 35, issue 11, p. 31-37. L., and Boyd, R. 2002. Depositional styles in time-stratigraphic framework through the a low accommodation foreland basin setting: delineation and correlation of sequence Embry, A. F. 2009. Practical Sequence an example from the Basal Quartz (Lower stratigraphic surfaces which have low Stratigraphy VIII: The Time-based Surfaces of Cretaceous), south-central Alberta. Bulletin diachroneity (maximum regressive surface, Sequence Stratigraphy. Canadian Society of Canadian Petroleum Geology, v. 50, p. 31-72. m a x i m u m f l o o d i n g s u r f a c e ) o r a r e t i m e b a r r i e r s Petroleum Geologists. The Reservoir, v. 36, issue (subaerial unconformity, unconformable 1, p. 27-33.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 19 ROCK SHOP

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20 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 CLIMATE CHANGE VII: The Spin Cycle | by Neil Hutton

coast of Brazil; the first and only hurricane in that region (a highly improbable assumption which could be readily refuted by examination of Portuguese navigators’ logs in the region). Several factors go into forming hurricanes and where they track. But the evidence, (none was ever cited because there are no studies supporting this statement) strongly suggests more intense storms and risk of greater flooding events, so that the North Atlantic hurricane season of 2004 may be a harbinger of the future.” (E-mail: Landsea to Trenberth, from Solomon, 2008, p. 38)

The press went wild with this story and it echoed round the world. Trenbeth was looking good after Katrina in 2005 but in subsequent seasons hurricane frequency and violence have continued to decline (Figure 2). Landsea was sufficiently incensed that Figure 1. Mean Annual Wind Speed in Atlantic Hurricanes. Contrary to the alarmist claims, the maximum wind velocity for hurricanes between 1940-1993 has decreased by five km/hour (approximately 12%). The dotted line he wrote to IPCC officials asking, “Where shows the best fit linear trend. Source: C.W. Landsea, et al. 1996. is the science, the refereed publications that substantiate these pronouncements? What It was not possible to correct the totality of season to engender the dangers of global studies are being alluded to that have shown misinformation on Climate Change in one warming, whether there was any evidence a connection between observed warming article so – in reality – this is a continuation of or not. In a press conference, which Landsea trends on the Earth and long term trends in “Fearmongering” in which I endeavor to cover had attempted to prevent, Trenbeth argued tropical cyclone activity?” The IPCC officials the most outstanding issues. The Spin Cycle that, “Human activities are changing the ignored Landsea’s questions and even defended I refer to is not related to laundry but to the composition of the atmosphere and global Trenbeth. As a result, Landsea resigned as a wildly exaggerated claims that global warming is warming is happening as a result. Global contributing author to the IPCC 2007 Fourth responsible for an increase in cyclonic storms – warming is manifested in many ways, some Assessment. Here is a prime example of the that is to say, hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, unexpected… (especially for Dr Landsea). political nature of IPCC and their lack of and other tropical cyclones as well as other The environment in which hurricanes form is scientific integrity. (http://chge.med.harvard. extreme weather events. changing. The result was a hurricane off the edu/media/releases/hurricanepress.html) (Continued on page 22...) Here are the facts: in none of the IPCC assessments was it ever claimed that global Hurricanes Making Landfall in US warming would result in the development of more violent cyclonic storms. On the 9 contrary, the reports indicated that no global 8 warming signal could be detected in the hurricane record. Dr. Christopher Landsea, a 7 contributing author for IPCC, and an expert 6 on cyclonic activity has stated clearly that, “If global warming is influencing hurricane 5 activity, than we should be seeing a global 4 change in the number and strength of the storms. Yet, there is no evidence of a global 3 increase in the strength and frequency of No of Hurricanes hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones 2 over the past several years.” In Figure 1, the 1 measured wind strength for hurricanes is shown from 1940-2000; in the Atlantic Basin, 0 the trend is clearly downward. 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Nevertheless, leading members in IPCC, Years from 1900 principally Kevin Trenberth, (head of the Climate Analysis section at the National Figure 2. The diagram presents the annual number of hurricanes making landfall in the United States from 1900- Climate Research Center and lead author 2008. It is clear that hurricane activity was much higher prior to the 1950s than it has been subsequently. This is a pattern that also appears in measures of storminess, hail, and thunderstorms and is exactly the opposite of what of the 2007 IPCC report) could not resist has been claimed by the global warming activists. Furthermore, it is apparent that storms are largely a function of the opportunity to use the 2004 hurricane the periodicity of major oceanic oscillations, not changes in atmospheric temperature.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 21 result of population increase and increased urbanization in tornado-prone areas.

Although the recorded tornadoes have increased significantly, it is very clear in Figure 4 that, as far as the major category storms, (F3, F4, and F5 on the Fujita scale – a scale based on the damage caused to manmade structures), there is no evidence of an increase in major tornadoes. As is the case with hurricanes, the assumption that warming will cause more tornadoes is false. The midwest United States is tornado-prone because there is essentially no topographic separation between the tropical Gulf of Mexico and the cold of the Arctic. If warming resulted in tornadoes, the summer months June, July, and August would be the tornado season. This is Figure 3. The diagram demonstrates the annual increase in observed tornadoes in the continental United States. not the case as the season peaks in May when There is a very clear increase from 1950-2000 but the increase is actually related to improved ability to identify a the jet stream shifts north for the summer. tornado’s signature with Doppler radar. The early warning provided has saved many lives. Figure 4 shows that severe Interaction of strong easterly flow of cool air tornadoes have actually decreased. from the jet stream interacts with the warmed air in thunderstorms. The resulting rotation triggers the twisters. Like hurricanes, larger temperature contrasts cause more violent storms. Therefore, warming should cause the jet stream to remain in northern latitudes longer, reducing the number of violent tornadoes.

Finally on cyclonic storms, what about Asian typhoons? Certainly the perception has been created that typhoons will increase with global warming but significant recent studies show otherwise. Wang et al. (2008) report that of 1,845 typhoons occurring in the northwestern Pacific region between 1951 and 2004 there has been a steady decline of approximately 1 typhoon every decade, but the greatest decline has occurred in the last ten years! The largest drop is recorded in the super Figure 4. The frequency of Category 3, 4, and 5 tornadoes in the continental United States. These are the most severe storms and the trend shows a decrease in frequency and strength of major tornadoes. They account for less typhoons (equivalent to categories F4 or F5 than 5% of the tornadoes in Figure 3. hurricanes).

(...Continued from page 21) storms. These records indicate that during Wang and his colleagues demonstrate that Hurricane Katrina was too good an oppor tunit y the Little Ice Age the region had nearly there is a link between typhoons and sea to miss, and so, Kerry Emmanuel of MIT three times as many major hurricanes surface temperature (SST), but not as a result argued that global warming is producing more than in the warming decades from 1950 to of global warming. Rather, fluctuations in SST powerful and more destructive hurricanes. The 1998. Contrary to the warming theory, it is caused by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation press had another field day. In the meantime contrasts in temperature and pressure which (PDO) and the El Nino Southern Oscillation Landsea (2005) published evidence that produce the most violent storms. The bigger (ENSO) affect the number of typhoons hurricane activity demonstrates natural swings the temperature differences between the generated. When ENSO is in the cold phase from highs to lows over periodicities of 25 to equator and the poles, the more power is with La Nina years, there will be more 40 years. The evidence is records which extend provided to the winds, waves, currents, and typhoons; when ENSO is in the warm phase back for 150 years, beyond the decades where to the cyclones. As indicated by Figure 1, in El Nino years there are fewer typhoons. global warming can be implicated. Much has warming is actually reducing the wind speed Here note that, as we found with hurricanes, been made of rising sea surface temperature of hurricanes. the cold phase induces more frequent and as a causative factor but this was thoroughly more violent tropical storms, completely debunked by Klotzbach (2006) who concluded The story on tornadoes is similar. It is contrary to global warming theory. Chan that sea surface temperature change correlated claimed that they are increasing in frequency (2000) has also shown that tropical cyclone only marginally with hurricane formation in the and strength, but the reality is quite activities – in frequency, intensity, and Atlantic Basin. different. Certainly, many more tornadoes track – are unrelated to global warming. are observed because of the introduction Furthermore with Wang, he attributes the The most telling evidence against rising sea of Doppler radar, which has excellent ability patterns of typhoon activity to decadal and surface temperature as a cause for increasing to capture the signal of a tornado (Figure multi-decadal oscillations and variations in frequency and intensity of hurricanes, 3). Radar is the backbone of early warning ocean temperature. In Figure 5, the number comes from records of the British Navy, systems that have been instrumental in of tropical cyclones making landfall in Japan is which because of commercial interests in reducing deaths – the expectation would shown with no trend linked to warming, but the Caribbean, kept careful records of the be that deaths should have increased as a with very strong activity in 2004, paralleling

22 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 the very active hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin (see Figure 2). 12

According to the IPCC in 1996, “Most climate 10 models produce more rainfall over South Asia in a warmer climate with increased CO2.” In its 2001 report, the IPCC said, “It is likely that the 8 warming associated with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will cause an increase in 6 Asian summer monsoon variability and changes in monsoon strength. Again we are dealing with Number models and not reality. Kripalani et al. (2003) 4 studied the variability of India’s monsoons as the earth has warmed since the Little Ice Age 2 and found that the IPCC models were wrong. As in many other climate systems there is a distinct oscillation, over a period of 3-10 years, 0 during which rainfall fluctuates between higher 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 than average and lower than average conditions. There is no evidence that this is related to rising Year temperatures. Moreover during the 1990s – Figure 5. The annual frequency of tropical cyclones making landfall in Japan. There is no clear trend associated with warming. which IPCC claim to be the warmest decade In fact the most active typhoon seasons are associated with the La Nina cold phase of the ENSO cycle. Note the very active of the millennium – Indian monsoon variability cycle in 2004, which corresponds with a similar period in the Atlantic basin as shown in Figure 2 (from Chan, 2000). declined sharply. Wang et al. in their 2008 study indicated that the frequency of typhoons is thunderstorms or other severe weather? events (heat waves, floods, winter blizzards, closely linked to the summer monsoons in East Changnon and Changnon (2001), by checking thunderstorms, hail, or tornadoes) anywhere Asia, and not related to global warming. “thunder days” from 300 US weather stations, in Canada. Extreme weather events have been demonstrated that from 1896 to 1955 thunder on the decline for the last 40 years. Khandekar Notwithstanding the well documented errors days increased but have shown a moderate noted that the hottest summers were actually in the Gore documentary, An Inconvenient decrease since that date. In similar fashion during the dust bowl years of the 1920s and Truth, it continues to be aired by CBC. Not these authors found an increase in hailstorms 1930s, not in the 1990s. In other words, only that, it is introduced by a scientifically from 1916 until 1955 after which there was contrary to the hype, warming has actually unwarranted introduction on the website as a general decline in hail activity. Similarly in produced fewer extreme weather events. follows: “Humanity is sitting on a ticking Canada, Khandekar, (2002) reports that there time bomb. If the vast majority of the world’s has been no increase in extreme weather (Continued on page 24...) scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send the entire planet into a tailspin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemic and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.” THANK YOU! This statement is nothing more than climate evangelism threatening climate Armageddon completely unsupported by any scientific study. Light Up The World (LUTW) would like to express its gratitude It is doubtful if any scientist, even those who to everyone who participated in the Silent Auction at the support human-caused climate change, would Frontiers z+ Innovation: agree with this apocalyptical statement. As we 2009 CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention. will see, there is in fact no published evidence Your support raised $9,000! to support such claims. For a start, although there has been little change in the increase To date, this partnership has raised over $75,000 to help us provide in CO2 entering the atmosphere, there has affordable, safe, healthy, efficient and environmentally responsible lighting been no warming during the 21st century. technologies to people in developing countries. What does the peer-reviewed literature really say? The journal, “Natural Hazards” published On behalf of all who benefit from your generosity, a special issue on extreme weather events our profound thanks. and global warming. None of the published articles indicated increased storminess due to increases in temperature or CO2.

Balling and Cerveny (2003), writing in the Natural Hazards special issue, observed that the public is three times more likely to see an article on severe weather today than only thirty years ago: this despite the lack of any increase in storminess. One might argue that the media is a greater problem than global warming. As discussed above there has been no increase in hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, or tropical cyclones, but what about www.lutw.org

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 23 (...Continued from page 23) Many claims are made that floods and Average Annual US Precipitation droughts will be more extreme, sometimes 32 simultaneously! This no doubt derives from the rather extraordinary statement of IPCC, 31 Summary for Policymakers, Climate Change, 30 1995, “Warmer temperature will lead to prospects for more severe droughts and/ 29 or floods in some places and less severe droughts and/or floods in other places.” 28 In effect, any anomalous occurrence in moisture, positive or negative, can be 27 attributed to global warming. Warming in theory should increase rainfall since it will 26 Precipitation inInches Precipitation increase the water vapour taken up by the 25 atmosphere. This is supported by the fact 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s that rainfall has increased gradually since Decades the 1980s (Figure 6), but not to the extent to produce any hazards. On the contrary, Figure 6. Average US average rainfall per decade. There has been a gradual increase of about 10% in precipitation it has clearly been a benefit in improved in the 20th century but there is no clear correlation between temperature and precipitation. The increase in hydrological conditions on agricultural lands. precipitation in latter decades results from an increase in light rains not storm events. There have been significant droughts in Africa and the southwestern United States but here Annual Acreage Burned by Decade the evidence suggests that the control of 40 precipitation is more directly attributable to 35 the major oceanic cycles such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and El Nino 30 Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Fouchereau 25 (2003) has shown that African droughts are more sensitive to the ENSO cycles rather 20 than temperature variation. In the years from 15 1979 to 1988, the four driest years coincided 10 with peaks of the ENSO cycle. 5 Similarly when we consider available data 0 for the Prairie regions of North America, 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s droughts of varying intensity and duration have occurred for many centuries long before Millions in Burned Acreage Decades instrument records were available. Tree ring data suggest that some of the worst Figure 7. The average acreage burned annually in the United States by decade. Contrary to the press, there has droughts occurred during the thirteenth and been a distinct decline with stability through the last four decades. sixteenth centuries. Droughts have occurred throughout the 20th Century with some of that the average acreage burned in the coverage is provided in the following texts: the severest droughts occurring during the United States has decreased and essentially 1920s and 1930s, the so-called dustbowl remained stable for the last forty years. No Meltdown, The Predictable Distortion years. Recent droughts of the 1980s and doubt more sophisticated fire suppression of GLOBAL WARMING by Scientists, 1990s are comparable to those of the dust techniques have played a role. On the other Politicians, and the Media. Patrick J. bowl years. According to Khandekar large- hand, it is argued that, fire suppression has Michaels, 2004, Cato Institute, Washington, scale atmospheric circulation patterns over been counterproductive, resulting in denser DC, p. 73-109, and 179-194. the central equatorial Pacific as well as over undergrowth and deadfall providing fuel for the central and eastern north Pacific, appear uncontrollable wild fires. In fact the climate- Unstoppable Global Warming, S. Fred to be the main drought-driving forces. The influencing droughts and rainfall are more Singer and Denis Avery, 2007, revised 2008, cold La Nina phase of the ENSO cycle over intimately associated with major oceanic Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Chapter the equatorial Pacific, and its continued cycles such as PDO, ENSO, and the cyclonic 9, p. 163-185 and Chapter 12, p. 213-219. presence, appears to be the most important oscillations in the Atlantic Basin. The role precursor for drought occurrence. The of warming in itself can not be detected in Both of these books are highly recommended warm El Nino phase of the ENSO cycle is regional climate variations. for anyone who wishes to filter the hype out usually associated with surplus precipitation of Global Warming, especially that by the during the grain-growing season. Khandekar We find no basis for the claims of an Media. concludes that there does not appear to be increase in extreme weather events, but any linkage between recent droughts and what of claims, such as those of CBC and There is no doubt that the IPCC have very warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. others, that warming will result in species skillfully manipulated the platform provided extinction, epidemics, and killer heat waves. by their UN mandate, with the very able With droughts come fire and, of course, Suffice to say that the basis for these claims assistance of the media. As each major IPCC the usual media claims of a fiery apocalypse is also based on poor research, lack of Conference rolls around the press releases driven by global warming (Herbert, 2002 historical perspective, and poor analysis and become more extreme: The Associated New York Times). By now it should be no statistical treatment of results. It would be Press, March 12, 2009, “Hundreds of surprise that the statistics show otherwise, beyond the scope of this article to provide Scientists warned today that global warming at least for the United States. Figure 7, shows a full treatment of the issues but excellent is accelerating beyond the worst predictions 24 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 and threatening to trigger “irreversible” Changnon, S. and Changnon, D. 2001. Long-Term Geophysical Research Letters, v. 33, L010805, doi:10. climate shifts on the planet.” There is not one Fluctuations in Thunderstorm Activity in the United 1029/2006GL025757. single piece of evidence to justify such claims. States. Climatic Change, v. 50, p. 489-583. None of the IPCC climate scenarios have Kripilani, R.H., et al. Indian Monsoon Variability in ever matched the climate data even at the low Changnon, S. and Changnon D. 2000. Long-Term a Global Warming Scenario. Natural Hazards v. 29, end. There has been no warming this century; Fluctuations in Hail Incidences in the United States. p. 189-206. the climate feedbacks assumed in Global Journal of Climate, v. 13, p. 658-664. Climate Models are incorrect; and satellite Landsea, C. 2005. Hurricanes and Global Warming. microwave measurements of the troposphere Emmanuel, K. 2005. Increasing Destructiveness of Nature, 438, December. have never observed the warming predicted Tropical Cyclones over the past 30 Years. Nature, v. by the IPCC Climate Models. Finally the Sun 436, p. 686-688. Landsea, C., et al. 1996. Downward Trends in the is in a quiescent mode with 620 sunspot- Frequency of Intense Atlantic Hurricanes in the Last free days versus an average of 336 days in Fauchereau, N., et al. 2003. Rainfall Variability and Five Decades. Geographical Research Letters v. 23, the recent 20th Century. A minimum of Changes in Southern Africa during the 20th Century no. 13, p. 1697-1700. this scale has not been observed since the in the Global Warming Context. Natural Hazards v. 19th Century. Indeed, we may experience an 29, p. 139-154. Michaels, Patrick J. 2004. The Predictable Distortion “irreversible” climate shift but entirely in the of GLOBAL WARMING by Scientists, Politicians, and opposite direction from the bold statements Herbert, R. 2002. New York Times, June 24th issue. the Media. Cato Institute, Washington, DC. of the hundreds of scientists in Copenhagen. Khandekar, M. L. 2004. Canadian Prairie Drought, Singer, S. Fred, and Avery, Dennis T. 2007. Unstoppable REFERENCES a Climatological Assessment. Alberta Environment, Global Warming. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Balling, R. C., Jr. and Cerveny R. S. 2003. Compilation http://www.gov.ab.ca/env/. Lanham, Maryland, revised 2008. and Discussion of Trends in Severe Storms in the United States: Popular Perception or Climate Reality? Khandekar, M. L. 2002. Comment on (world Wang, Y. Li, C. Ren, F., And Wang X. 2008. Study Natural Hazards v. 29, no. 2, p. 103-112. Meteorological Organization) Statement on Extreme on Climatic Characteristics of China-Influencing Weather Events. EOS Transactions, American Typhoons and the Interrelations between them Chan, J. C. L. 2000. Frequency of Typhoon Landfall Geophysical Union, v. 84, p. 428. and their Environmental Factor. Journal of Tropical in Guangdong Province of China during the period Meteorology v. 14, no. 1 p. 24-27. 1470-1931. International Journal of Climatology, v. 20 Klotsbach, P. J. 2006. Trends in global cyclone no. 2, p. 183-190. activity over the past twenty years (1986-2005).

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 25 CSPG Continuing Education 2009 Upcoming Field Trips WWW.CSPG.ORG www.cspg.org/education/education-trips.cfm

Contrasting the Reservoirs of Braided vs. Meandering Depositional Systems Instructor: Jon Noad Location: Sandy Point, 100 km North of Medicine Hat, Eastern Alberta The tight gas-bearing Nikanassin, Cadomin, Gething, and Falher Formations comprise Cretaceous fluvial deposits, with the Nikanassin in particular showing a transition from a meandering to a braided fluvial system. Similar sediments of Campanian (Upper Creataceous) age outcrop around 80 km North of Medicine Hat, along the South Saskatchewan River. Here the underlying Oldman Formation, dominated by braided fluvial deposits, passes up into the overlying Dinosaur Park Formation, which is made up of meandering river deposits. As a bonus the South Saskatchewan River itself provides a modern analogue for braided depositional systems. An Introduction to Foothills Structure and Cretaceous Reservoir Units; Turner Valley Vicinity, Alberta Instructor: David Kisilevsky Location: Turner Valley and Area (Beginning and ending in Calgary) Maximum Number of Participants: 15 This one-day field trip will beginning in Calgary and will head to Hell’s Half Acre where there will be a discussion of the history of Turner Valley Field, and a brief description of its structure. The field trip will visit a number of locations in the Turner Valley vicinity to observe the foothills/triangle-zone structure, and to observe the stratigraphy of the Alberta Group and Blairmore Group. Shales and Sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous in the Southern Alberta Foothills Instructor: Karsten Nielsen Location: Foothills (approximately two-hour drive from Calgary) Maximum Number of Participants: TBA This field trip will establish a sedimentological description of some of the major shale and sandstone intervals of southern Alberta, mainly the Upper Colorado Group and the Milk Rive r Group. The trip will walk some of the classic river outcrops of southern Alberta and discuss the depositional environments and the organic geochemistry of some of the shale intervals. There will be discussions about topics from lithology, facies, and interpretation of the possible paleo-environments and paleogeographies. In addition, key surfaces will be examined and tied to the subsurface of th e Alberta Basin. Structural Style of the Southern Canadian Foothills Instructors: Paul MacKay and Malcolm Lamb Location: From Calgary, through Black Diamond, Turner Valley, to Hailstone Butte and Beaver Creek Maximum Number of Participants: TBA This one-day field trip will focus on the structural style of the southern Canadian Foothills with discussions on the frontal wedge (Triangle Zone), a comparison of deformation in the Paleozoic vs. Mesozoic section, the shape of folds and associated fracture patterns, and seismic imaging. Upper Cretaceous Meandering River Deposits Exposed in Dinosaur Provincial Park Badlands Instructors: Derald Smith, Peter Putnam, and David Eberth Location: Dinosaur Provincial Park Maximum Number of Participants: 30 Price: $300 Date: July 24th, 2009 This one-day field trip will examine outcrop facies and contacts of several different depositional elements of an ancient (76.5-75 ma), low gradient, meandering river system exposed in the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Dinosaur Provincial park (Steveville Badlands, northwest sector of the Park) near Brooks, Alberta, 175 Km east of Calgary. The depostional elements to be examined include the following: 1. Sandstone-dominant point bar deposits, 2. Siltstone-dominant counter point bar deposits, 3. IHS siltstone/sandstone point bar deposits ending at a mudstone oxbow lake-fill (similar to lithofacies in the McMurray mine sites), 4. Deformed stratigraphy of IHS deposits, likely caused by Laramide earthquakes during the formation of the Rocky Mountains, and 5. Overbank mudstone and lignite coal deposits capping the stratigraphic unit.

Dates and Prices TBA, for additional information please see: www.cspg.org/education/education-trips.cfm or contact: Debbie Legaspi at [email protected] Alexei Belonogov at [email protected] Travis Hobbs at [email protected]

26 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 CSPG Continuing Education halLiburton: 2009 Upcoming Field Trips Connecting the Reservoir to the Pipeline WWW.CSPG.ORG | by Will Gardner www.cspg.org/education/education-trips.cfm The life cycle of a resource play involves coordinating many complex and diverse disciplines – evaluating the reservoir, drilling, Contrasting the Reservoirs of Braided vs. Meandering Depositional Systems completion, reservoir stimulation, and Instructor: Jon Noad optimizing production. Success hinges on Location: Sandy Point, 100 km North of Medicine Hat, Eastern Alberta the seamless integration of all of them. The tight gas-bearing Nikanassin, Cadomin, Gething, and Falher Formations comprise Cretaceous fluvial deposits, with the Halliburton helps link these events together Nikanassin in particular showing a transition from a meandering to a braided fluvial system. Similar sediments of Campanian through a combination of technological (Upper Creataceous) age outcrop around 80 km North of Medicine Hat, along the South Saskatchewan River. Here the advances and time-tested services. underlying Oldman Formation, dominated by braided fluvial deposits, passes up into the overlying Dinosaur Park Formation, which is made up of meandering river deposits. As a bonus the South Saskatchewan River itself provides a modern analogue for As geology describes the chronological braided depositional systems. history of our planet, it seems fitting to An Introduction to Foothills Structure and Cretaceous Reservoir Units; Turner Valley Vicinity, Alberta discuss Halliburton’s Wireline and Perforating services chronologically through the life Instructor: David Kisilevsky of a wellbore. We will introduce wireline Locat ion: Turner Valley and Area (Beginning and ending in Calgary) technologies and services as they connect Maximum Number of Participants: 15 the significant events in the life of the well This one-day field trip will beginning in Calgary and will head to Hell’s Half Acre where there will be a discussion of the history of from formation evaluation to production Turner Valley Field, and a brief description of its structure. The field trip will visit a number of locations in the Turner Valley vicinity assessment, and we will focus on the to observe the foothills/triangle-zone structure, and to observe the stratigraphy of the Alberta Group and Blairmore Group. technologies that have the greatest impact Shales and Sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous in the Southern Alberta Foothills in Canada’s resource plays – especially our In the Canadian Montney, cased hole logging to obtain a brittleness analysis like that shown above is highly unconventional reservoirs. beneficial. RMT’s elemental capture data and processing through using Halliburton’s proprietary ShaleLOG Instructor: Karsten Nielsen software with RMT’s elemental capture and data enables measurement of formation brittleness; indicated on Foothills (approximately two-hour drive from Calgary) a color scale of green to red. Areas of increased brittleness (red) can be interpreted as areas where optimized Location: Unconventional resources need to be TBA completion strategies and reduced frac screen-outs can be realized. Maximum Number of Participants: matched with unconventional thinking. At This field trip will establish a sedimentological description of some of the major shale and sandstone intervals of southern Alberta, Halliburton Wireline and Perforating, we operators deploy a different set of wireline The RMT Elite tool also provides additional mainly the Upper Colorado Group and the Milk River Group. The trip will walk some of the classic river outcrops of southern refer to it not as thinking outside the box, logging technologies, such as Halliburton’s formation evaluation via spectral gamma ray Alberta and discuss the depositional environments and the organic geochemistry of some of the shale intervals. There will be but rather “thinking inside the wellbore.” Reservoir Monitoring Tool Elite (RMTTM discussions about topics from lithology, facies, and interpretation of the possible paleo-environments and paleogeographies. to determine Potassium (K), Uranium (U), In addition, key surfaces will be examined and tied to the subsurface of the Alberta Basin. Elite) system. The RMT Elite tool can obtain and Thorium (Th) radioactivity surrounding a Smart Intervention reliable formation evaluation through the borehole. KUTh analysis effectively provides Structural Style of the Southern Canadian Foothills Wireline services are wellbore interventions casing, and thereby help eliminate the high a more detailed stratigraphic evaluation and cost of maintaining a drilling rig onsite during Instructors: Paul MacKay and Malcolm Lamb whereby a variety of down-hole tools are depth correlation than that typically provided Location: From Calgary, through Black Diamond, Turner Valley, to Hailstone Butte and Beaver Creek deployed by a conductive cable to perform logging. by conventional through-tubing gamma-ray essential services. These services often tools. SPE 90709 Cased-Hole KUTh Logging Maximum Number of Participants: TBA This one-day field trip will focus on the structural style of the southern Canadian Foothills with discussions on the frontal wedge include remediation of wellbore problems, The RMT Elite tool is a slim-hole pulsed Using a PNS Tool (Reed, Jacobson, Durbin) (Triangle Zone), a comparison of deformation in the Paleozoic vs. Mesozoic section, the shape of folds and associated fracture formation evaluation, production assessment, neutron logging tool for managing and describes how this innovation accurately patterns, and seismic imaging. inspection to determine wellbore integrity, monitoring reserves. Using a high-density identifies the type and volume of clay and creating conductivity between the Bismuth Germanium Oxide (BGO) detector, contained in a logged interval. Upper Cretaceous Meandering River Deposits Exposed in Dinosaur Provincial Park Badlands wellbore and reservoir. It is this variety it represents the industry’s most accurate and Instructors: Derald Smith, Peter Putnam, and David Eberth of tasks which makes wireline service an repeatable through-tubing / casing carbon / The Montney resource play and tight shale Location: Dinosaur Provincial Park integral part of the life cycle of the well. oxygen logging system. The RMT Elite tool gas environments present tremendous Maximum Number of Participants: 30 Price: $300 Date: July 24th, 2009 helps enable identification of pay-zones, opportunities to effectively optimize This one-day field trip will examine outcrop facies and contacts of several different depositional elements of an ancient Formation Evaluation: Logging elemental yields, porosity, water saturation, fracture techniques and completion strategy. (76.5-75 ma), low gradient, meandering river system exposed in the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Dinosaur for Increased Production and and water / hydrocarbon contacts. Through Understanding the KUTh of a logged interval Provincial park (Steveville Badlands, northwest sector of the Park) near Brooks, Alberta, 175 Km east of Calgary. The Cost Savings the CHI Modeling® service, Halliburton can enables operators to use this technology depostional elements to be examined include the following: 1. Sandstone-dominant point bar deposits, 2. Siltstone-dominant Wireline services are initiated when drilling is then provide effective analysis to produce a in horizontal wells to determine the counter point bar deposits, 3. IHS siltstone/sandstone point bar deposits ending at a mudstone oxbow lake-fill (similar to completed. The comprehensive understanding pseudo triple combo log – a process praised ideal fracture. By focusing on the more lithofacies in the McMurray mine sites), 4. Deformed stratigraphy of IHS deposits, likely caused by Laramide earthquakes during of the reservoir and the formation acquired in papers such as SPE 94716: Application of brittle intervals in a horizontal zone, then the formation of the Rocky Mountains, and 5. Overbank mudstone and lignite coal deposits capping the stratigraphic unit. through wireline logging are crucial to the Chi Modeling Using Pulsed Neutron to Create correlating this data with known rock well’s production and profitability. Pseudo-Open Hole Logs (Reed et al.). mechanics and openhole logs within the field, fracture treatment can be optimized to Dates and Prices TBA, for additional information please see: Openhole wireline services are commonly After openhole logging in a nearby training provide significant cost savings and increased www.cspg.org/education/education-trips.cfm used in the newly drilled wellbore to well, RMT Elite tool specialists program production. or contact: Debbie Legaspi at [email protected] understand lithology, identify payzones, and the results into a neural network, which is Alexei Belonogov at [email protected] determine rock mechanics – all of which help then applied to the RMT Elite tool data. In Optimized Stimulation: optimize completion and fracture strategy. the rest of the field, RMT Elite logging tool Explosive Technology Travis Hobbs at [email protected] is deployed to provide an effective pseudo- After openhole logging in nearby wells After the well is cased and cemented, openhole replacement. (Continued on page 28...)

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 27 With IFS, the wireline sets a bridge plug below the zone of interest and provides isolation within the wellbore. During the same run, the perforating gun is sent on the wireline to the desired perforating depth to safely detonate the charges. These charges create conductivity between the reservoir and the wellbore. The IFS technology controls the plug setting and perforating gun operation through a series of electronic switches; it also provides real- time monitoring of these complex events at surface by verifying detonation through down-hole accelerometers.

Wellsite efficiencies are important, but Halliburton’s primary focus is safety. Halliburton’s IFS technology and RED® (Rig Environment Detonators) provide the industry’s leading technology for explosive safety.

Halliburton has enjoyed tremendous success with multi-shoot technology in Canada. In the tight-gas and shale formations, hundreds of deployments have been completed involving the setting of a bridge plug and detonation of multiple perforating guns in Halliburton models perforating events into PerfPro software to identify a perforating program and determine charge a single run. With a success rate of 97 performance in the wellbore environment, ensuring that the desired results are achieved. percent, Halliburton leads the industry. In the Montney resource play, horizontal (...Continued from page 27) the fracture will optimize production over deployment has been achieved through a establishes the properties and parameters the interval. Perforating parameters include variety of methodologies each suited to the of the field, cased-hole logging can provide depth of formation penetration, density and unique condition of each wellbore. These the accurate reservoir understanding needed orientation of the perforation tunnels, size of solutions include deployment by coiled for completion and stimulation design and entry hole, and interval length. tubing, wireline tractor, and pump-down set the stage for the next step – perforating conveyance. the casing. Halliburton’s Intelligent Firing Systems (IFS) represents the industry’s leading technology Perforating operations require effective Wireline perforation is used to provide an for perforating services. IFS allows the understanding of rock mechanics and opening for fracture stimulation. In the basic perforating operation to be completed in modeling to determine charge performance perforating operation, an explosive charge one wireline run rather than two. Traditional in wellbore conditions, including the extent creates a high-pressure jet that penetrates the perforating involves setting a bridge plug, of near-wellbore damage, crush zone, casing at a targeted interval. To assure that then deploying the perforating gun on a permeability anisotropy, compressive the ensuing fracture treatment is effectively separate wireline run – an operation that strength, effective stress, and under- or targeted, these operations are modeled so consumes extra rig time. overbalanced perforating conditions.

Production Array Logging (PALS) provides for accurate measurements in today’s complex wellbore designs. As the image suggests, traditional centrally positioned sensors are ineffective in the horizontal environment as water, hydrocarbon, and gas exhibit stratified flow.

28 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 Production Assessment: How to measure fluid velocities across the multi- competitive. Halliburton continues to invest in Much Production and Where Is phase flow commonly found in horizontal this technology to enhance our conventional It Coming From? wellbores. services and serve the unconventional needs After optimizing production enhancement, of the future. wireline’s role is again critical in the next Recently, Canadian Montney operators used stage of the well’s life – production evaluation PALS following the fracture treatments of Wireline is especially relevant to of the life of the well. their horizontal wells. PALS logs revealed unconventional resource plays, which are varying levels of gas and water production produced with tight economic returns. Production logging is the process of throughout the hole. Hallibur ton’s log analysts Operators are using more sophisticated and using a variety of sensors to evaluate and correlated the observed bottomhole rates to more costly technologies to make them pay, quantify production on a zone-by-zone the surface production during logging to such as deviated and horizontal wellbores. basis throughout the wellbore. Traditionally, determine the zone-by-zone contribution. Halliburton Wireline and Perforating has deviated, horizontal, and multi-phase flow This data, in addition to providing effective tailored its services to provide the urgently environments posed significant production evaluation of zonal production, also increases needed solutions in these environments – logging challenges to operators. Now, wellbore understanding to help optimize greater reservoir understanding, horizontal Halliburton’s Production Array Logging Suite production of the logged well and completions deployment solutions for perforating, and (PALS) provides the most accurate solution in the remainder of the field. As a further advanced production logging. available by positioning sensors radially benefit, excessive water-cut recorded across through the internal circumference of the distinct intervals can be reduced through a Biography well bore. variety of remediation techniques, including Will Gardner is a graduate of Eastern Oregon bridge plugs and casing patches. University. His industry career began with The first PALS component is the Capacitance Downhole Video services and Expro Wireline Array Tool (CAT™) device, which measures Wireline: Tying it all Together Intervention before joining the Halliburton the dielectric properties of the reservoir Halliburton’s Wireline services can play a team. Currently he provides wireline solutions fluid and enables differentiation between significant role in the life cycle of a well. to Canadian operators as part of Halliburton water, hydrocarbons, and gas. The second From evaluating the formation, engineering Wireline and Perforating. component, the Resistance Array Tool the completion, production assessment, (RAT™) device, provides further clarification and ultimately well abandonment, wireline by enabling the detection of gas bubbles provides the links between these diverse This article was contributed by Halliburton. that are produced in a water-dominated operations. Logging technology plays a key CSPG thanks Halliburton for the contribution. environment or are moving within the fluid role in optimizing production and controlling phase. The Spinner Array Tool (SAT™) costs; this will become increasingly important device is the final PALS component; it as reservoirs become more complex features micro turbines radially positioned and economic conditions are ever more

This log from a Canadian Montney well displays a horizontal section from 2600 - 4600 meters measured depth (MD). The PALS log identifies water production in blue and gas production in red. Throughout the interval, water can be seen on the low side of the wellbore with increasing quantity in the low spots of the horizontal, as demonstrated by the middle Well View graphic. Production is quantified in the upper Q graphic showing the proportion of water and gas being produced by each interval noted in grey on the bottom scale.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 29 21st Annual CSPG-CSEG 10km/5km CSPG Continuing Education Road Race and Fun Run 3rd Annual Education Week | by Mike Cardell October 26 - October 30, 2009 www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm

Shale Gas Critical Fundamentals, Techniques, and Tools for Exploration Analysis Instructor: Dr. Basim Faraj, Unconventional Gas Specialist at Talisman Energy Description: This one-day course will introduce the fundamental differences between conventional hybrid and shale gas plays. Source and reservoir rock attributes of shale gas plays will be discussed as well as GIP calculations, water, oil and gas saturations, essential laboratory analysis, and optimum geochemical and mineralogical parameters. Slickwater completion lessons learned from the US will be detailed. Canadian plays will be highlighted and discussed. Practical Sequence Stratigraphy: Concepts and Applications Instructor: Ashton Embry, Geological Survey of Canada Description: This 3-day course presents the concepts and practical applications of sequence stratigraphy for petroleum exploration. Workshop exercises will emphasize the recognition and correlation of sequence stratigraphic surfaces on well log cross-sections. Following the course, participants will have a clear understanding of the use of And they’re off! sequence stratigraphy for predicting facies types and geometries away from control points. Stratigraphic Setting of Lower and Middle Triassic Strata Runners get ready! Once again, the CSPG- back course along the beautiful Bow River To help you, Gord Hobbins of Gord’s CSEG will be running its annual Road Race pathways, finishing at the Eau Claire YMCA. Running Store has developed a 10km race Instructor: Dr. James Dixon, Geological Survey of Canada and Fun Run in September 2009. Building on Following the race, all racers, volunteers, training guide for novice runners. Try it Description: The objective of this half-day course is to help explorationists understand the regional stratigraphic last year’s new format, the event promises and guests are invited to gather at a yet- to- out and benefit from some expert advice. setting of Triassic rocks and how this can be used in a more local exploration program. The course consists of two to be better than ever. be-named venue for awards, draw prizes, You may be surprised how easy it can be lectures, some correlation exercises, and an examination of several cores that illustrate various facies types and/or refreshments, and some friendly camaraderie. to gently get yourself in condition for your significant stratigraphic surfaces. We will be offering both a ten-kilometre So if you are looking for a competitive race first race. Basic Core Logging with Integrated Ichnological Techniques and a five-kilometre race. We have secured or just want to have fun, come join us! Instructor: Dr. Kerrie Bann, Ichnofacies Analysis Inc. and Dr. Stuart Tye Winning Time to provide chip timing and Gord’s 12 Week Training Description: This short course has been designed to teach the basics of logging core clastic intervals, with the Events On-line will provide easy on-line The race is open to all members of CSPG, Guide for Novice Runners inclusion of fundamental introductory ichnological techniques. Identification of facies through the integration of registration. CSEG, and CAPL, and the general public; Guidance/Tips: For novice runners who wish a sedimentology and ichnology is crucial in building better stratigraphic and palaeogeographic models of reservoirs. however, space is limited to 200 participants. do-it-yourself program at your leisure. The run will take place on Wednesday, Register early to avoid disappointment! Sequence Stratigraphy Principles and Applications September 16, 2009 beginning at 6:00pm at There will be NO race day registration. For • Run for short durations between 3 – 5 times Instructor: Dr. Octavian Catuneanu, Professor in the Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta the Eau Claire YMCA in Calgary, Alberta. more information or to register, visit our per week according to schedule, with your Description: This workshop presents the concepts and practical applications of sequence stratigraphy for petroleum The route will take you on an out-and- website www.cspg.org. long run days being the key to your training exploration and production. All concepts are illustrated with field examples of seismic, well-log, core, and outcrop program. data. In-class exercises emphasize the recognition of sequence stratigraphy surfaces and systems tracts on well-log • If your running shoes are giving you some cross-sections, seismic lines, and outcrop profiles. Minutes of running per day: problems, get some that fit and match your gait. Reservoir Geology of Sandstones Week Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun • The guide allows for a gradual increase to a Instructor: Godfried Wasser, M.Sc., Eucalyptus Consulting Inc. June 29-July 5 – 10-15 min – 10-15 min – – 15 min comfortable load; your legs may need some Description: This 4-day course discusses both conventional (Oil and Gas) and tight gas reservoirs with case histories conditioning at first. from the Belly River, Glauconitic, Cardium, and the Nikanassin/Minnes. Also shown is a systematic approach to a July 6-12 – 10-15 min – 10-15 min – – 20 min • Yes, times are in minutes. The secret is to be reservoir geological evaluation starting with the rock (core and cuttings workshops) and reviewing petrophysics, regular and not beat yourself up. July 13-19 – 10-20 min 0-10 min 10-20 min – – 25 min thin-section analysis (capillary pressures and relative permeability), and some other aspects or reservoir engineering. • Wear a hat and cool shades. Keep well July 20-26 – 10-20 min 0-10 min 10-20 min – – 30 min hydrated. It really helps. 16 Ways to Identify Bypassed Pay from DST Data • Gently stretch those calves and quads Instructor: Hugh Reid, Hugh W. Reid and Associates July 27-Aug 2 – 10-20 min 0-10 min 10-20 min 0-10 min – 25 min afterwards. Description: This 2-day course will give students the skills to identify potential missed pay by examining DST charts Aug 3-9 – 10-20 min 0-10 min 10-20 min 0-10 min – 35 min • Take along a friend and convince them to and results, using numerous case histories of wells with poor DSTs, which were later completed commercially. The sign up for CSPG, CSEG, and the Road Race Course is designed for those who have already taken a basic DST course, or are familiar with DST charts, not for as well. Aug 10-16 – 15-25 min 0-10 min 15-20 min 0-10 min – 25 min absolute beginners. • There are many running/training groups in Aug 14-20 – 15-25 min 0-10 min 15-20 min 0-10 min – 40 min town if interested in more. For a full course description & registration, see: Aug 17-23 – 15-25 min 0-10 min 15-25 min 0-10 min – 25 min Many thanks go out to our sponsors and www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm Aug 24-30 – 15-25 min 0-10 min 15-25 min 0-10 min – 45 min volunteers who make this event possible each For additional information, contact year. Aug 31-Sept 6 – 20-30 min 0-10 min 15-25 min 0-10 min – 25 min Tina Donkers at [email protected] or Travis Hobbs at [email protected] Sept 7-13 – Rest 10 KM RUN We hope to see you there!

30 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 CSPG Continuing Education 3rd Annual Education Week October 26 - October 30, 2009 www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm

Shale Gas Critical Fundamentals, Techniques, and Tools for Exploration Analysis Instructor: Dr. Basim Faraj, Unconventional Gas Specialist at Talisman Energy Description: This one-day course will introduce the fundamental differences between conventional hybrid and shale gas plays. Source and reservoir rock attributes of shale gas plays will be discussed as well as GIP calculations, water, oil and gas saturations, essential laboratory analysis, and optimum geochemical and mineralogical parameters. Slickwater completion lessons learned from the US will be detailed. Canadian plays will be highlighted and discussed. Practical Sequence Stratigraphy: Concepts and Applications Instructor: Ashton Embry, Geological Survey of Canada Description: This 3-day course presents the concepts and practical applications of sequence stratigraphy for petroleum exploration. Workshop exercises will emphasize the recognition and correlation of sequence stratigraphic surfaces on well log cross-sections. Following the course, participants will have a clear understanding of the use of sequence stratigraphy for predicting facies types and geometries away from control points. Stratigraphic Setting of Lower and Middle Triassic Strata Instructor: Dr. James Dixon, Geological Survey of Canada Description: The objective of this half-day course is to help explorationists understand the regional stratigraphic setting of Triassic rocks and how this can be used in a more local exploration program. The course consists of two lectures, some correlation exercises, and an examination of several cores that illustrate various facies types and/or significant stratigraphic surfaces. Basic Core Logging with Integrated Ichnological Techniques Instructor: Dr. Kerrie Bann, Ichnofacies Analysis Inc. and Dr. Stuart Tye Description: This short course has been designed to teach the basics of logging core clastic intervals, with the inclusion of fundamental introductory ichnological techniques. Identification of facies through the integration of sedimentology and ichnology is crucial in building better stratigraphic and palaeogeographic models of reservoirs. Sequence Stratigraphy Principles and Applications Instructor: Dr. Octavian Catuneanu, Professor in the Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta Description: This workshop presents the concepts and practical applications of sequence stratigraphy for petroleum exploration and production. All concepts are illustrated with field examples of seismic, well-log, core, and outcrop data. In-class exercises emphasize the recognition of sequence stratigraphy surfaces and systems tracts on well-log cross-sections, seismic lines, and outcrop profiles. Reservoir Geology of Sandstones Instructor: Godfried Wasser, M.Sc., Eucalyptus Consulting Inc. Description: This 4-day course discusses both conventional (Oil and Gas) and tight gas reservoirs with case histories from the Belly River, Glauconitic, Cardium, and the Nikanassin/Minnes. Also shown is a systematic approach to a reservoir geological evaluation starting with the rock (core and cuttings workshops) and reviewing petrophysics, thin-section analysis (capillary pressures and relative permeability), and some other aspects or reservoir engineering. 16 Ways to Identify Bypassed Pay from DST Data Instructor: Hugh Reid, Hugh W. Reid and Associates Description: This 2-day course will give students the skills to identify potential missed pay by examining DST charts and results, using numerous case histories of wells with poor DSTs, which were later completed commercially. The Course is designed for those who have already taken a basic DST course, or are familiar with DST charts, not for absolute beginners. For a full course description & registration, see: www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm For additional information, contact Tina Donkers at [email protected] or Travis Hobbs at [email protected]

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 31 First Iraqi company providing logging services for: • Open hole services • Cased hole services • Perforations • VSP • PLT

Unique system, Decades of tools performance and accuracy

For more information, visit www.oilserv.biz

32 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 WANTED: IDEAS FOR TECHNICAL SESSIONS for GeoCanada 2010 Convention | by Regan Palsgrove

First Iraqi company providing logging services for: • Open hole services 2009 Joint Annual Convention Technical Session. I’m CSPG’s representative on the technical and chairpersons, or would like to arrange e-mail your technical session opinions and • Cased hole committee for next year’s convention, which your dream technical session. Regardless, ideas to [email protected]. services is the big one (10+ societies): GeoCanada we want to hear from you. So please, Hope to hear from you! 2010. Some of you may remember the last • Perforations one that was held, GeoCanada 2000, at the • VSP University of Calgary. My job is to ensure that CSPG has adequate representation • PLT in the planning of the technical program for GeoCanada 2010. In other words, my job is to ensure that we are delivering enough relevant technical content at the convention to make our members happy. We want a strong technical program that Unique system, Decades integrates the knowledge each society has of tools performance and to offer. Reservoir Characterization Expertise in heavy oil & deep basin reservoirs accuracy We need to: a) define technical sessions of interest to CSPG members and b) assign • AVO / LMR Analysis session chairs, who then assemble speakers – often through their own personal • Neural Network Analysis contacts, but with help from the convention technical committee. Alternatively, we can • PP & PS Registration find a good session chair, and have them • Joint PP & PS Inversion design and arrange a technical session of their choice. • Fracture Detection Analysis using Azimuthal AVO Now is the time to plan next year’s • Spectral Decomposition convention so that we, the members, Time Lapse Analysis get the technical content we are looking for. Anyone who attended this year’s convention probably has an opinion about the technical program. What did you like? Carmen Dumitrescu What did you want to see more of? What P.Geoph., M.Sc., Manager, Reservoir Geophysics was there not enough of? What topics Direct: 403-260-6588 Main: 403-237-7711 were not covered? Or, perhaps you have www.sensorgeo.com For more information, visit www.oilserv.biz specific ideas about possible session titles

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 33 ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL Long-time Members Reception | by Regan Palsgrove

CSPG’s Long-time Members.

Well, we’ve had another successful Long- a close contender (1946). As this was Reception this year: Big Rock Brewery’s time Members Reception. This event grows Oscar’s first appearance at the Reception, Shale Ale! This was a special beer brewed in popularity every year. It was held on we gave the award to him. for the convention this year in honour of Tuesday, May 5, 2009, in the charming the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Rotary House on the Stampede Grounds. However, this year we honored all our the Burgess Shale by Charles Walcott. Ed This invitation-only event, which was first most senior members by giving out special Klovan (a Long-time Member) and Randle held in 2001, is intended to be a celebration certificates to all those with over SIXTY Robertson, both involved with the Burgess of the contribution of our senior members. years of membership. Shale Foundation’s Centennial celebrations, It is a reunion of old acquaintances, and brought over and set-up part of the booth many friendships are renewed at this We also presented the 2008 Honorary they had displayed at the convention. The function. Invitations are extended to all Award Memberships at the Reception. This Burgess Shale Foundation kindly donated members (in good standing) who have been year, the Honorary Memberships went to a guided hike for two to the Burgess members of the CSPG for 30+ years. Every Donald G. Cook and David G. Smith. It Shale, and it was won in a draw by Murray year we give out an award to the member was a pleasure to hear their citations, and Frame. in attendance with the earliest start-date. see their proud families as they accepted Ned Gilbert (1945) usually wins this, but these awards. Next year we will invite all members with this year he brought some competition a start date of 1980 or earlier (30+ years in the form of his friend Oscar Erdman, We also had something different at the of membership) to the Long-time Members

Jim Murray, Ed Klovan, and Bob Orr. Ned Gilbert.

34 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 Members with 60+ years in the CSPG.

Reception. If you, or someone you know, contact Lis Bjeld, the Executive Director feel you should have been invited this year, of the CSPG, at (403) 264-5610 (ext. 228) but were missed, please phone the CSPG for more information on sponsoring this office. Your start date and membership event. status can be verified in order to ensure that you are invited next year. Invitations A l so, i f yo u are i n t e re s t e d i n he l pi ng or g a nize are sent out in late April or early May. this event next year, please call Regan Palsgrove at (403) 237-1423. In addition, we Due to the popularity of this event, we are always looking for feedback, and would would like to continue running it in the love to hear from you. I look forward to same format and scale as in previous years. seeing everyone again next year! However, costs have risen dramatically, and as a result, we are looking for a sponsor to help us fund next year’s Reception. Please Oscar Erdman (right) receiving his prize.

2009 Gussow Geoscience Conference Towards Sustainable Oil Sands Development October 5 – 7, 2009 Banff, Alberta, Canada

Please join us October 5 – 7, 2009 at the Banff Centre for the Gussow Geoscience Conference. The Gussow Geoscience Conference is delivered by world-renowned specialists and will focus on the energy environment interface yielding a better understanding of the complex impact of geological heterogeneity in bitumen reservoirs on feasible routes to sustainable energy recovery from heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs. Register online at: http://www.cspg.org/conventions/Gussow2009/ $800 registration fee includes conference sessions, accommodation, meals and parking. Register now to guarantee a room at the world-renowned Banff Centre!

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 35 2009 Awards Reception All Aboard! for the 8th running of

November 2nd - 6th, 2009 Calgary, Alberta

bird early W Ne dra early Ze deadli The Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists invites Pri ON raTi ST Ne 30, 2009 you to attend our 8th annual Continuing Education Week. reGi Ju

PROCESSING 8 Structural Geology for Geophysical DEVELOPMENT GEOPHYSICS 1 Processing, Inversion and Reconstruction Interpreters Marian Warren / Mark Cooper November 2-4 16 Multicomponent Seismic Exploration The 2009 Awards Reception. of Seismic Data in Western Canada Mauricio Sacchi November 2-3 9 Seismic Geo-morphology Richard A. Bale / Robert Kendall November 4 Henry Posamentier November 4-6 The Canadian Society of Petroleum 2 Seismic Processing Fundamentals Geologists annually presents a variety of Gary Margrave November 4-6 17 Time Lapse Seismic awards to recognize technical achievements David Lumley November 3-4 3 Parallel Computing - Cluster computing ROCK PROPERTIES and excellence in volunteerism. In the 18 Naturally Fractured Reservoirs using MPI/OpenMP in Fortran/C 10 Inversion Boot Camp past, CSPG has presented these awards Roberto Aguilera November 2-3 at the beginning of Technical Luncheons. Phil Bording November 5-6 John Pendrel / Dave Timko November 4-5 19 Hydraulic Fracturing and Microseismic However, it was felt that there was another 11 Rock Physics for Geophysical Reservoir Mike Jones / Shawn Maxwell November 5-6 method of announcing the more prestigious INTERPRETATION Characterization and Recovery Monitoring awards rather than over the din of people Gary Mavko November 5-6 4 Seismic Expression of Devonian Carbonates 20 Geostats for Reservoir Characterization networking and eating. Hence, the first Clayton Deutsch November 5-6 Awards Reception was created. Geoffrey Fraser / Norm Kohlhammer November 4 12 Understanding Seismic Anisotropy, 5 Seismic Interpretation in the Hands On 21 Geomatics for Exploration Leon Thomsen November 3-4 The 2009 Awards Reception, organized by Exploration Domain Barry Clement November 2 Penny Colton, CSPG’s Assistant Services President’s Special Recognition Award (top left), President’s Award (top right), Hunter Award (bottom left) and Tim Smith / Don Herron November 2-3 Director, and Kasandra Klein, CSPG’s the Medal of Merit (bottom right). BASIC CONCEPTS PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Member Services Coordinator, was held 6 3D Seismic Attributes for Prospect 13 3D Seismology for Non-geophysicists Wednesday, May 6th in the Quarter Horse (not in attendance), and Kurt Marfurt the recipients to be properly recognized Identification and Reservoir Characterization 22 You re Presenting… Are They Listening? Chris Liner November 2-3 Room of the Calgary Roundup Centre (not in attendance). The H.M. Hunter amongst their peers. Ayaz Gulamhussein, Kurt J. Marfurt / Satinder Chopra November 5-6 Carol Wright November 6 during the Annual CSPG CSEG CWLS Award was presented to Gerry Reinson CSPG’s Services Director and the event 7 Shallow EM Methods Applied to Oil 14 Seismic Data Basics - Level I 23 Project Risk and Economics Convention. Various members of the CSPG and Kirk Osadetz (not in attendance). The host especially appreciated the event, John Fernando November 2-3 Sands Investigations Jim Gouveia November 2 Executive Committee, selected 2008 CSPG President’s Special Recognition Award saying that “the event was a definite hit; Ted Glenn November 4 Award recipients with guests, and CSPG was presented to Ian McIlreath. The the venue chosen was fantastic, and the 15 Seismic Data Basics - Level 2 John Fernando November 5-6 Award Committee Chairs met for some reception also honoured and recognized food was great!” hors d’oeurves, beverages, and of course recipients of CSPG awards which were the award presentations. already presented at Technical Luncheons We look forward to the next awards or other events. These awards include reception in 2010, which will honour some The 2008 awards that were presented the Link Award, received by Benoit of the 2009 CSPG awards recipients. REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 4, 2009 – COURSES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • LIMITED CLASS SIZES, SO BOOK EARLY were the President’s Award, the Medal of Beauchamp, the Tracks Award, received Merit, the H.M. Hunter Award, and the by Glen Stockmal, the Honourary early bird registration deadline is September 18, 2009. registration closes October 14, 2009. President’s Special Recognition Award. Membership, received by David G. Smith The President’s Award was presented and Donald G. Cook, and the 33 Service For course details and registration information call (403) 262-0015 or visit our website at: to Bruce Shultz, Tooney Fink, and Brian and 136 Volunteer Awards. Glover. The Medal of Merit was presented www.cseg.ca to Bogdan Varban, Guy Plint, Bruce Hart The intimate and quiet setting allowed Keep your ear to the rail for the Wednesday Night Social event, November 4, 2009.

36 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 CaNadiaN SOCieTy OF eXPlOraTiON GeOPHySiCiSTS All Aboard! for the 8th running of

November 2nd - 6th, 2009 Calgary, Alberta

bird early W Ne dra early Ze deadli The Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists invites Pri ON raTi ST Ne 30, 2009 you to attend our 8th annual Continuing Education Week. reGi Ju

PROCESSING 8 Structural Geology for Geophysical DEVELOPMENT GEOPHYSICS 1 Processing, Inversion and Reconstruction Interpreters Marian Warren / Mark Cooper November 2-4 16 Multicomponent Seismic Exploration of Seismic Data in Western Canada Mauricio Sacchi November 2-3 9 Seismic Geo-morphology Richard A. Bale / Robert Kendall November 4 Henry Posamentier November 4-6 2 Seismic Processing Fundamentals Gary Margrave November 4-6 17 Time Lapse Seismic David Lumley November 3-4 3 Parallel Computing - Cluster computing ROCK PROPERTIES 18 Naturally Fractured Reservoirs using MPI/OpenMP in Fortran/C 10 Inversion Boot Camp Roberto Aguilera November 2-3 Phil Bording November 5-6 John Pendrel / Dave Timko November 4-5 19 Hydraulic Fracturing and Microseismic 11 Rock Physics for Geophysical Reservoir Mike Jones / Shawn Maxwell November 5-6 INTERPRETATION Characterization and Recovery Monitoring Gary Mavko November 5-6 4 Seismic Expression of Devonian Carbonates 20 Geostats for Reservoir Characterization Clayton Deutsch November 5-6 Geoffrey Fraser / Norm Kohlhammer November 4 12 Understanding Seismic Anisotropy, 5 Seismic Interpretation in the Hands On 21 Geomatics for Exploration Leon Thomsen November 3-4 Exploration Domain Barry Clement November 2 Tim Smith / Don Herron November 2-3 6 3D Seismic Attributes for Prospect BASIC CONCEPTS PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Identification and Reservoir Characterization 13 3D Seismology for Non-geophysicists 22 You re Presenting… Are They Listening? Chris Liner November 2-3 Kurt J. Marfurt / Satinder Chopra November 5-6 Carol Wright November 6 7 Shallow EM Methods Applied to Oil 14 Seismic Data Basics - Level I 23 Project Risk and Economics John Fernando November 2-3 Sands Investigations Jim Gouveia November 2 Ted Glenn November 4 15 Seismic Data Basics - Level 2 John Fernando November 5-6

REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 4, 2009 – COURSES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • LIMITED CLASS SIZES, SO BOOK EARLY

early bird registration deadline is September 18, 2009. registration closes October 14, 2009. For course details and registration information call (403) 262-0015 or visit our website at: www.cseg.ca Keep your ear to the rail for the Wednesday Night Social event, November 4, 2009.

CaNadiaN SOCieTy OF eXPlOraTiON Ge OPHRESERVOIRySiCi ISSUESTS 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 37 2009 CALL for Ph.D. and m.Sc. TheSeS

Win $2500.00 and a framed certificate; of the Livingston Range anticlinorium, and a one year membership with the a stratigraphic re-interpretation of the CSPG for: the Doctoral thesis that makes Alexandra Reef Complex which has the most significant contribution to lead to new insights into the nature of Canadian sedimentary geology in 2009. Devonian reefs, new thoughts about the classic Carboniferous section at Win $2000.00 and a framed certificate; Joggins, Nova Scotia and a detailed and a one year membership with the sedimentologic study on the Upper Kaza CSPG for: the Master’s thesis that makes group of the Windermere Supergroup. the most significant contribution to Canadian sedimentary geology in 2009. Deadline for submissions Winning thesis topics in recent years is September 18, 2009. have included: detailed integrated Submitted theses will be returned in studies of the Falher, Paddy and late January 2010 after the completion of Dunvegan, structural re-interpretation judging.

Eligible theses are either produced in a Canadian university, regardless of project location, or deal with a Canadian sedimentary/petroleum geology topic, regardless of the university of origin. Theses entered for the 2009 awards must have been submitted to a recognized university inside or outside Canada, and must have formed part of the requirements for degrees awarded at the Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 convocations. Candidate theses must be well written, clearly and adequately illustrated, and properly bound.

TheSiS SubmiSSionS for juDging To: Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG) Graduate Thesis Awards Committee c/o Andre Chow Pengrowth Corporation 2100, 222 – 3rd Avenue SW Proud Sponsor of the Calgary, AB T2P 0S4 CSPG Graduate and Phone: (403) 213-3713 • Fax: (403) 234-6886 Undergraduate Theses Awards. Email: [email protected]

38 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 2008 MEDAL OF MERIT 2009 CALL for Ph.D. and m.Sc. TheSeS

Win $2500.00 and a framed the Master’s thesis that makes certificate; and a one year the most significant contribution membership with the CSPG for: to Canadian sedimentary the Doctoral thesis that makes geology in 2009. the most significant contribution to Canadian sedimentary Deadline for submissions geology in 2009. is September 18, 2009. Guy Plint (left) and Bogdan Varban (right) receiving their award from Ian Kirkland (centre). Bruce Hart. Submitted theses will be The Medal of Merit is awarded annually by mapped in the foothills. The faults generally CSPG for the best paper published during form thrust systems rather than individual Win $2000.00 and a framed returned in late January 2010 the previous year on a subject related to thrusts in the lower muddier part of the the petroleum geology of Canada. More Kaskapau, with resulting thickening of tens certificate; and a one year after the completion of judging. specifically, the Medal of Merit Committee of metres over distances of three to five favours papers which are broad in scope kilometres. Low-relief folds in the form membership with the CSPG for: and are clearly written, well presented, of asymmetrical anticlines formed above and illustrated with novel ideas, thorough the anomalously thickened areas and trend data collection, and linkage of data to southwest to northeast with five to eight Eligible theses are either produced in a Canadian university, regardless of project interpretations and conclusions. kilometre wavelength. Fracture modelling indicates that three types of fractures are location, or deal with a Canadian sedimentary/petroleum geology topic, regardless The 2008 Medal of Merit is awarded to expected to develop in the folds. Bruce S. Hart, Bogdan L. Varban, Kurt J. of the university of origin. Theses entered for the 2009 awards must have been Marfurt, and A. Guy Plint for their paper The paper has clear applications for the “Blind thrusts and fault-related folds in the exploration and development of fractured submitted to a recognized university inside or outside Canada, and must have Upper Cretaceous Alberta Group, deep low-permeability reservoirs in western basin, west-central Alberta: implications for Canada and elsewhere. With the steadily formed part of the requirements for degrees awarded at the Fall 2008 or Spring fractured reservoirs,” which was published increasing focus on low-permeability 2009 convocations. Candidate theses must be well written, clearly and adequately in the June 2007 Bulletin of Canadian reservoirs the described structures may Petroleum Geology, v. 55, p. 125-137. be useful analogues where links exist illustrated, and properly bound. between stratigraphy, structure, fracture Kurt Malfurt. The paper describes how the authors used development, and producibility. The study well logs and 3-D seismic data to identify and also demonstrated the value of making map blind thrusts and associated fault-related detailed stratigraphic correlations in shale folds in the Upper Cretaceous Kaskapau, units. In addition, the paper is well written KEEPING TheSiS SubmiSSionS for juDging To: Cardium, and overlying formations in the and illustrated and effectively integrates Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG) Deep Basin south and southwest of Grande data from multiple sources. TRACK Prairie, Alberta. The paper also utilized work Graduate Thesis Awards Committee previously published by the various authors The full Medal of Merit citation appears in David allen c/o Andre Chow on regional subsurface and outcrop mapping the March 2009 issue of the CSPG Bulletin from Pengrowth Corporation and seismic processing methodologies. of Canadian Petroleum Geology. Guy Plint Vice President of Exploration Enhanced post-stack processing including and Bogdan Varban were presented with with alberta Clipper Energy inc. 2100, 222 – 3rd Avenue SW noise reduction, coherency processing, and their awards at the 2009 CSPG Awards to Proud Sponsor of the volumetric dip analysis was used to improve Reception held on May 6th, 2009 at the Calgary, AB T2P 0S4 CSPG Graduate and Director of Exploration and the quality of the 3-D seismic over the Calgary Roundup Centre. Bruce Hart and Undergraduate Development Phone: (403) 213-3713 • Fax: (403) 234-6886 shallow stratigraphic intervals. Kurt Marfurt could not be in attendance. Theses Awards. with naL Resources Email: [email protected] The described structures extend 50 km [email protected] to the east of the nearest exposed thrusts

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 39 2008 H.M. Hunter Award

Gerry Reinson (left) receiving his award from Craig Lamb (right). Kirk Osadetz.

The H.M. Hunter Award was created to CSPG initiatives and committees, Reinson at numerous Technical Luncheons, Gussow recognize those individuals who have served has provided leadership to the Society Research Conferences, CSPG Division the Society in a variety of capacities over through his tenure on the Executive as Vice- meetings, and Annual Conventions and has many years. It is named in honour of Harry President, President, and Past President authored several papers in the Bulletin. He, M. Hunter, the Society’s 12th President, from 1995 to 1997. along with three other colleagues, has led who served in 1939. The 2008 recipients of numerous southern Alberta Foothills Field the H.M Hunter Award are Gerry Reinson Reinson has contributed substantially to Trips for CSPG and Joint AAPG-CSPG and Kirk Osadetz. The award was presented furthering the technical knowledge of our Conventions and Field Schools and the at the 2009 CSPG Awards Reception on members through his service as Associate CSPG Structure Division. He was also a Wednesday May 6th at the Calgary Roundup Editor of the Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum lecturer in the CSPG Advantage educational Centre, then later recognized at the May Geology, his chairing and editing of two program. 21st Technical Luncheon at the TELUS Core Conference publications in 1977, and Convention Centre. the joint AAPG-CSPG Core Symposium In addition to his personal technical in 2005. He has presented numerous oral, contributions, Osadetz has contributed to Gerry Reinson poster, and core presentations at CSPG the Society as a Director on the Executive Gerry Reinson has been an active member sponsored events, including three technical (Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer), Co- of CSPG for over 35 years, and first joined luncheon presentations. Reinson has also Chair of the Technical Luncheon/Program as a student member in 1967. His volunteer been a major contributor to CSPG Bulletins, Committee, a member of several Convention service to the Society started in the mid- Memoirs, and the Geological Atlas of the Committees (Technical Program Co-Chair, 1970s and continues today. Reinson’s Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Technical Program Committee Member, earliest contributions were focused on the and Session Chairperson), and Associate organization of, and participation in Core This award recognizes Reinson’s significant Editor of the Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Conference Committees and field trips. dedication and service to the Society, in a Geology (two terms). Subsequent committee service included number of roles over the past 35 years. various award committees (Graduate Thesis, Osadetz has previously received two Tracks Tracks, Service, Volunteer), the Education Kirk Osadetz Awards, as well as Service and Volunteer Advisory Committee, the National Liaison Kirk Osadetz has been volunteering with awards for his Committee and Editorial Committee, and as CSPG representative CSPG for over 20 years. During that period contributions and this award recognizes his to the Canadian Geoscience Council. He he has spent considerable time contributing continued and varied contributions for over has also been a member of several annual to the development and dissemination 20 years. Conference Organizing Committees, most of technical knowledge for and to the recently chairing the 75th Diamond Jubilee membership. Osadetz was a contributing The H.M Hunter Award citation for Gerry Conference in 2002, and co-chairing the author to the Sedimentology Division’s Reinson and Kirk Osadetz appears in the Gussow Conference in 2007. publication on Basin Analysis in the Western March 2008 issue of the CSPG Bulletin of Canada Sedimentary Basin. Since then, he Canadian Petroleum Geology. In addition to volunteering on many has been a speaker and poster contributor

40 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 Best-in-class professionals make best-in-class instructors.

The 4th Annual AAPG Fall Education Conference September 21-25, 2009 / Norris Conference Center / Houston, Texas

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www.aapg.org/fec ©2009 AAPG More science than you can shake a pick at. 2008 Honourary Membership Award

a large group of mappers and stratigraphers and, under his guidance, many major stratigraphic and mapping projects from southern Alberta to the Arctic Islands were completed. Cook was the ideal manager, having great foresight and a thorough understanding of the science being done. He is also a very thoughtful and kind person and is very highly regarded by all those who have worked for him or with him.

In 1989 Cook went back to the bench and was involved in the compilation, correlation, and interpretation of seismic data across a large part of the Northern Interior Plains. This massive project led to unravelling a complex history of Proterozoic deformation and development of correlations between the sub-surface strata and Proterozoic rocks outcropping on Coppermine Homocline. Cook retired from GSC in 1998 but continues to work as an emeritus scientist.

Cook has published more than 100 articles Donald Cook (left) receiving his award from Gordon Williams. and maps, and has given numerous talks at local CSPG forums and at GSA and AAPG Honourary Membership is awarded for Survey of Canada where he had previously conventions. In recognition of his geological distinguished service to the Canadian worked in the summers as a mapper on accomplishments, he was awarded the Society of Petroleum Geologists. This year, Operation Bow-Athabasca. Cook’s arrival CSPG’s R.J.W. Douglas Medal in 1999. Cook two worthy recipients were presented at GSC coincided with the opening of the is also proud of the fact that a Proterozoic with their Honourary Memberships at the Institute of Sedimentary and Petroleum microfossil, Gemmuloides doncookii, was Long-time Members Reception on May Geology (ISPG) in northwest Calgary. named in his honour to recognize his 5th, 2009 held during the Joint Annual contributions to the Proterozoic of the Convention (previously recognized at the Cook has spent almost his entire career Northwest Territories. April 27th Technical Luncheon at the TELUS with the Geological Survey of Canada Convention Centre). mapping in northwestern Canada, both Throughout his career Cook has supported surface and subsurface, and pioneering our Society. He represented the CSPG for Donald G. Cook concepts in structural geology. He was one a number of years on the North American Donald Cook is a nationally and of the leaders in the mapping of twelve Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, internationally recognised scientist who 1:250,000 and 1:500,000 scale geological and served a term as Chairman of the has made significant contributions to the maps of the Mackenzie and Franklin commission. He first joined the CSPG Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, mountains, and adjacent Interior Plains Executive as a Director in 1980, the height to the general geosciences community, and (>12,000 sq. km.), as well as preparation of of the oil boom when CSPG membership to our understanding of the geology of regional reports on the Mesozoic of a large exceeded 4,000. His leadership abilities Canada, in terms of his personal research, part of the Northern Interior Plains. He shone through when he served as Vice his scientific leadership, and his role as a provided the initial definition of the multi- President, President, and Past President, in mentor to young scientists. phase paleotectonic high, the Keele Arch. the years 1985-1987 when the oil price and He recognized similarities and differences membership both plummeted. Cook led an Cook hails from Dryden, Ontario where between the northern Franklin Mountains important restructuring of the Executive he still spends his summers fishing and and the Wyoming Foreland structural and ensured the Society remained financially swatting mosquitoes. Cook attended provinces, and proposed a treatment of strong in those turbulent years. Cook Queens University and he obtained his the Franklins as a scale model of Wyoming has always encouraged his colleagues and B.Sc. (Eng) in 1962, his M.Sc. in 1965 structures. As an outgrowth of his interest subdivision members to become active in and his Ph.D. in 1967. At Queens he was in the Wyoming Foreland he developed CSPG. strongly influenced by the legendary Ray a method of balancing basement-cored Price and Cook did his Ph.D. research on folds. For his significant contributions to the an analysis of structural style controlled geology of Canada and his strong support by the Cambrian shale-out near Mount In 1980 Cook took on an administrative role of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Stephen in the southern Rockies. Following with GSC as Head of the Regional Geology Geologists, we welcome Donald G. Cook as graduation, Cook joined the Geological Subdivision at ISPG. In this capacity, he led an Honourary Member of the Society.

42 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 David G. Smith From 1973 to 1980, Smith was Chief Geological Manager of Deep Basin David Smith has successfully explored for Geologist for Hunter, and along with Hunter Exploration at Hunter. He enjoyed directing hydrocarbons for over 40 years and in staff, was deeply involved in the development the continued development of Hunter’s doing so developed a through understanding of the Elmworth Gas Field. During the 1980s Deep Basin acreage, focusing more and of the plays he pursued. Through his and early 1990s, Smith’s role at Hunter was more on the development of unconventional numerous publications, courses, and direct Senior Geological Advisor where, working natural gas reserves. supervision he has positively influenced a with the Geoscience staff he had exposure generation of Earth Scientists. The CSPG to almost every oil and gas play in Western At the beginning of 2002, Hunter was proudly recognizes his achievements and Canada. During those years Hunter allowed acquired by Burlington. His expertise welcomes him as an Honourary Member. Smith to share information gained with and abilities were recognized in the new industry through teaching a course with organization and Smith continued as Born in Ontario in 1940, Smith was, Larry Meckel; author or coauthor several Deep Basin Geological Manager until his from an early age, intrigued by the earth. papers, including a classic paleogeography retirement in May, 2004. As a child, he developed a collection of paper on the Lower Cretaceous of northwest “lucky stones” (Devonian Brachiopods) Alberta and northeast British Columbia in For many years the slogan “Chance favours gathered on childhood expeditions to AAPG Memoir 38; three chapters in AAPG the Prepared Mind” was prominently the creeks and coulees of Southwestern Memoir 55; a paper in CSPG Memoir 15; displayed on Smith’s desk. If Smith had a Ontario. He enrolled in Engineering at the and a chapter in the 1994 edition of the mantra, that quote would be it, as Smith University of Western Ontario in 1958. Geological Atlas of the Western Canada always believed (and subsequently impressing One of the courses in the first year was Sedimentary Basin. upon his coworkers) that knowledge and An Introduction to Geology. Smith was preparedness coupled with boldness were immediately spellbound, and switched to Smith has also contributed substantially to the keys to success in the risky business of a Geology Major in his second year. His the CSPG through his numerous papers oil and gas exploration. summers were spent with the Geological at CSPG luncheons and CSPG annual Survey of Canada and included trekking conventions. He was honoured to represent It is with great pleasure that we welcome over the Muskox Complex in the NWT the CSPG as a Distinguished Lecturer in David Smith as Honourary Members of the with Charlie Smith and mapping Devonian 1985. His beautifully illustrated talk “The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. reefs in the Canadian Rockies with Warren Paleogeography of the Western Canada Mackenzie. Sedimentary Basin” captivated audiences at The Honourary Membership citations for five Universities across eastern and central Donald G. Cook and David G. Smith appear From 1962 to 1967, Smith was a Junior Canada. in the March 2008 issue of the CSPG Geologist with HBOG. Working with Jack Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology. Pullen, a company geophysicist, the two In 1998 Smith assumed the position of defined a salt-collapse structure and drilled a we ll at H ummingbird , S a sk at c hew an w here on drillstem test, light sweet crude flowed to surface. This successful exploration play was published in the Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology in 1967.

Smith left HBOG in 1967 to join Amax Petroleum Corp. Unfortunately they left Canada five months later and he was on the street again. After a brief sojourn with Western Decalta Petroleum Ltd., Smith answered an advertisement for a Geologist by Kerr McGee of Canada Ltd. There in 1969, he met John Masters and Jim Gray for the first time. Their enthusiasm was contagious. He hired on and stayed until 1973 when they left KM to form Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd. Invited to go along, Smith, being cautious, held back for four months until the company received funding from Noranda Mines.

Apart from a brief foray on his own in 1980, which the National Energy Program quickly quashed, Smith spent the rest of his career with Hunter and their successor, Burlington Resources Ltd until his retirement in May, 2004. David Smith (left) receiving his award from Gordon Williams.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 43 2008 President’s Award

Brian Glover (far left), Bruce Shultz (left), and Tooney Fink (far right) receiving their award from Lisa Griffith.

The CSPG President’s Award is our Society’s President and Chief Executive Officer of made by Rubicon was an extension of the highest service award. It is generally Huron Energy Corporation, a privately held prolific Nisku shelf margin at Pembina. This bestowed on one or more individuals oil and gas company. Huron has focused initial work has been much publicized and for the critical role they have played in operations in British Columbia, southwest successfully followed up by Highpine Oil and staging a hallmark event. During 2008, that of Dawson Creek. The company has made Gas, West Energy, and others. Rubicon’s hallmark event was the CSPG CSEG CWLS significant natural gas discoveries in the Nisku discovery at Pembina was world class Joint Annual Convention. CSPG thanks all Doig and Montney exploration fairways, and and initiated a new phase of exploration for Convention committee members for their it is currently involved in developing these industry. The initial well, Pembina Nisku GG contributions; however we extend special successes. Pool 02/06-33 tested 21 barrels of oil and recognition to General Co-Chairs Bruce 26 mmcf of gas per day at a bottom hole Shultz, Brian Glover, and Tooney Fink. They Shultz has been involved in the Canadian oil flowing pressure of 15 mPa. brought together an excellent team, and and gas business for 28 years. He graduated provided the inspiration and guidance that from the University of Waterloo in 1979 Brian Glover is being especially acknowledged by this with a B.Sc. (Honours) in Earth Science. Brian Glover was the Canadian Well award. Therefore, in recognition of the In his early career, Shultz was employed Logging Society Co-Chair for the 2008 outstanding leadership provided to the 2008 in various roles at Gulf Canada Resources Convention. He graduated with a M.Sc. Joint Annual Convention by the general and Pan Canadian Petroleum Ltd. After from the University of Alberta and began his co-chairs, CSPG is very proud to present learning the business, Shultz moved to career in the coal mining industry, working the 2008 President’s Award to Bruce Jordan Petroleum Ltd. in 1995 as Vice as a field geologist on a variety of mining Shultz, Brian Glover, and Tooney Fink. The President of Exploration. Jordon grew to projects extending from southeastern award was presented at the CSPG Awards 18,000 BOEpd and was eventually sold in Saskatchewan to northwestern British Reception held on Wednesday May 6, 2009 1997. Shultz “CROSSED HIS RUBICON” in Columbia. He moved into the oil and gas at the Calgary Roundup Centre and later 1998, founding Rubicon Energy Corporation sector in 1985 when he joined Chevron recognized at the Technical Luncheon held with two partners from Jordan Petroleum. Canada Resources. His initial assignment on May 21st, 2009 at the TELUS Convention Over the next five years, Rubicon Energy was in Development Geology, where he Centre. Corporation (a private company) grew from worked on a wide variety of carbonate and an initial acquisition of 300 BOEs to finally clastic prospects throughout the Western Bruce Shultz exit in 2003 at 3,400 BOEpd, providing a Canada Sedimentary Basin before moving Bruce Shultz was the CSPG Co-Chair 47% annualized growth rate per share to into the Petrophysics group and eventually for the 2008 Convention. He is currently shareholders. The most notable discovery into Geologic Operations. He moved to

44 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 Amerada Hess and subsequently joined in Geology and Geophysics. Fink started his (...Harper abstract continued from page 10) Petro-Canada as a Senior Petrophysicist career with Gulf Canada and filled many roles in 1996, providing petrophysical support including geophysical acquisition, seismic Adjunct Professor to 2002; formerly with Shell throughout Western Canada. In 1998 he processing, geophysical interpretation, Development, Shell Oil, Shell Canada, and Trend became the petrophysicist to the Offshore and management roles involving assets in Exploration. He has operational, management, East Coast Project team, evaluating a number WCSB, Canadian Frontiers, and various and research credentials over the past 38 years of prospects offshore Newfoundland, often international basins. He was actively involved in reservoir characterization and basin analysis travelling to St John’s to oversee logging in exploration, development, and production for Canadian, US, and International onshore and operations offshore and eventually moving leadership, as well as evaluating many offshore basins. His most recent activities have to St. John’s where he spent two years as acquisition targets for Gulf Canada. When been in the Canadian Arctic, Mackenzie Delta Project Petrophysicist on the Terra Nova Conoco acquired Gulf Canada in 2001, - Beaufort, the Scotian Shelf and Deep Water, Offshore Development team. Fink took the role of Chief Geophysicist – Labrador and Grand Banks, and the West Coast Canada. He has remained in this position, of Newfoundland. He returned to Calgary in 2002, and is excepting a stint in New Ventures. Fink currently the petrophysicist for Petro- enjoys the excitement of the ‘oil patch’ For 40 years Harper was a member of the Canada’s continental USA operations and the close personal relationships he has Canadian Ski Patrol System and related group based in Denver, Co. Glover is a developed over the years, epitomized by organizations (National Ski Patrol System, participating member of both the CSPG and attendance and ‘networking’ at the annual Ventura County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, CWLS. In 2006, he also served on the 2006 CSEG Doodlespiel. Rhode Island Civil Air Patrol rescue training) Convention Technical Committee as the holding a variety of positions from Patroller to CWLS Short Course organizer. The full President’s Award citation for Instructor to National VP - Training. He has held Bruce Shultz, Brian Glover, and Tooney courses in Winter Survival for the Newfoundland A.R. “Tooney” Fink Fink appears in the March 2008 issue of and Labrador Junior Forest Ranger Instructors. Tooney Fink was the CSEG Co-Chair for the CSPG Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum In the last 10 years he has been involved with the 2008 convention. He currently works Geology. presentation of avalanche awareness programmes for ConocoPhillips Canada in the capacity in Calgary schools and in ConocoPhilllips Canada of Chief Geophysicist - Canada. He started in the hope that a little bit of information can in the oil industry in 1974, after graduating have a large impact. from UBC with a B.Sc. (combined honours)

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 45 PRESIDENT’S SPECIAL RECOGNITION AwARD If you want easy-to-use decision-making tools

president of the Geological Association of Canada in 1992. – there’s only one direction to go

Dr. McIlreath has also served the broader community, having sat as a board member on the Alberta Science and Technology Leadership Awards Foundation, the Burgess Shale Foundation, and the University of Calgary Senate. He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Science and Technology Museum Corporation in Ottawa. He is also the current APEGGA Director to the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG).

He has authored or co-authored more than 60 scientific publications, talks, and industry-leading public presentations and has had a long and customer service varied career in industry within Canada and Gordon Williams (left), Colin Yeo (middle) and Ian McIIreath (right). internationally.

The Canadian Society of Petroleum Dr. McIlreath has spent over 32 years Dr. McIlreath has made significant Geologists President’s Special Recognition serving on many Executives, chairing and contributions and performed outstanding Award is the Society’s highest recognition leading numerous major committees, and work as Chairman of GeoCanada 2000, award and is presented to individuals, has been an active member on many more, the Committee on Conventions, the Joint institutions or organizations whose including international organizations. He Annual Convention Committee, and now sustained efforts have brought great honour has been the recipient of a number of major GeoCanada 2010. And if this was not and distinction to the Society and the national service and technical excellence enough, he delivered three important geoscience community or have provided awards from earth science societies, reports to the CSPG Executive within easy & efficient significant, outstanding, and sustained including the H.M. Hunter Award from a two-year period on awards, office migration of existing data contributions to Canadian petroleum the CSPG and the J. Willis Ambrose Medal management, and strategic planning. He geology. The Award has only been granted from the Geological Association of Canada, has selflessly shared his time providing four times in the history of the Society and for distinguished service to earth sciences guidance, counsel, and advice to several only to one individual previously. in Canada. He is an Honorary Member of Executive Committees. CSPG and a Distinguished Fellow of the The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geological Association of Canada (GAC). It is with great pleasure that the Canadian Geologists was pleased to present this Most recently, he received the prestigious Society of Petroleum Geologists bestows prestigious award to Dr. Ian A. McIlreath L. C. Charlesworth Professional Service the President’s Special Recognition Award on Wednesday, May 6 at the 2009 Awards Award from the Association of Professional on Dr. Ian A. McIlreath for his sustained Reception, in recognition of his many Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists and outstanding contributions to the CSPG contributions to the Society, the Canadian of Alberta (APEGGA). His illustrious and to Canadian petroleum geology. geoscience community, and the Canadian volunteer career includes sitting as the helping clients petroleum industry. CSPG’s youngest president in 1983 and increase productivity

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Thousandsyevrus nip of landmen, engineers & geologists use geoSCOUT oil and gas 1413 15mapping16 and analysis software every34333231 35 day,36 to make more efficient, informed decisions. 101112 Give9 us an hour for a demo – we know2627282930 you’ll25 see the value. Call 403.262.1992 Another Email [email protected] | Online www.geoscout.com/demo powerful suite Jocelyn Lampron, P. Geol. 765 8 2322212019 24 of tools from President & CEO CD 234 BA 18 17 16 15 14 13 Wellsite Geological Supervision ph: 403.266.3132 lsd *Conventional Wells-Heavy Oil/SAGD cell: 403.818.8549 CD 1 0987 11 12 N *Coal Bed Methane Wells www.hopewellpetroleum.com BA *Domestic & International Supervision [email protected] 23456 *On & Offshore Geological Supervision 906, 505 6 St. SW Calgary, AB T2P-1X5

46 RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 If you want easy-to-use decision-making tools – there’s only one direction to go

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helping clients increase productivity geoSCOUT™ uses a Windows-based platform that makes it easy for you to get the oil and gas data you need to make smarter decisions faster and to maximize the return on your oilfield investments. And, our solution provides you with a complete package that all your departments can use.

Thousands of landmen, engineers & geologists use geoSCOUT oil and gas mapping and analysis software every day, to make more efficient, informed decisions. Give us an hour for a demo – we know you’ll see the value. Call 403.262.1992 Another Email [email protected] | Online www.geoscout.com/demo powerful suite of tools from

RESERVOIR ISSUE 7 • JULY/AUGUST 2009 47 H199.1-08 CSPG Res.qxd:H199.1-08 CSPG Res.qxd 3/18/09 3:29 PM Page 1

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