16 Go Take A Hike: Grassi Lakes, , 21 Shale Gas: Part 2 – History of Shale Gas Production in North America 31 Tight Gas Sandstone: Is it Truly an Unconventional Reservoir?

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 1 Since 1927...

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OCTOBER 2010 – VOLUME 37, ISSUE 9

ARTICLES

Go Take a Hike: Grassi Lakes, Kananaskis Country, Alberta ...... 16

Shale Gas: Part 2 – History of Shale Gas Production in North America ...... 21 CSPG OFFICE #600, 640 - 8th Avenue SW Summer Student Field Trip ...... 29 , Alberta, T2P 1G7 Tel: 403-264-5610 Fax: 403-264-5898 Web: www.cspg.org Tight Gas Sandstone: Is it Truly an Unconventional Reservoir? ...... 31 Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm 2010 CSPG Honorary Address ...... 37 Executive Director: Lis Bjeld Email: [email protected] Advertising & Sponsorship Coordinator: Alyssa Middleton James Hutton, the Man who Found Time (A biography by Jack Repcheck) ...... 38 Email: [email protected] Publications Coordinator: Caitlin Young Email: [email protected] Member Services Coordinator: Kasandra Klein DEPARTMENTS Email: [email protected] Registration Coordinator: Dayna Rhoads Executive Comment ...... 5 Email: [email protected] Convention Contacts Convention Manager: Aileen Lozie Technical Luncheons ...... 8 Email: [email protected] Division Talks ...... 14 EDITORS/AUTHORS Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG office. Submission deadline is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior Inside the CSPG ...... 18 to issue date. (e.g., January 23 for the March issue). Executive Committee Summary ...... 34 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 Rock Shop ...... 31, 34 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 Caitlin Young, Publications Coordinator, CSPG Tel: 403-513-1227, Email: [email protected]

ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries should be directed to Alyssa Middleton, Tel: 403-513-1233, email: [email protected]. The deadline to reserve advertising space is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to issue date.

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. Additional information on the RESERVOIR’s submission guidelines can be found at http://www.cspg. org/publications/pubs-reservoir-submissions.cfm. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are available at the CSPG office for $6.50 each. No official endorsement or sponsorship by the CSPG is implied for any advertisement, insert, or article that appears in the Reservoir unless otherwise noted. All submitted materials are reviewed by the editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions, including letters to the Editor. Submissions must include your name, address, and membership number (if applicable). The material contained in this publication is intended for informational use only. While reasonable care has been taken, authors and the CSPG make no guarantees that any of the equations, schematics, or devices discussed will perform as expected or that they will give the desired results. Some information contained herein may be inaccurate or may vary from standard measurements. The CSPG expressly disclaims any and all liability for the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user of information contained in this publication. Under no circumstances shall the CSPG and its officers, directors, FRONT COVER employees, and agents be liable for any injury, loss, damage, or expense arising in any manner whatsoever Zion National Park, Utah. Classic aeolian bedsets are deformed by from the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user. wet interdune periods in the Navajo sandstone at Zion National Park. Design and Layout by Sundog Printing. Printed in Canada by Sundog Printing. Photo by Dave Robinson.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 3 Since 1927...

conocophillips GlEn RUBY mEmoRial scholaRship ConocoPhillips Canada is proud to continue the ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Memorial Scholarships in Geosciences. These scholarships are presented each year to second, third, and fourth years students to promote excellence in petroleum GEOLOGY and GEOPHYSICS. $2,000 $3,000 $5,000 2nd year geoscience student 3rd year geoscience student 4th year geoscience student

Glenbow Archives nd_3_4155a (detail). ConocoPhillips Canada is pleased to recognize and honour a pioneer who has had a lasting influence on the Canadian Oil and Gas industry. From 1926 to 1929, Glen Ruby was Vice President and General Manager of Marland Oil’s Canadian partnership, Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas. While in Alberta he was For more information a driving force behind the inaugural meeting and formation of the Alberta Society of Petroleum or to apply for a Geologists (renamed Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists in 1972). ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Glen Ruby dedicated his life to exploration and has been recognized as one of the great pioneers in the Memorial Scholarship, global search for oil and gas. In addition to Canada, he successfully explored for oil in Chile, Alaska, and visit: www.cspg.org or the US Rocky Mountain basins. At one time he was credited with having made the most northerly and www.conocophillips.ca southerly oil discoveries in the world.

Application Deadline is Since inception, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists has been a forum for sharing ideas and October 31st, 2010 knowledge about the geology of Western Canada and the Canadian frontiers. This knowledge exchange has played a fundamental role in the successful development of the Canadian oil industry. Glen Ruby’s legacy thrives three-quarters of a century later.

ConocoPhillips has been active in Canada since 1880 through the activities of heritage companies including Continental Oil Company, Marland Oil/ Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas, British American, Royalite, Asamera, Pennzoil, Stampeder, Mannville, Crestar, Gulf Canada Resources, Poco, Canadian Hunter, Burlington Resources, Conoco Canada, and Phillips Petroleum. We proudly honour Glen Ruby as a pioneer and industry leader and we are pleased that the memorial scholarships will assist in the development of future geoscientists.

CSPG Trust Geoscientists for our future Since 1927... EXECUTIVE COMMENT A message from the CSPG Past President, Graeme Bloy

CSPG Looking Forward EXECUTIVE Over the past two and one-half years, the the compensation and benefits committee PRESIDENT CSPG has undergone significant change and (C.B.C.) and the Executive. John Varsek • Cenovus Energy [email protected] Tel: (403) 645-5417 reorganization on its business-side under the guidance of the past three executives. So why so much change? Why not let the VICE PRESIDENT The significant business changes that took Society run as it has done for the past Kirk Osadetz • Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary place are as follows: two decades? Believe me, it would have [email protected] Tel: (403) 292-7022 been so much easier to do so. Past and Financial accountability: present Executives have had a difficult time PAST PRESIDENT From book-keeping and accounts payable/ implementing strategic plans (initially set Graeme Bloy • Canada Capital Energy Corporation [email protected] Tel: (403) 975-5784 receivable to budgeting, the Society and out in 2005) that were necessary to keep Executive now can access up-to-date the Society relevant to the membership FINANCE DIRECTOR numbers immediately. by providing, improving, and achieving Greg Lynch • Shell Canada Ltd. continued excellence in technical programs, [email protected] Tel: (403) 691-3111 Agreements, Contracts, education, publications, and outreach; the Memorandum Of Understanding: core activities of the Society. Now, with ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR The Society has entered into numerous financial stability in the Society (to be Darren Aldridge • Baker Hughes renegotiated joint agreements/contracts reported at the close of the fiscal year) the [email protected] Tel: (403) 537-3505 with the CSEG, CSPG Education Trust Executive is focused on the core essence PROGRAM DIRECTOR Fund, CWLS, Joint Annual Convention of the Society. Scott Leroux • EnCana Corporation Committee, AAPG, and CSPG office staff; [email protected] Tel: (403) 645-2000 ensuring that there is transparency and Of course, with the changes over the a clear understanding of these contracts; past two-plus years, there have been ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR plus ensuring they do not create further miscommunications and misperceptions Brett Norris • TransGlobe Energy Corp. legal and/or economic liabilities to the with some of the more “invested and [email protected] Tel: (403) 264-9896 Society. passionate” CSPG members. For that I SERVICE DIRECTOR apologize, mea culpa, for not ensuring Ayaz Gulamhussein • NuVista Energy Ltd. Creating the position of Executive some clarity for all these changes. [email protected] Tel: (403) 538-8510 Director: The CSPG Executive has, under contract, The actions of the past three Executives ASSISTANT SERVICE DIRECTOR hired Lis Bjeld to fill this position. Lis will strengthen the Society and hopefully Richard Thom • Core Laboratories Canada Ltd. has extensive experience having both a this will be apparent as the Society rolls [email protected] Tel: (403) 250-4052 Bachelor of Education and being a Certified out the revitalized programs; using the OUTREACH DIRECTOR Management Accountant (CMA) and a strategic vision that President John Varsek Mike DesRoches • Talisman Energy Inc. Fellow of CMA. With this experience and has articulated throughout the past year, [email protected] Tel: (403) 513-6843 support for the Directors, the Society whether it is publications, the website, is now a “professionally run” not-for- continuing education, or outreach ASSISTANT OUTREACH DIRECTOR profit society that is readily accountable programs. Steve Dryer • Consultant to the numerous regulatory agencies, the [email protected] Tel: (403) 969-2292 Executive, and CSPG members. Stay tuned and please get involved. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Stephen Hubbard • University of Calgary Office and support staff: [email protected] Tel: (403) 220-6236 The CSPG Executive and the Executive Director have ensured that there is ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR dedicated, competent, professional office Jim Barclay • ConocoPhillips staff to replace the Society’s waning and [email protected] Tel: (403) 532-3889 over-taxed volunteer base. They are fairly EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR compensated (salary and benefits) and Lis Bjeld • CSPG are supported and evaluated yearly by [email protected] Tel: (403) 513-1228

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BlueFlame_Geoscience.indd 1 7/22/10 1:49 PM TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS OCTOBER LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by

biological productivity and increased rates basinal settings around the world. It has Biodiversity and of carbonate weathering resulting from sea been widely suggested that this spread of level fall and exposure of widespread, late anoxic waters into many shelf regions was environmental Ordovician carbonate platforms. an important factor in the second phase of the HME. N-isotope data indicate that this change in the late The HME occurred in two main phases; one episode may have also seen another shift in at the beginning and the other at the end of the predominant communities of primary Ordovician and the period of peak glaciation. Graptolites, producers. the most abundantly preserved group of early Silurian: zooplankton in the Ordovician-Silurian seas, were most profoundly affected by the first integration of phase of the HME, and all but one of the major graptolite groups became extinct in bio-, litho-, and this event. High-resolution global analysis of graptolite biodiversity and abundance data, chemo- however, show that the patterns of graptolite turnover varied geographically. In most stratigraphic paleotropical regions, particularly those surrounding Laurentia, the faunal turnover studies was abrupt and coincided with the time of onset of peak glaciation. Although many SPEAKER areas show a few pre-extinction survivors Michael J. Melchin into the Hirnantian, their abundance Department of Earth Sciences, and diversity were both dramatically St. Francis Xavier University and abruptly reduced. In paleotropical South China, the faunal turnover is much BIOGRAPHY 11: 30 am more gradual, spanning the whole of the Michael Melchin received his B.Sc. (honours) Thursday, October 14, 2010 Hirnantian, suggesting that the ecological and M.Sc. from University of Waterloo in Calgary TELUS Convention Centre changes that triggered the extinction were 1980 and 1982 and his Ph.D. from University Calgary, Alberta slow to penetrate that region. On the other of Western Ontario in 1987. He was an hand, high-paleolatitude regions show low- Assistant Professor at University of Waterloo Please note: diversity graptolite faunas both before and (1989-1991), he is Honorary Adjunct Professor The cut-off date for ticket sales is after the onset of glaciation. In addition, at Dalhousie University (1992-present), and 1:00 pm, Friday, October 8, 2010. the graptolite species that dominate the is currently a Professor at St. Francis Xavier CSPG Member Ticket Price: $42.00 + GST. post-extinction faunas globally appear to University. Non-Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. have originated prior to the Hirnantian in high paleolatitudes. Current evidence Melchin’s academic awards include Best Paper Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGGA PDH suggests that their spread into the tropics Award in the Journal of Paleontology (2006), credit. To book your tickets or table, visit http:// accompanied the movement of cooler, the Geological Association of Canada’s Past www.cspg.org/events/events-luncheons.cfm. oxygenated waters into lower latitudes Presidents’ Medal (May 2003), and St. Francis as the Gondwana glaciers expanded and Xavier University’s President’s Research Award The latest Ordovician, Hirnantian Mass their influence on global climate and ocean (May 2003). Extinction Event (HME) was the second circulation intensified. largest extinction event in the Phanerozoic, Melchin’s areas of research interest include and it coincided with a period of profound New nitrogen isotope evidence suggests graptolite biostratigraphy, phylogeny, changes in climate, ocean circulation, and that, at least in some regions, a change from biogeography, and paleobiology; Ordovician- sea level. Sedimentological evidence shows graptolitic black shales to more oxic facies at Silurian biodiversity studies and the Late that the beginning of the Hirnantian (ca. the beginning of the Hirnantian was marked Ordovician Mass Extinction; stratigraphy, 446 Ma) was a time of dramatic expansion by a fundamental change in the community lithostratigraphy, and chemostratigraphy of of continental ice sheets in southern polar of primary producers, from cyanobacterial- Ordovician and Silurian strata, especially deep- regions of Gondwana, and that this event dominated to more algal-dominated. This water carbonate and black shale successions; was marked by a significant global sea level change in the base of the food web may and origin and depositional environment of fall and increased circulation and oxygenation have triggered a cascading ecological crisis Paleozoic black shales. in the deep oceans. Globally recognized that resulted in the first phase of the HME, shifts in oxygen isotopes through the glacial which is most strongly seen in low-latitude, interval are interpreted to represent a planktonic and deeper-marine assemblages. combination of climatic cooling and changes in ocean salinity. Significant positive shifts The end of the glaciation was marked by in carbon isotopes are more controversial, a period of significant eustatic rise and but are widely considered to be the the widespread deposition of organic-rich, result of some combination of changes in black shales in many deep shelf, slope, and

8 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS OCTOBER LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by

FACT pool, Ghawar in Saudi Arabia, displays all the Tilted oil-water Dozens of documented cases exist in which attributes of a hydrodynamically influenced oil pools exhibit significant dips of up to eight- oil accumulation with a prominently tilted contacts: fact, hundred feet per mile. The direction of the OWC. tilt reflects the flow direction of the water, fiction, and which is usually from the topographically high margins of sedimentary basins down toward consequences the interior of the basin (gravity-induced water flow) or from the elevated edge of a SPEAKER unit towards the lower edge or a truncated E. C. Dahlberg unconformity. ECD Geological Specialists/Saskatchewan Petroleum Ventures FICTION Vertical variation in oil-water contact 11: 30 am elevations within a given pool are the result Thursday, October 28, 2010 of a serendipitous sequence of normal faults. Calgary TELUS Convention Centre Not likely! Calgary, Alberta CONSEQUENCES Please note: In structural traps, under sufficiently intense The cut-off date for ticket sales is hydrodynamic conditions: BIOGRAPHY 1:00 pm, Monday, October 25, 2010. 1) The pool shapes are distorted so that Eric Dahlberg is a Calgary petroleum geologist CSPG Member Ticket Price: $42.00 + GST. the pool boundaries are not conformable and silversmith/jewelry designer. He has served Non-Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. with the structures – the boundaries in almost every sector of the petroleum industry actually cross the structural contours. The for the past forty years, consulted for both the Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGGA thickest oil columns are not located within U.S. and the Canadian Geological Surveys, and PDH credit. Did you know that you can book a the local structural highs or the reservoir held visiting professorships at four Canadian and table for the Technical Luncheon? To book your isopach thicks. U.S. universities. From 2000 to 2004, he taught company’s table or to buy tickets, visit http:// 2) The oil-water contacts are tilted (non- Structural Geology at Mount Royal College (now www.cspg.org/events/events-luncheons.cfm. horizontal). University) in Calgary. 3) The locations of the pools are displaced from the structures by amounts proportional to Since 1979 he has presented over 390 industry the water flow intensity relative to the training courses in Subsurface Mapping, structures that contain them. The OWC’s Petroleum Hydrogeology, and related subjects to are encountered at elevations higher on the over five-thousand industry professionals in North up-flow side and lower on the down-flow America and over a dozen foreign countries, with sides of the reservoirs. his next coming up in Saudi Arabia in late 2010.

The results are that: Over the years he has carried out regional 4) Disappointingly THIN oil columns and oil and gas evaluation studies in Alberta and excessive water cuts are encountered in Saskatchewan and completed over three dozen wells drilled high on structurally attractive petroleum hydrogeology studies in locales that hot spots, due to higher-than-expected include the Dead Sea Graben, the Doba Basin in OWC’s and GWC’s Chad, Africa, the Norwegian sector of the North 5) Anomalously THICK oil columns are Sea, the Canadian Atlantic, the Railroad Valley of encountered in wells drilled off-structure Nevada, the Oriente Basin in Ecuador, and the (but in the proper direction!) with Central Highlands of New Guinea. OWC’s at significantly lower elevations than expected. Often this unanticipated Dahlberg is the author of two editions of “Applied production is encountered outside of Hydrodynamics in Petroleum Exploration” the mapped pool boundaries, based on published by Springer Verlag. The behavior in terms of migration paths conventional horizontal contacts. and accumulation sites of oil and gas in the In 1978 he received the CSPG Link Award and in subsurface is closely related to the behavior Pools in the North Sea, Central Africa, the 2002 was honored by the CSPG with a Lifetime of formation waters in the units through Western United States, South America, the Achievement Award. which the waters are circulating, as well as Middle East, and New Guinea illustrate the the nature of the enclosing lithologies and consequences of tilted oil-water contacts. Dahlberg is presently CEO of Saskatchewan the physical properties of the hydrocarbons. Petroleum Ventures Ltd. with oil and gas interests One of the major effects of moving water The effects of subsurface hydraulics impact in the Totnes, SK. area, President of the Calgary is to create tilted contacts between oil reserves estimation, risk accommodation, Rock, Gem and Mineral Club, and currently accumulations and the underlying bottom production levels, and development strategies presents industry training courses in domestic water as shown in the above figure. such as waterflooding. The world’s largest oil and foreign venues.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 9 PETROLEUM INDUSTRY COURSES technology • seismic • rocks • maps • formations • land • sediments • history • sea • fossils • environment

OVERVIEW OF THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY IN WESTERN CANADA Date: October 26th and 27th, 2010 Cost: $945 (includes GST) Instructor: Bill Ayrton Effective for personnel just joining the oil patch, or for financial, accounting, and information systems personnel. • Learn about the many facets of the industry. • Oil finding, land acquisition, drilling, seismic, well completion, jargon and terminology.

GEOLOGY FOR NON-GEOLOGISTS GEOLOGY FOR Date: November 23rd and 24th, 2010 NON-GEOLOGISTS Cost: $945 (includes GST) Instructor: Bill Ayrton Lake of Hanging Glaciers, B.C. Photo by: Bill Ayrton Effective for geological technicians or administrative staff, or for those who just want a better understanding of geology to appreciate the world around us. • Learn about earth structure, geologic time-scale and Pr esented by: WHO SHOULD ATTEND processes, Western Canada geology, and interesting W .G. (Bill) Ayr t on nearby locations. New geologists, engineers, geophysicists and • Participate in a rock identification exercise, landmen, as well as summer students entering cross-section project and a mini-field trip in the industry for the first time will find the downtown Calgary. courses a very beneficial introduction to the petroleum industry. These courses will be extremely useful to nonprofessional and support staff in the oil and gas industry, as well as GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN accountants, lawyers, brokerage and financial CANADIAN SEDIMENTARY BASIN personnel working primarily alongside the oil Date: November 30th, December 1st and and gas industry. December 2nd, 2010 Cost: $1365 (includes GST) TO REGISTER Instructor: Bill Ayrton To register or to obtain additional information Ideal for those who wish to improve their geological regarding in-house and upcoming courses, understanding of where and how we look for oil and please contact: gas fields in Western Canada. • To visualize what Western Canada looked like Ayrton Exploration Consulting Ltd. throughout the stages of history, for example, the position of the sea versus land, what sediments Tel: (403) 262-5440 were deposited, and what type of life that existed and evolved. Email: [email protected] • To review the importance of each major stratigraphic unit, i.e. Devonian, Mississippian, Cretaceous, etc. Or visit our website: • Discuss the geological and seismic expression of www.ayrtonexploration.com typical oil and gas fields in each unit.

10 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 PETROLEUM INDUSTRY COURSES TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS NOVEMBER LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by 11: 30 am from longshore transport rates averaging 3 technology • seismic • rocks • maps • formations • land • sediments • history • sea • fossils • environment A one-way ticket Tuesday, November 9, 2010 500,000 m per year. Zircon-dating Calgary TELUS Convention Centre techniques enable the tracing of this entire from Antarctica Calgary, Alberta sediment dispersal system from its original source in Antarctica to its final sink on to the Tasman Please note: The cut-off date for ticket the floor of the Tasman Sea. Igneous OVERVIEW OF THE OIL & GAS sales is 1:00 pm, three business days before rocks with a characteristic age of around INDUSTRY IN WESTERN CANADA Abyssal Plain via event. Wednesday, November 3, 2010. CSPG 600 Ma produced zircons and associated Date: October 26th and 27th, 2010 Member Ticket Price: $42.00 + GST. Non- source rocks on the current northern the Great Barrier Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. margin of Antarctica prior to continental Cost: $945 (includes GST) breakup with Australia. Triassic uplift shed Instructor: Bill Ayrton Reef – sediment Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGGA PDH sediments and associated zircons 1,000 Effective for personnel just joining the oil patch, or credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https:// km northward in a braided river before for financial, accounting, and information systems dispersal on the www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/index.cfm. intermediate deposition in the Sydney Basin personnel. of eastern Australia. Continental rifting in eastern Australian The modern coastal sediment dispersal the late Cretaceous produced the modern • Learn about the many facets of the industry. system of eastern Australia operates from Tasman Sea and an uplifted escarpment • Oil finding, land acquisition, drilling, seismic, well Margin sources in the Sydney Basin 1,000 km along eastern Australia, including the completion, jargon and terminology. northward to sinks on the coastline of Sydney Basin. Escarpment erosion of the SPEAKER southeast Queensland and the adjacent 600 Ma zircons and associated quartz Ron Boyd Tasman Sea abyssal plain. Individual sands by river processes feeds the modern GEOLOGY FOR NON-GEOLOGISTS ConocoPhillips, AAPG Distinguished Lecturer sand reservoirs of over 203 km3 have Tasman Sea longshore transport system, GEOLOGY FOR accumulated in less than one million years, (Continued on page 12...) Date: November 16th and 17th, 2010 NON-GEOLOGISTS Cost: $945 (includes GST) Instructor: Bill Ayrton Lake of Hanging Glaciers, B.C. Photo by: Bill Ayrton Effective for geological technicians or administrative staff, or for those who just want a better understanding of geology to appreciate the world around us. • Learn about earth structure, geologic time-scale and CSPG Continuing Education Pr esented by: WHO SHOULD ATTEND processes, Western Canada geology, and interesting W .G. (Bill) Ayr t on nearby locations. New geologists, engineers, geophysicists and • Participate in a rock identification exercise, Horizontal Well Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing in Tight Sands landmen, as well as summer students entering cross-section project and a mini-field trip in the industry for the first time will find the downtown Calgary. www.cspg.org/education/education-courses.cfm courses a very beneficial introduction to the Instructors: Saad Ibrahim, P.Eng. and C.M. Ruhul Amin, P.Eng., Petro Management Group Ltd. petroleum industry. These courses will be Date: November 10, 2010 extremely useful to nonprofessional and support Price: $550 staff in the oil and gas industry, as well as GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN Description: The technologies of completing Hz wells with multi-stage fracing has been growing accountants, lawyers, brokerage and financial CANADIAN SEDIMENTARY BASIN exponentially and bringing life to reservoirs that were once uneconomic to exploit. For the first time personnel working primarily alongside the oil ever, it is predicted that the number of Hz wells with multi-stage fracs will exceed the number of vertical Date: November 30th, December 1st and and gas industry. wells in Canada!!! Review of some Hz well drilling and fracing will be presented. New analytical and December 2nd, 2010 numerical tools have become available to predict the performance and help optimize the design of the Cost: $1365 (includes GST) Hz wells with multi-stage fracs using the following criteria: Instructor: Bill Ayrton 1. Drilling and Completion of Hz wells TO REGISTER 2. Application of Mini-Fracs to optimize frac design To register or to obtain additional information Ideal for those who wish to improve their geological 3. Optimization of Hz well design including: regarding in-house and upcoming courses, understanding of where and how we look for oil and a) the spacing between Hz wells please contact: gas fields in Western Canada. b) the number of fracs or frac spacing, and the size of fracs • To visualize what Western Canada looked like c) open-hole vs. cased-hole completions Ayrton Exploration Consulting Ltd. throughout the stages of history, for example, the d) where to place the fracs position of the sea versus land, what sediments 4. Prediction of potential production for Hz wells Tel: (403) 262-5440 were deposited, and what type of life that existed Interesting 3D visualization/animation output from numerical modeling will be displayed to emphasize and evolved. Email: [email protected] the concepts above. • To review the importance of each major stratigraphic unit, i.e. Devonian, Mississippian, Cretaceous, etc. Or visit our website: For more information on this Short Course please see: • Discuss the geological and seismic expression of www.cspg.org/education/education-courses.cfm www.ayrtonexploration.com typical oil and gas fields in each unit. For additional information, contact Tina Donkers at: [email protected]

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 11 (...Continued from page 11) on the balance between sediment flux and modern and ancient stratigraphy range from delivering reservoir-quality sand 1,000 relative sea level change. Further subdivision low accommodation and low trajectories km north for storage on the southeast results from the dominant marine processes in which only the lowest incised valley and Queensland shelf. In the Holocene, at operating at the shoreline, mainly either estuarine deposits are preserved, to complex sea-level highstand, this sand river has waves or tides, and the influence of river transgressions with higher accommodation intersected the shelf edge and is currently systems. Transgression produces eroding and higher trajectories and stacked supplying the east Australian longshore linear coastlines, barrier-lagoon shorelines transgressive/regressive parasequences. transport sands directly to the floor of occupying embayments with little fluvial Regressive coastal sedimentation results in the Tasman Sea via a network of wave-, input, and estuaries at the mouths of river more landward facies overlying more seaward tide- and gravity-driven flows through a four valleys and deltas. Shelf shoals and ridges facies. It has been extensively documented km-deep network of submarine gullies and consisting of reworked shoreline deposits in strandplain/shorefaces, river-dominated canyons. Elsewhere the margin is dominated lie seaward of transgressing coastlines. deltas, and to a lesser extent in wave- by mass transport processes, including slab Landward of transgressing coastlines, major dominated deltas, but is only at an early stage slides, box canyons, and retrogressive linear clastic deposition is typically constrained to in tide-dominated deltas. Here, extensive canyons. Holocene submarine landslides river valleys. On regressing coasts, sediment shore-normal sediment transport, high mud range in volume up to 20 km3 and represent is supplied by rivers to deltas that range from contents, and low gradients result in facies potential tsunami geohazards, as well as an tide- to wave- and river-dominated forms. and facies models that contrast with their alternative mechanism to transfer sediment Sediment is also supplied from deltas, offshore river- and wave-dominated counterparts. to deep water on the southeast Australian areas, and eroding updrift coasts to deposits By combining the principles of sediment flux continental slope and Tasman Abyssal Plain. in strandplains and shorefaces in wave- and relative sea level change together with Eastern Australia provides an important dominated regions, and tidal flats where tidal the major controlling processes of rivers, example of a margin characterized by high processes prevail. Transgressive coastlines waves, and tides, a suite of facies models wave energy, low subsidence, and coupled record a lower rate of sediment input can be constructed that synthesizes the gravity mass transport and longshore compared to their rate of relative sea level major depositional features of each coastal transport processes. rise. The resulting stratigraphy is composed environment. of more seaward facies overlying more COASTAL FACIES MODELS landward facies and details are determined BIOGRAPHY Coasts occur at the critical interface between by the presence of incised valleys, the Ron Boyd is currently a Principal Geologist for land and sea. Coastal sedimentation can be accumulation of estuarine and coastal barrier the Stratigraphy and Quantitative Modeling categorized as occurring mainly under either sediments, and the trajectories of the major Group in ConocoPhillips’ Subsurface Technology transgressive or regressive conditions, based wave and tidal ravinement surfaces. Styles of organization. Prior to taking up this position in 2008, he was a university professor, most recently at the University of Newcastle from 1992-2008, where he still holds the honorary position of Conjoint Associate Professor.

Boyd received his B.Sc. (Hons) and Ph.D. from the University of Sydney, Australia. He has worked as a university professor at Louisiana State University, USA and Dalhousie University, Canada. He has also been an Alexander von Humboldt fellow at Geomar Institute in Kiel, Germany working on ODP drilling results, a technical advisor to PanCanadian Petroleum on incised valleys in western Canada while on study leave, and a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire working on seabed mapping.

Boyd’s interests are mainly in the area of sedimentology and stratigraphy where he has specialized in a range of subjects including marine geology, estuary deltas and incised valleys, deepwater sediment transport, terrestrial sequence stratigraphy, seabed multibeam mapping, and fluvial geomodels for petroleum exploration. He has authored over 100 publications on these topics, received a number of best paper awards and best presentation awards, and has given a range of professional short courses to industry and the AAPG, SEPM, and CSPG.

12 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS NOVEMBER LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by

framework and heavy mineral stratigraphy University of the West Indies, M.Sc. from Elucidating the provided key insights into stages of basin Imperial College, London (2001), and Ph.D. morphology and fill, sediment provenance, from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. Prior tectonic- and overall impact of tectonism on the to his current post, he has been involved sedimentary record. in petroleum exploration and development sedimentary activities in the Petroleum Company of Trinidad sandstones form part of a Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of signatures of a recognizable ‘family’ of northern South Energy, Trinidad. Hasley’s academic interests American sediments sourced from three lie in the understanding of the stratigraphy deformed large-scale sedimentary domains. Pre- and architecture of depositional systems Cenozoic arkoses (Early Cretaceous) as they relate to hydrocarbon exploration continental were derived directly from the Guyana and development. He has done extensive Shield. By the late Cretaceous and Early research on the Plio-Pleistocene to Paleogene margin along Cenozoic, passive-margin, deepwater successions around Trinidad, for which he northeastern environments persisted, dominated by gained recognition by the Geological Society mature, first-cycle sands derived from of Trinidad & Tobago. Hasley and his wife, South America lowland plains such as the Llanos. By Wendy, have two children, ages three and the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene, one. changes in sandstone lithic fraction and SPEAKER heavy mineral assemblage record the Dr. Hasley Vincent onset of active tectonism and deformation CSPG 2009 Ph.D. Graduate Thesis of the passive continental margin. The Award Winner similarity with Andean-derived sands across northern South America link the 11: 30 am Late Oligocene provenance to this major Thursday, November 23, 2010 tectonic domain. Deepwater turbiditic Calgary TELUS Convention Centre environments persisted in the deforming Calgary, Alberta basin, and it was not until the Early Pliocene that shelf and deltaic sandstones Please note: The cut-off date for ticket sales became dominant, sourced from the is 1:00 pm, three business days before event. uplifted Caribbean-Northern Range HUGH REID’S Thursday, November 18, 2010. CSPG Member mountain belts. The changing sedimentary Ticket Price: $42.00 + GST. Non-Member record in the Trinidad area was similar 2010 Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. to changing compositions of modern and COURSES ancient sands from northwest Brazil and Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGGA Venezuela and demonstrates a gradual, PDH credit. Tickets may be purchased online diachronous deformation front across the NEW at https://www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/ continental margin. SHORTER index.cfm. The results encourage a re-examination DST COURSE An integrated sedimentological approach of the simplistic south-derived “Orinoco” (3.5 days) examining facies (physical and biogenic) watershed, as the significant majority of Oct. 18-21, 2010 and sandstone mineralogy is needed Pliocene reservoirs were likely deposited to elucidate the palaeogeography and by east- and south-flowing depositional changing sediment sources in complex systems. Paleogeographic models based on Other Courses Below: and poorly exposed areas. The island of this integrated dataset also provide a useful Trinidad, located at the northeastern coast framework to assess local and analogue of South America, lies at the transition reservoir setting, extent, and geometry. In HYDRODYNAMICS between a deformed continental margin spite of the complex tectonic-sedimentary SEMINAR to the west and a relatively undeformed setting, the variety of depositional systems (Oil & Gas Finding Aspects) margin to the south that continues to (ranging from basin-floor turbidites to Brazil. The island is structurally complex oil-saturated estuarine sands), combined November 1-4, 2010 and contains the most easterly exposures with an extensive database of source and (4 days) associated with the deformed continental reservoir data, makes Trinidad an exciting margin. In addition, a major river system, study area, still relatively underutilized for the Orinoco River, debouches at this international developments. In-house courses available. transition zone and was a major source For course outline visit: of the sediments now exposed on the BIOGRAPHY www.hughwreid.com island. The study of litho- and ichnofacies Dr. Hasley Vincent is currently a petroleum variation throughout the Trinidad geologist with BG Trinidad & Tobago. He 262-1261 Cenozoic in combination with sandstone received his B.Sc. degree in geology from the

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 13 DIVISION TALKS STRUCTURAL DIVISION Sponsored by Predicting ‘sweet spots’ in the emerging unconventional oil plays of the Deep Basin and southern Arch, AB

SPEAKERS Zeev Berger, Michelle Boast, and Martin Mushayandebvu Image Interpretation Technologies Inc.

12:00 Noon Part 1: Thursday, October 7, 2010 Part 2: Thursday, November 4, 2010 Room LPW-910 Livingston Place West 250 2nd St SW Calgary, Alberta

The Deep Basin and the southern edge Figure 1. Examples of structural control on active oil plays in the Deep Basin and Southern Peace River Arch of the Peace River Arch have seen an (Figure 1a). Basement structures which are interpreted from magnetic data and Devonian reef edges which have unprecedented increase in drilling been mapped from well and seismic data clearly appear to exert a significant control on the location of known activities that are focused primarily on the conventional Nordegg gas pools, such as Whitecourt and Greencourt (Figure 1b), as well as key oil shows in the emerging Nordegg shale play (Figure 1c). Basement structure and topography also appear to exert control on the development of the following unconventional development of the Cardium oil play in the Pembina area (Figure 1d). oil plays: the tight carbonate section of the Swan Hills reef complex; hydrothermal dolomite (HTD) reservoirs in the Wabamun and the Leduc Fringing Reef of the Peace subcrop edge plays, and the development of and Debolt at the southern edge of the River Arch. Recent exploration activities the Swan Hills Reef Complex. Peace River Arch; fractured carbonate along on the southern edge of the Peace River the Debolt and Pekisko Mississippian sub- Arch are largely focused on exploitation of Each presentation will be limited to 40 crop edges; the fractured shale play of the northwest-trending faults that are known to minutes and will be followed by an open Nordegg; and tight reservoir sand of the cause the development of HTD reservoir in discussion. Participants are encouraged to Viking and Cardium formations. the Devonian and Mississippian formations. bring PowerPoint examples to illustrate their views on the subject matter. An integrated structural/tectonic study The methods used to establish the structural of the Deep Basin and the southern framework of the study area, and to identify edge of the Peace River Arch area has the location of ‘sweet spots’ for each of demonstrated that basement features the plays, will be demonstrated in two have exerted significant control on the luncheon talks of SPGthe C Structural development of ‘sweet spots’ within many Division. The October talk will focus on of these plays. For example, all the known the emerging Nordegg oil shale play, and oil shows in the Nordegg shale play are the Cardium tight oil sand play of Pembina. located at the intersection of basement The November talk will cover exploration faults with Devonian reef edges, such as: activities of the Wabamun and Debolt plays Simonette, Sturgeon Lake, Ante Creek, of the Peace River Arch, the Mississippian

14 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 DIVISION TALKS PALAEONTOLOGY DIVISION Sponsored by

exposure. The palaeofauna attracted the entering into the Department of Geosciences at The Wally’s Paleo-Indians and the skeletal elements of the University of Calgary where he became an their successful hunts were rapidly encased in Emeritus Professor in 1996. Beach Site: a sands, preserving them from scavengers such as wolves and foxes. In 1979, he was President of the CSPG and palaeontological has edited the Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum The palaeofauna is comprised of mammoth, Geologists, Arctic (Journal of the Arctic / archaeological western camel, Mexican horse, ancient bison, Institute), Occasional Papers in Archaeology, caribou, wolves, foxes, Scimitar cats, and and several CSPG Memoirs. His work is in treasure trove rodents. Evidence of paleo-Indian activity in about 150 publications on sedimentary geology, the area includes Clovis points, butchered stratigraphy, palynology, archaeology, and biology. SPEAKER horses and camels, and a collection of He supervised 48 graduate students and was Dr. L.V. Hills cast caribou antlers. The use of protein member of 260 committees. His interests include University of Calgary residue on Clovis points provided the first natural history, plants, animals, geomorphology, use of this technique on samples 11,000 and public education. Dr Hills’ honours include: CO-AUTHORS years old. Butchering of Mexican horse and Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America, B. Kooyman, University of Calgary camel is documented for the first time. Honorary Member of the CSPG, and Order of S. Tolman, Cardston The archaeological, biological, and geological the University of Calgary. P. Mcneil, Steppe Consulting significance of the tracks and trackways as they reflect animal behavior will be reviewed. INFORMATION: 7:30 PM, Friday, Oct 15th, 2010 This event is jointly presented by the Alberta Mount Royal University, Room B108 BIOGRAPHY Palaeontological Society, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta Dr. Len Hills was born and raised on a farm at and the CSPG Palaeontology Division. For details Judah, Alberta. On completion of high school, he or to present a talk in the future please contact ABSTRACT: joined Socony Vacuum (later Mobil Oil, Exxon CSPG Paleo Division Chair Philip Benham at The Wally’s Beach Site (DhPg8), near Cardston, Mobil). He left to attend university in 1956, 403-691-3343 or programs@albertapaleo. Alberta, contains a diversity of palaeofauna and receiving his B.SC. and M.SC. from UBC by org. Visit the APS website for confirmation of artifacts. This talk will focus on the pre-11,000 1962 and his Ph.D. from University of Alberta in event times and upcoming speakers: http://www. years rcbp aspects of the site. 1965. He worked briefly for Shell Canada before albertapaleo.org/.

Geology and wind played a significant role in the preservation, and ultimately exposing the site to the view of archaeologists and paleontologists. A Laurentide till which RESOURCE PLAY overlies sandstones of the St. Mary’s River MICRO-STUDIES Formation extended westward from the Resource Plays Spell Opportunity site into the foothills of Alberta. As the ice ► Identify Opportunities ► Capture the Best Lands retreated, a thick sequence of rhythmites ► Generate Ideas ► Overcome Technical Challenges was deposited in a proglacial lake. A re- advance of the ice into the area created an Resource Play Micro-Studies is an ongoing geoscience project that tracks the evolution of major end-moraine system with outwash sands resource plays across Western Canada. Keep your company up-to-date and technically informed. and gravels in the area. With recession of Contact Cheryl Wright to subscribe today. the second ice sheet, the St. Mary’s River reestablished itself on the glacio-lacustrine sediments. Initially a meander loop to the south, followed by a cutoff, produced a large island in the river. This island became the focus for food and water for the palaeofauna.

When the river cut down to the resistant sandstones of the St. Mary’s River Formation, incision slowed and the river cut laterally in the soft lake sediments, producing a broad floodplain west of the site and a west-facing scarp to the island. It was at this point that the palaeofauna, followed by paleo-Indians, Quarterly Deliverables entered the area. ► One Play-by-Play Comparative Review ► Two Feature Play Micro-Studies During wet intervals, the palaeofauna (403) 269-3644, [email protected] moved across the area leaving tracks and www.canadiandiscovery.com Canadian trackways that were covered by a veneer DiscoveryLtd. of silt and sand, preserving them for later

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 15 GO TAKE A HIKE Grassi Lakes, Kananaskis Country, Alberta | by Philip Benham and Yingchun Guan

1992). Figures of men with a hoop or drum and game wildlife are discernable.

At Grassi Lakes, see the vuggy cliff exposures of the Cairn Formation consisting of dark- and light-grey-weathering dolomite, with chert bands. Present, but not easily observed are bulbous stromatoporoids (often surface- leached to fist-sized or larger vugs), stick- like Amphipora and atrypid brachiopods. Stromatoporoid bioherms can be seen best from across the lake, but take the opportunity to explore the massive vugs that have formed from surface weathering. Upslope, beyond the pictographs is the Southesk Formation. These light grey, laminated argillaceous carbonates contain stromatoporoids, tabulate corals, and gastropods. Complete the loop by returning on the easy-access road.

Trailhead: Take Spray Lakes road (Hwy 742) out of Canmore, trail access is from parking lot, first left after the Nordic Centre.

Distance: 4.5km return on a loop trail, and a lazy four hours with picnic, or two hours for those in a hurry.

Elevation Gain: 275 m

Grassi Lakes is one of the most popular trails due to its proximity to Canmore, variety of scenery and numerous routes for practicing climbers to test their mettle. It is also a classic geological stop for those wishing to view exposures of the Late Devonian Cairn Formation; the surface equivalent of the prolific Leduc Formation. View of Ha Ling (aka Chinaman’s) Peak and waterfall on ascent. From the parking lot, follow the Transalta access road a short distance. To see the eye but then you are drawn to the more REFERENCE: waterfall, choose the signposted “difficult” distant wall of rock covered with climbers Keyser, James D. 1992. Introduction to Rock route, a forest trail that forks left off the on a summer weekend. The trail passes Art. Indian Rock Art of the Columbian Plateau. road. It winds its way up-slope to good quickly to Upper Grassi Lake with even University of Washington Press. views of Canmore across the valley, a scenic richer colours. There are plenty of places waterfall, and the triangular form of Ha to sit and contemplate or pull out a picnic The Reservoir Committee welcomes Arts. Ling Peak looming overhead. Ha Ling Peak lunch. The cliffs are steep and there are contributions from our readership to this is named after a Chinese cook who won a plenty of warnings to be aware of rockfall series. If you wish to offer a submission $50 bet in 1896 in being the first to climb (often climber-generated). The official trail to Go Take a Hike on your favourite hike the mountain. After a series of steep stone ends at the lakes but it takes only a short of geological interest, email the Reservoir PhotoAstrid by steps the trail levels out and you reach scramble up the slope to a roped-off area at [email protected] for more Lower Grassi Lake. Its clear water and rich with finger-painted red-ochre pictographs information.

blues and greens immediately catch your dating back perhaps 1,000 years (Keyser, Background

16 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 Background Photo by Astrid Arts. base Petroglyphs Palliser Upper Climber Surface of Grassi Formation Southesk. using bedding using solution can Lake be enhances on with seen Mount surface Cairn in vugs a roped to Formation ascend initiated ininitiatedstromatoporoids. off in the a area stromatoporoid at background. shore. uphill from Late Devonian Grassi bank in Lakes, the carbonates Cairn just Formation. at the of

left Southesk the is (beware Rock Gastropods to Wildflowers of right, trail wall the of in popular dashed its rock spring are Formation gradual are common fall. line. abundant and with Cairn transition early climbers starts in Formation Southesk summer. on to RESERVOIR ISSUE8•OCTOBER 201017 lower to

the

Formation.

INSIDE THE CSPG | By Colin Yeo CSPG Continuing Education PAUL MACKAY NAMED 2011 launching several start-ups. Currently, industry leaders and will take a leadership 4th Annual Education Week CONVENTION GENERAL CO-CHAIR Paul is the Vice President, Exploration, of role in their session. The chair will set up October 25 - October 29, 2010 Long-time Society volunteer Paul Mackay Barron Energy. the session by placing it within a business has assumed the role of General Co-Chair and technical context and will wrap up www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm for the 2011 Annual Convention. Paul is Paul has set three ambitious goals for by drawing key conclusions and providing best known for his structural field trips in the 2011 Convention. First, he wants insights for delegates. Alberta and Wyoming, leading more than to establish the Annual Convention as Shale Gas Critical Fundamentals, Techniques, and Tools for Exploration Analysis 1,000 participants during the last 20 years. a significant conference within North This innovative approach is designed Instructor: Dr. Basim Faraj, Unconventional Gas Specialist at Talisman Energy Paul was a major contributor and driving America, garnering interest internationally to increase the relevance and depth of Price: Member $675 Non-member $780 Date: Oct. 27, 2010 force behind the Triangle Zone Special and reflecting Calgary’s status as an technical content and broaden the Description: This one-day course will introduce the fundamental differences between conventional, hybrid, and shale CSPG Bulletin. Paul also served as Program international oil and gas centre. Second, perspectives of delegates. Paul feels that Director on the CSPG Executive in 1998 the structure of the convention will reflect pursuing this convention strategy could gas plays. Source and reservoir rock attributes of shale gas plays will be discussed as well as GIP calculations, water, and 1999. He has always been active in the the way most of us do our work: integrated improve attendance by attracting more 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. very successful and very active Structural work teams. Most of us operate in some geoscientists from the US and appealing to Division. form of the land; geology; geophysics; reservoir engineers who are our closest and reservoir, drilling, completion and relatives within the engineering profession. Architecture of Fluvial Reservoirs Paul received his Ph.D. from the University production engineering work model. Growth in delegates leads to bigger Instructor: Andrew Miall, Professor of Geology, University of Toronto of Calgary in 1991. He had taken a leave The convention sessions will focus on conventions and this will no doubt attract Price: Member $850 Non-member $955 Date: Oct. 25-26, 2010 of absence from Amoco Canada where the emergence of resource plays and be attention globally. Description: The focus of this 2-day lecture course will be on the reservoir architecture and sequence stratigraphy he worked as one of Amoco’s first structured like our work teams. There of fluvial systems and will contain descriptions of fundamental basinal controls on fluvial systems. Information and cross-trained geophysicists. Paul moved will be presentations on geology and Paul has established a measure of success: ideas presented in the course will contribute to the development of fluvial sandstone production and exploration models. to Morrison Petroleums and, through geophysics, reservoir engineering, drilling your VP Exploration or Chief Geologist acquisition, to Northstar and Devon and completion techniques, and production will tell you to be sure to attend the Stratigraphic Setting of Lower and Middle Triassic Strata Energy. Following Devon, Paul provided optimization all in one session. And finally, Convention and you will say you are already Instructor: Dr. James Dixon consulting services to both domestic and the selection of session chairs is of great registered. Price: Member $375 Non-member $480 Date: Oct. 25, 2010 international oil and gas companies before importance. Session chairs should be 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 Source-Eval Ltd.: Exploration Geochemistry significant stratigraphic surfaces. for Unconventional and Conventional Plays Sequence Stratigraphy Principles and Applications B.C. Ab. Sk. Instructor: Dr. Octavian Catuneanu, Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta Price: Member $975 Non-member $1,080 Date: Oct. 25-27, 2010 Expanded Description: This workshop presents the concepts and practical applications of sequence stratigraphy for petroleum V Area 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 %Ro Vit.or Equiv. 4.80 3.4 cross-sections, seismic lines, and outcrop profiles. 3.2 DRY 3.0 2.8 GAS 2.6 2.4 2.20 2.2 Sequence Stratigraphy: A Practical Understanding of Basinal Controls in Mapping and Exploration 2.0 WET 1.8 GAS 1.6 1.4 Instructor: Andrew Miall, Professor of Geology, University of Toronto 1.30 1.2 OIL 1.0 0.8 Price: Member $850 Non-member $955 Date: Oct. 27-28, 2010 0.55 0.6 0.4 Description: A practical course designed to assist the petroleum geologist in the identification of different types

ISO-REFLECTANCE 1000 1000 of sequence, based on the generating mechanisms. The sequence architecture in a given basin may reflect the action I (%Ro) VITRINITE or TOC - Rock-Eval I 120

o EQUIVALENT R of several simultaneous processes interacting locally to globally over a wide range of time scales. .5% 0.6 800 0 800

II II 80 600 600 Basic Core Logging with Integrated Ichnological Techniques . WCSB Regional Maturity Trends 0.4

400 and Source Rock Characterization, # PI HI HI400 Instructor: Dr. Kerrie Bann, Ichnofacies Analysis Inc. and Dr. Stuart Tye, Husky Energy o R 40 % 5 .3 1 multiple horizons (Elk Pt. to Paskapoo) 0.2 Price: Member $1,500 Non-member $1,605 Date: Oct 26-28, 2010

200 200 III Description: This short course has been designed to teach the basics of logging core clastic intervals, with the . Oil Prone? Condensate? Dry Gas? III 0 IV 0 0 inclusion of fundamental introductory ichnological techniques. Identification of facies through the integration 0 430 465 400 450 500 550 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 Reservoir Evaluation: Petrography, 0 50 100 150 200 . 400 440 480 520 560 TOC OI Tmax of sedimentology and ichnology is crucial in building better stratigraphic and palaeogeographic models XRD, SEM, Paragenesis, Desorption, Tmax of reservoirs. Resource Determination, Geo-mechanical Analysis, Basin Modeling. For presentation or discussion please contact: For more information and to keep up to date with added Courses please see: [email protected] or Tel: 403 607 6565 www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm www.source-eval.com For additional information, contact Tina Donkers at: [email protected]

18 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 CSPG Continuing Education 4th Annual Education Week October 25 - October 29, 2010 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 Price: Member $675 Non-member $780 Date: Oct. 27, 2010 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.

Architecture of Fluvial Reservoirs Instructor: Andrew Miall, Professor of Geology, University of Toronto Price: Member $850 Non-member $955 Date: Oct. 25-26, 2010 Description: The focus of this 2-day lecture course will be on the reservoir architecture and sequence stratigraphy of fluvial systems and will contain descriptions of fundamental basinal controls on fluvial systems. Information and ideas presented in the course will contribute to the development of fluvial sandstone production and exploration models. Stratigraphic Setting of Lower and Middle Triassic Strata Instructor: Dr. James Dixon Price: Member $375 Non-member $480 Date: Oct. 25, 2010 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. Sequence Stratigraphy Principles and Applications Instructor: Dr. Octavian Catuneanu, Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta Price: Member $975 Non-member $1,080 Date: Oct. 25-27, 2010 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.

Sequence Stratigraphy: A Practical Understanding of Basinal Controls in Mapping and Exploration Instructor: Andrew Miall, Professor of Geology, University of Toronto Price: Member $850 Non-member $955 Date: Oct. 27-28, 2010 Description: A practical course designed to assist the petroleum geologist in the identification of different types of sequence, based on the generating mechanisms. The sequence architecture in a given basin may reflect the action of several simultaneous processes interacting locally to globally over a wide range of time scales.

Basic Core Logging with Integrated Ichnological Techniques Instructor: Dr. Kerrie Bann, Ichnofacies Analysis Inc. and Dr. Stuart Tye, Husky Energy Price: Member $1,500 Non-member $1,605 Date: Oct 26-28, 2010 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.

For more information and to keep up to date with added Courses please see: www.cspg.org/education/education-week.cfm For additional information, contact Tina Donkers at: [email protected]

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 19 Volunteer Opportunities at cspg The CSPG is a Technical Society run by Volunteers. Volunteering with CSPG leads to networking opportunities, new friends in the industry, knowledge in an area outside your current job and qualifies you for PDH credits. Here is your opportunity for professional growth. We require the following Chair Programs and positions to be filled; Technical Tracks Award Divisions Membership Short Course / Field Volunteer Management Trip Development Coordinator H.M. Hunter Award Emerging Petroleum Resources Technical Division Chair

Reservoir Sedimentology Technical Division Convention Needs You! Chair

Positions available on various committees such as Technical Division Sponsorship, Finance & Special Events. Chair A CSPG Joint Annual Convention Representative is also needed. If you would like more information or are interested in filling any of these positions please contact:

Kasandra Klein [email protected] (403)513 - 1229 SHALE GAS Part 2 - History of Shale Gas Production in North America | By R. J. Spencer1,3, P. K. Pedersen1, C. R. Clarkson1, R. Aguilera2 1 Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, 2 Department of Chemical and Petroleum engineering, University of Calgary 3 Alberta Innovates Technology Futures

INTRODUCTION FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS… wells typically cost about $1/ft to drill, or Shale gas plays are currently the hottest SHALE GAS PRODUCTION IN THE generally less than $2,000, a far-cry from unconventional reservoir targets in 19th CENTURY the multi-million-dollar wells being drilled North America, with a combination of Lest we forget, shale gas development to produce shale gas from deeper targets technological advances and proximity to did not begin with the recent success today. market being key drivers in the success of of the Barnett Shale. In fact, shale gas these plays. However, shale gas production production initiated nearly 200 years (!) In the late 19th century, hundreds of has occurred in some form since the early ago in the eastern U.S. The first well was shallow gas wells were drilled in the 19th century, generally at a modest scale drilled in 1821 in Fredonia, New York region along the shores of Lake Erie and and in close proximity to markets in the at “Canadaway Creek” in the Devonian southeastward, with several gas fields such eastern USA. Dunkirk shale, by William Aaron Hart (Hill as Lakeshore, Naples, and Dansville being and Lombardi, 2002). Hart, a gunsmith, established. The Devonian black shales of In this article, we review the history of shale was successful on his third attempt, and the Dunkirk, Rhinestreet, and Marcellus gas production in the U.S. and Canada, with in 1830, he gauged the well’s flow rate were the initial primary targets in New an emphasis on technological advances that at 1.76 mcf/d. The well supplied gas to York State – a summary of those initial have led to commercial development. Our the local town through 1858. Additional fields in New York is given in Table 1. focus will be on the progressive development concerted efforts by a local gas company, of the Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Fredonia Gas Light Company, led to more The Devonian shale of the Appalachian Basin and how development of this play has drilling in this shallow gas play. Producing Basin became the largest natural gas triggered recent “shale gas mania” in the U.S. wells required dewatering through pump, field in the world by 1926 – to this and Canada. and produced saltwater. These shallow gas (Continued on page 22...)

Cumulative Wellhead Number of Status Average. IP Production Gas Field Year Producing Zone Pressure Producing as of Depth (ft) (mcf/d) Through 2001 (psia) Wells 1999 (mmcf)

Lakeshore Belt 1821 Dunkirk 200 10-100 (?) NA 300 (?) NA 52.9

Naples 1880 Marcellus 1,300 1.5-20 150 (?) 12 Abnd. 32.2

Dansville 1881 Lower Hamilton 1,000 10-100 50 (?) 7 Prod. 5.6

Rushville 1902 Lower Hamilton 650 60 35 10 (?) Abnd. NA

Bristol 1914 Marcellus 650 3-850 50 10 Abnd. NA Southern Erie Rhinestreet- 1920s 800 40-150 225 NA NA NA County Hamilton Rathbone 1931 Nunda, Rhinestreet 1,000 100-2,000 225 28 (?) NA 2.2

Genegantslet 1964 Upper Hamilton 1,200 2,166 565 3 NA NA

Pikes Corners 1978 Devonian Shale NA NA NA 1 Prod. 18.5

Alfred 1981 Marcellus 3,950 40 1,720 1 Abnd. 1.3

Four Mile 1981 Marcellus 3,600 14 1,520 1 Abnd. NA

Elmira 1982 Marcellus 2,950 86 NA 1 Prod. 9.3

Cafferty Hill 1982 Marcellus NA 17 NA 1 Prod. 3.1

Avoca 1982 Marcellus NA NA NA 2 Prod. 46.9

Karr Valley 1982 Marcellus 3,480 330 1,720 1 Prod. 15.7 Table 1. Devonian gas shale fields in New York in order of date of first shale gas production (table reproduced from Hill and Lombardi, 2002).

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 21 (...Continued from page 21) of a laterally continuous unconventional shales had much in common. Toward the day, the Appalachian Basin still contains gas play. end of the 1990s, however, deeper, hotter, the largest number of shale-gas producing thermogenic, low TOC “shale” plays began wells (Canadian Discovery Digest, 2006). GIVE US SOME CREDITS…PLEASE to be developed, such as the Cretaceous The 1920s saw initial development of the Shale gas activity waned in the late 1970s Lewis Shale of the San Juan Basin and the Big Sandy Field (Ohio Shale) in Kentucky until the Section 29 Tax Credit was Mississippian Barnett Shale of the Fort and by the 1930s, initial development introduced in 1980 by the U.S. federal Worth Basin. The Lewis, in places, is of Devonian-aged Antrim Shale in the government to motivate operators actually more of a fractured, fine-grained Michigan Basin (U.S. Department of to exploit unconventional resources sand-siltstone reservoir, rather than a Energy, 2009). Proximity to gas markets (Bustin, 2005). This tax credit applied true shale. These plays generally have was clearly a key driver in the success of to (unconventional) gas wells placed on very low matrix permeability (nanodarcies this “1st wave” of shale gas production. The production after 1979 and before January to 100s of nanodarcies), making them 2nd wave of shale gas activity in the U.S. 1, 1993 and to gas produced and sold until subcommercial (at the time, more on this was kickstarted by an incentive provided by December 31, 2002. The incentive worked, later!) if natural fractures are absent. the U.S. government (see below). resulting in the drilling of 1,000s of new shale gas wells. At the end of the 1990s shale gas In the Canadian Plains, several of the production had become a significant source Cretaceous shallow gas reservoirs hosted Significant targets for shale gas drilling in of gas supply in the U.S. (approximately 3% within Colorado Group shales (e.g., Second the 1980s included the Devonian Antrim, of total gas production), with production White Specks, [Shurr and New Albany, and Ohio shales. Typically, approaching 400 Bcf/year by the end of Ridgley, 2002] and the shaly part of the shales that were being targeted in the 1998 (Figure 1). Milk River [Pedersen, 2003]) bear many 1980s and early 1990s – as exemplified by similarities with reservoirs included today the Antrim Shale – were relatively shallow An important outcome of this era of in the broad range of shale gas reservoirs. and thermally immature (low Ro), had shale gas development was significant Thus, the shallow gas fields developed high organic matter (TOC) and adsorbed progression of our understanding of shale since the early part of the 1900s, with gas content, were naturally fractured, and gas reservoir properties due to significant their abundant well log and core data, often had significant water production. research by Gas Research Institute (GRI, provide good analogs for the development, These early shale developments benefited now Gas Technology Institute), Holditch long-term production, reserves estimates, greatly from co-development of coalbed and Associates, operators, and service reservoir character, and fairway extents methane, with which these organic-rich providers. The following is a (non-

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22 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 Worth Basin, has inspired “shale gas mania” in the current decade. The location of the play relative to infrastructure, the amenable geologic setting, reservoir characteristics, and vision of certain operators, not to mention lots of experimentation with technology, made this play what it is today. As of a couple of years ago, the Barnett Shale alone produced ~ 6% of the natural gas from the U.S. (U.S. Department of Energy, 2009). The key technologies being used today that have lent to its success include multi-fractured (multiple stimulation stages) horizontal wells, high rate / high water volume (low-viscosity) “slickwater” hydraulic fracturing for each stage, combined with new surveillance methods, such as microseismic, that have allowed operators to understand how to optimize hydraulic fracture treatments in the play. Figure 1. Post tax-credit shale gas production in the U.S. by formation (Faraj and others, 2004). Still, the play was slow to develop, and it exhaustive) list of significant advances (and still significantly less productive (and more took the persistence of certain operators, associated representative publications) in expensive) than many of the conventional and one in particular, Mitchell Energy reservoir understanding made during this plays of the day. It was not until significant Corporation (MEC), to make the play work. period of shale-gas development (1980- advancement in drilling, completion, and In 1981, MEC attempted their first Barnett 2000): stimulation methodology (as applied to completion and followed it up with 36 deep shale gas) had been made that shale gas test wells (Martineau, 2007). Hydraulic • Material balance methodologies for plays began to achieve their potential. The fracture experiments were performed on shale gas (e.g., King, 1993) Barnett Shale play (Fort Worth Basin) was the first well (MEC1), including an initial • Shale core analysis (e.g., Luffel and the site of a lot of experimentation with nitrogen foam frac, followed by a large Guidry, 1992; Luffel and others, these technologies. In the following, we gel frac, and finally a large water frac 1992; Luffel, 1993) now provide a brief history of drilling and (light sand). This kind of experimentation • Shale gas welltest analysis (e.g., Bumb completion technology in that play. allowed operators to optimize the and McKee, 1988) stimulation treatments using vertical wells. • Reservoir simulation and shale gas THE STANDARD BY WHICH ALL Some later tests by MEC were done with forecasting (e.g., Watson and others, FUTURE SHALE PLAYS WILL BE aid of GRI, who helped improve reservoir 1990; Carlson and Mercer, 1991; JUDGED: THE BARNETT characterization of the play. Zuber and others, 1994; Spivey and More than any other shale gas play, the Semmelbeck, 1995) success of the Barnett Shale in the Fort (Continued on page 24...) • Shale gas production analysis (e.g., Gatens and others, 1989; Frantz and others, 1996)

• Reservoir characterization of shales 5R 5R /HZLV   1HZ$OEDQ\ (e.g., Hopkins and others, 1995;   Frantz and others, 1999; Dube and     others, 2000; Zuber and others, *,30VFIDFUHIW $GVRUEHG*DV *,30VFIDFUHIW $GVRUEHG*DV   2002)    5R  In addition to the above reservoir studies,   2KLR 72& 7KLFNQHVV 72& 7KLFNQHVV several shale play comparisons have  *,30VFIDFUHIW $GVRUEHG*DV been done (e.g., Hill and Nelson, 2000)  allowing operators to rank their shale  5R 5R plays effectively. An example of such a $QWULP   %DUQHWW comparison of reservoir properties is    72& 7KLFNQHVV  provided in Figure 2. It is clear that not   *,30VFIDFUHIW $GVRUEHG*DV *,30VFIDFUHIW $GVRUEHG*DV all shale plays are alike (e.g., the low TOC   of the Lewis shales versus the high TOC   characteristic of the Antrim shales).

72& 7KLFNQHVV 72& 7KLFNQHVV Even though significant knowledge of shale gas reservoir characteristics was gained through this period, shale gas wells were Figure 2. Comparison of reservoir properties by shale play (image courtesy of TICORA Geosciences Inc.).

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 23 Gas Shale Basin Barnett Fayetteville Haynesville Marcellus Woodford Antrim New Albany

Estimated Basin Area 5,000 9,000 9,000 95,000 11,000 12,000 43,500 (square miles) Depth (feet) 6,500-8,500 1,000-7,000 10,500-13,500 4,000-8,500 6,000-11,000 600-2,200 500-2,000 Net Thickness (feet) 100-600 20-200 200-300 50-200 120-220 70-120 50-100 Total Organic Carbon 4.5 4.0-9.8 0.5-4.0 3-12 1-14 1-20 1-25 (%) Total Porosity (%) 4-5 2-8 8-9 10 3-9 9 10-14 Gas Content (scf/ton) 300-350 60-220 100-330 60-100 200-300 40-100 40-80 Water Production N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 5-500 5-500 (bwpd) Well spacing (acres) 60-160 80-160 40-560 40-160 640 40-160 80 Original Gas-in-Place 327 52 717 1500 23 76 160 (tcf) Technically Recoverable 44 41.6 251 262 11.4 20 19.2 Resources (tcf)

Table 2. Shale play comparison (source of the above numbers provided in U.S. Department of Energy, 2009).

(...Continued from page 23) larger fluid volumes than before These “light sand” fracs, which are According to Martineau (2007), five stages (400,000 – 600,000 gallons) and relatively inexpensive, became more of development of the play occurred, more sand (1,000,000-1,500,000 popular than gel fracs and remain including: lb). Experimentation with fluid- so today. loss additives, clay stabilizers, and 4. 1999-present: Refracturing of 1. 1980-1985: Vertical well drilling and surfactants also occurred. originally gel-frac’d wells with water, completion in the lower Barnett 3. 1998-present: Vertical well drilling after some depletion. This resulted only, hydraulically fractured zone and completion in both upper in large production rate increases. using foam (150,000-300,000 and lower Barnett; hydraulically 5. 2003-present: Long lateral

gallons, N2 assisted, with 300,000- fractured separately, using even horizontal well drilling, hydraulically- 500,000 lb of 20/40 sand) pumped larger fluid volumes (900,000 fractured in multiple stages using at typically 40 bbl/min. gallons for lower, 500,000 gallons 2,000,000 – 6,000,000 gallons of 2. 1985-1997: Vertical well drilling for upper) and a total of 200,000 lb water and 400,000 – 1,000,000 and completion in the lower sand. Jobs were pumped at 50-70 sand, pumped at 50-100 bbl/min. Barnett only, hydraulically fractured bbls/min and use of surfactants “Simulfracs”, in which parallel zone using cross-linked gel with and clay stabilizers diminished. laterals are frac’d simultaneously (see Cramer, 2008), have recently gained favor. Operators went to horizontal wells initially to reduce the risk of frac’ing into the water- bearing Ellenburger.

A summary of drilling/completion activity in the Newark East field is provided in Figure 3.

Ultimately large, water-based, low- viscosity (“slickwater”) fracs, which are relatively inexpensive (at least in this basin) became the stimulation of choice for the Barnett – this combined with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells, have led to the current success of the Barnett. It was determined later that the success of these fracs was related to the complex fracture geometry that they created, which in turn allowed the wells to contact Figure 3. Summary of activity in Newark East field over time (until September 2006) (image from more of the low matrix-permeability Martineau, 2007).

24 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 reservoir. This observation was made in North America. Figure 4 (page 26) (2009). Unlike many of the continental U.S. possible with the use of microseismic shows the current shale gas plays in the plays, the Horn River Basin and portions imaging techniques. Operators have U.S. and Canada: of the Montney play are challenged by used microseismic and other surveillance location (remoteness), topography, and technology (e.g., temperature surveys) Shale gas plays that have received lack of infrastructure. Operators in the to optimize hydraulic fracture treatments attention in recent years include the Horn River are using very large well pads, and maximize the “Stimulated Reservoir Haynesville/Bossier Shale (Louisiana/ designed for up to 28 wells/pad with Volume (SRV)” (Mayerhofer and others, Texas), Fayetteville (Arkansas), Woodford stacked laterals completed in multiple shale 2008) around the wells, which in turn (Oklahoma), and Marcellus (primarily horizons. Up to 20 frac stages per well has led to increased productivity of the Pennsylvania). A summary of these plays are being used. These plays are currently wells. The creation of complex fracture was recently provided by the U.S. DOE pushing the limit of what can be done geometry or SRV is related to the rock (U.S. Department of Energy, 2009). A with completion technology, and we look mechanical proper ties, fabric, in-situ stress comparison of the shale plays, obtained forward to future successes. environment (orientation, magnitude, and from that document, is provided in table 2. level of differential stress), as well as the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS stimulation treatment. Three of the hottest shale plays in North Parts of the work presented in this series were America are in Canada, and include the funded by the NSERC, AERI, ConocoPhillips, This model of wellbore architecture, Devonian shales of the Horn River Basin EnCana, Nexen, ExxonMobile, Lundin, and the completion and stimulation style, and (Muskwa, Otter Park, Evie), the Triassic University of Calgary. Their contributions are development planning created in the Montney of the WCSB, and the Ordovician gratefully acknowledged. Barnett is currently being used (with some Utica in Quebec (Figure 4). Technology variation) in other shale plays in North similar to that used to unlock the Barnett REFERENCES America, including our own Horn River is currently being used in Western Canada. Bumb, A.C., and McKee, C.R. 1988. Gas-Well Basin. Faraj and others (2004) provide a review of Testing in the Presence of Desorption for other shale plays of interest in Canada. An Coalbed Methane and Devonian Shale. SPEFE THE CURRENT AND FUTURE excellent summary of the Horn River Basin (March 1988), p. 179-185. SHALE GAS FRONTIERS IN NORTH play is provided in Reynolds and Munn AMERICA (2010); completion technology currently Bustin, R.M. 2005. Gas Shale Tapped for Big The success of the Barnett Shale play has used in the Montney tight gas play is Pay. AAPG Explorer, February 2005. inspired much activity in other shale basins summarized in Thompson and others (Continued on page 27...)

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 25 Hare Fiord Van Hauen Blind Fiord Blaa Mtn. Jameson Bay Mackenzie King Savik Ringnes Road River Sverdrup Deer Bay Basin Canol Christopher Imperial Kanguk Ford Lake Cape Phillips Blackie Banks Cape de Bray Baffin Basin Basin Whitestone River Boothia Parkin Mackenzie Basin Burnthill Creek Delta Boundary Creek Smoking Hills Arctic Red Bluefish Hare/Indian Northern Foxe Basin Road Interior River Basins Boas River Arctic Red

Canol Imperial Muskwa Ft. Simpson Besa River Boas River Bowser Fort St. Basin John Wilrich Moosebar Todagin Montney Clearwater Ashman Grayling Green Point Kunga Ostracod Phroso Curling Group Maude Buckinghorse Vega Queen Doig Phosphatic Western Canada Charlotte Sedimentary Toad Duvernay Basin (Alberta Basin Quesnel Hudson Bay Whistler Ireton Basin) Table Cove Basin Basin Anticosti Nordegg Colorado Basin Black Cove Gordondale Alberta Macasty Winterhouse Smokey Tofino Fernie Vaureal Sidney Basin Rierdon Basin Princeton Magdalen Kamloops Lea Park Bakken Long Basin Pakowki Banff Rapids Pointe Bleue Nomad Strathlorne Pembina Bearpaw Odanah Albert Montana Dawson Utica Cape Rouge Thrust Belt Point Lorraine St. Lawrence Hastings Lowlands Williston Basin Eastview Cape Dauphin Cody Billings West Bay Rocky Brook Collingwood Gammon Blue Mtn. Utica Greater Michigan Green Hilliard Basin River Baxter Antrim Appalachian Basin Basin Mancos Denver Kettle Pt. Marcellus Uinta Basin Basin Devonian (Ohio) Mancos Niobrara Forest City Illinois Piceance Basin Basin Hermosa Basin Excello New Paradox Albany Basin Mulky Cherokee Pierre Platform Woodford Lewis San Juan Raton Anadarko Valley and Basin Basin Basin Fayetteville Ridge Arkoma Province Palo Duro Black Warrior Chattanooga Basin Basin Bend Woodford Basin Barnett Conasauga Permian Caney Texas- Floyd Woodford Basin Ft. Worth Louisiana- Basin Haynesville Mississippi Salt Barnett Bossier Basin Marfa Neal Basin Chattanooga

Maverick Sub-Basin Eagle Ford

Pearsall Rio Grande Eagle Ford Embayment

Figure 4. Shale gas plays of Canada and the continental U.S. (compiled by Canadian Discovery Ltd. From GSC OF5384 [data Williston Basin provided by Tony Hamblin and Elizabeth Macey – GSC (Calgary)], USGS [http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/wep/products/ Basin Name dds60/export.htm], EIA [http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil gas/natural gas/analysis publications/maps/maps.htm#geodata]. Barnett Shale Gas Formation

Figure26 1. Shale RESERVOIR Gas ISSUE Plays 8 of• OCTOBER Canada 2010 and the United States (compiled by Canadian Discovery Ltd. from GSC OF5384 [data provided by Tony Hamblin and Elizabeth Macey - GSC (Calgary)], USGS [http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/wep/products/dds60/export.htm], EIA [http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/maps/maps.htm#geoscripts]). (...Continued from page 25) Hopkins, C.W., Frantz, J.H. and Hill, D.G. Luffel, D.L., Guidry, F.K., and Curtis, J.B. Canadian Discovery Ltd. 2006. Shale Gas 1995. Estimating Fracture Geometry in the 1992. Evaluation of Devonian Shale With New in North America – New Life for an Old Naturally Fractured Antrim Shale. Paper SPE Core and Log Analysis Methods. Journal of Resource. Canadian Discovery Digest, Vol. 6. 30483 presented at the Society of Petroleum Petroleum Technology, v, 44, no. 11, p. 1192- Engineers Annual Technical Conference 1197. Carlson, E.S., and Mercer, J.C. 1991. Devonian and Exhibition held in Dallas, Texas, 22-25 Shale Gas Production: Mechanisms and Simple October. Luffel, D.L., Hopkins, C.W. and Schettler Jr., Models. Journal of Petroleum Technology, v. P.D. 1993. Matrix Permeability Measurement 43, no. 4, p.476-482. Luffel, D.L., and Guidry, F.K. 1992. New Core of Gas Productive Shales. Paper SPE 26633 Analysis Methods for Measuring Reservoir presented at the 68th Society of Petroleum Cramer, D.D. 2008. Stimulating Rock Properties of Devonian Shale. Journal of Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Unconventional Reservoirs: Lessons Learned, Petroleum Technology, v. 44, no. 11, p. 1184 - Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, 3-6 October. Successful Practices, Areas for Improvement. 1190. Paper SPE 114172 presented at the Society of (Continued on page 28...) Petroleum Engineers Unconventional Reservoirs Conference held in Keystone, Colorado, 10 -12 February.

Dube, H.G., Christianson, G.E., Frantz Jr., J.H., Fairchild Jr., N.R., Olszewski, A.J., Sawyer, W.K., and Williamson, J.R. 2000. The Lewis Well Data Missing Quality? Shale, San Juan Basin: What We Know Now. Paper SPE 63091 presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Dallas, Texas, 1-4 October.

Faraj, B., Williams, H., Addison, G., McKinstry, B. 2004. Gas Potential of Selected Shale Formations in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. GasTIPS, Winter 2004, v. 10, no. 1, p. 21-25.

Frantz Jr., J.H., Spivey, J.P., Voneiff, G.W. and Jacot, H. 1996. Practical Production Data Analysis for Appalachian Basin. Paper SPE 37347 presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Eastern Regional Meeting held in Columbus, Ohio, 23-25 October.

Frantz Jr., J.H., Fairchild Jr., N.R., Dube, Let TGS complete the picture H.G., Campbell, S.M., Christianson, G.E., and Olszewski, A.J., 1999. Evaluation Reservoir Canada Well Data is now available online, backed by TGS’ high Production Mechanisms and Hydraulic Fracture Geometry in the Lewis Shale, San quality standards and customer support. Juan Basin. Paper SPE 56552 presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual • Standard curve LAS and LAS+ for bulk workstation loading Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, 3-6 October. • Trustworthy data, meticulously QC’d to save you time

Gatens III, J.M., Lee, W.J., Lane, H.S., • Proprietary LAS and LAS+ digitizing to complete your project Watson, A.T., Stanley, D.K., and Lancaster, • Complete standardized directional surveys ready for mapping D.E. 1989. Analysis of Eastern Devonian Gas Shales Production Data. Journal of Petroleum Technology, v. 41, no. 5, p. 519-525.

Hill, D.G., and Nelson, C.R. 2000. Gas www.tgsnopec.com/welldata | [email protected] Productive Fractured Shales: An Overview and Update. GasTIPS, v. 6, no. 2, p. 4-13.

Geophysical Geological Imaging Hill. D.G. and Lombardi, T.E. 2002. Fractured Products Products Services Gas Shale Potential in New York. New York State Research and Development Authority, December 2002. www.tgsnopec.com

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 27 (...Continued from page 27) Engineers Shale Gas Production Conference, Columbia, Canada. Paper SPE 130103 King, G.R. 1993. Material-Balance Techniques Fort Worth, TX, 16-18 November. presented at the Society of Petroleum for Coal-Seam and Devonian Shale Gas Engineers Unconventional Gas Conference held Reservoirs with Limited Water Influx. Society Pedersen, P.K. 2003. Stratigraphic relationship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 23-25 February. of Petroleum Engineers Reservoir Engineering, of Alderson (Milk River) strata between v. 8, no. 1, p. 67-72. the Hatton and Abbey-Lacadena Pools, Shurr, G.W. and Ridgley, J.L. 2002. southwestern Saskatchewan – preliminary Unconventional Shallow Biogenic Gas Systems. Martineau, D.F. 2007. History of the Newark observations. Summary of Investigations 2003, AAPG Bulletin, v. 86, p. 1939-1969. East Field and the Barnett Shale as a Gas Volume 1, Saskatchewan Geological Survey, Reservoir. AAPG Bulletin, v. 9, no. 4, p. 399-403. Sask. Industry Resources, Misc. Rep. 2003-4.1, Spivey, J.P. and Semmelbeck, M.E. 1995. CD-ROM, Paper A -11, 11p. Forecasting Long-Term Gas Production of Mayerhofer, M.J., Lolon, E.J., Warpinski, N.R., Dewatered Coal Seams and Fractured Shales. Cipolla, C.L. and Walser D. 2008. What Reynolds, M.M., and Munn, D.L. 2010. Paper SPE 29580 presented at the Society of is Stimulated Reservoir Volume? Paper SPE Development Update for an Emerging Shale Petroleum Engineers Rocky Mountain/Low- 119890 presented at the Society of Petroleum Gas Giant Field – Horn River Basin, British Permeability Reservoirs Symposium held in Denver, Colorado, 20-22 March.

Watson, A.T., Gatens III, J.M., Lee, W.J., and Rahim, Z. 1990. An Analytical Model for History Matching Naturally Fractured Reservoir Production. Society of Petroleum Engineers Reservoir Engineering, v. 5, no. 3, p. 384-388.

Zuber, M.D., Frantz, J.H., and Gatens III, J.M. 1994. Reservoir Characterization and Production Forecasting for Antrim Shale Wells: An Integrated Reservoir Analysis Methodology. Paper SPE 28606 presented at the 69th Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in New Orleans, LA, 25-28 September.

Thompson, D., R ispler, K ., Stadnyk , S .,Hoch, O., and McDaniel, B.W. 2009. Operators Evaluate Various Stimulation Methods for Multizone Stimulation of Horizontals in Northeast . Paper SPE 119620 presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference held in The Woodlands, Texas, 19-21 January.

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, National E n e r g y Technology Laboratory. 2009. Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer.

Zuber, M.D., Williamson, J.R., Hill, D.G., Sawyer, W.K., and Frantz, J.H. 2002. A Comprehensive Reservoir Evaluation of a Shale Reservoir – The New Albany Shale. Paper SPE 77469 presented at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in San Antonio, Texas, 29 September - 2 October.

28 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 SUMMER STUDENT FIELDTRIP | By Tannis McCartney

the tidal-influenced deposits there. Two brief stops followed, where the participants could observe stacking patterns of channel deposits in the area. The final stop in the Drumheller area was to pick up pizza for the bus ride home. It goes without saying that the discussions continued at a pub back in Calgary, and many of the students took at advantage of Jason’s willingness to share his knowledge and experience.

Thank you to Jane Marzetti and Mark Radomski for their work organizing the field trip, Talisman Energy for sponsoring dinner, Cory MacNeill for contributing his knowledge about production in the Overlooking the Red Deer Valley near Drumheller. Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Dayna Rhoads for coordinating registrations, and close and personal with several trace fossils. of course Jason Lavigne for his expertise and After boxed lunches at the hoodoos, the enthusiasm leading the field trip. next stop was Willow Creek to look at

Near the top of the East Coulee Section.

The 2010 CSPG Summer Student Field Trip, organized by members of the University Hoodoos Recreation Area (tourists for scale). Outreach Committee, got off to an exciting start on June 23, 2010. Thirty students participated, spending a sunny day learning about the Horseshoe Canyon Formation from trip leader Jason Lavigne of Bergschrund Integrated Sedimentological Solutions.

The field trip, entitled “Marginal marine depositional environments of the Bearpaw- Horseshoe Canyon Formation Transition, Drumheller, Alberta,” took the participants to several outcrops in the Valley. After a brief stop overlooking the valley to make introductions and discuss the geologic framework of the valley sediments, the bus descended into the Red Deer River Valley and out to East Coulee. This was the first major stop on the field trip, where

the participants had the chance to get up Bank collapse blocks preserved in estuarine channels at Willow Creek. McCartney Tannis by Photos

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BY BECOMING AN AAPG MEMBER SAVE $200 AND REGISTERING BEFORE JAN. 31st TIGHT GAS SANDSTONE: Is it Truly an Unconventional Reservoir? | By Vinay K. Sahay1 and Staffan Kristian Van Dyke2 1 Maheshwari Mining Pvt. Ltd.; India (email: [email protected]) 2 Nexen Petroleum U.S.A., Inc.; Dallas, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT cannot be produced at economic flow COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL The objective of this paper is to evaluate rates or that do not produce economic AND UNCONVENTIONAL tight gas sandstones in relation to volumes of oil and gas without assistance RESERVOIRS conventional reservoirs (sandstones/ from massive stimulation treatments, such In the United States, the tight gas sandstone carbonates) as well as unconventional as hydraulic fracturing (frac’ing) or special definition is applied to reservoirs with reservoirs (coalbed methane / shale recovery processes and technologies, such less than 0.1 mD of permeability (Meckel gas), with reference to its constituent as steam injection. Typically unconventional and Thomasson, 2008). Our investigation petroleum system parameters: source, reservoirs have been described as tight- indicates that tight gas sandstones have trap, seal, reservoir properties (porosity gas sands, coalbed methane, and gas significantly different characteristics in and permeability), and time factors (timing shales (Holditch, 2003; 2006). However comparison to coal bed methane and shale of charge and migration). Our study it is an economic definition and does not gas. They are: indicates significant differences between take into account geological processes. tight gas sandstones as compared to It is also important to understand that 1. Tight gas sandstones act purely as a coalbed methane and / or gas shales. a conventional (sandstone/carbonate) reservoir, whereas coal and shale act as a Evaluation of geological evidences indicates reservoir with low natural pressure that source rock, as well as a reservoir. that tight gas sandstones, as a reservoir, depletes very quickly (in the order of are closer to conventional type reservoirs weeks to months) and requires artificial 2. Shanley and others (2004) found that than unconventional type reservoirs, like hydrocarbon recovery techniques to the low permeability reservoirs in the coalbed methane and shale gas. Utilizing maintain or increase its economic viability Greater Green River Basin of Southwest the framework described in this paper, is very similar to the economic definition Wyoming were not part of a continuous- tight gas sandstone reservoirs should then of an unconventional reservoir given above. type gas accumulation but were low- be considered as a sub-type category But such reservoirs are still categorized permeability rocks in conventional within the overall conventional reservoir as conventional. On the other hand, since structural, stratigraphic, or combination definition, as the majority of its geological tight gas sandstones must be artificially traps. Earlier, Berry (1959) and Hill properties fall within this definition, and stimulated (frac’ed) in order to produce its and others (1961) proposed that in not that of an unconventional reservoir. gas, it would then seem that this is the only the San Juan Basin, the gas within the Characterizing tight gas sandstones criterion in place required to categorize sandstone reservoir was localized in as an unconventional reservoir is not it as an unconventional reservoir. The a potentiometric sink associated with appropriate, as the geological setting objective of this paper is to evaluate tight down-dip flow of water. In other words, / petroleum system is different in gas sandstones in relation to conventional it is a hydrodynamic type trap, thus like comparison to coalbed methane and shale reservoirs (sandstones/carbonates) as conventional trap settings. gas. Tight sandstone is only a reservoir well as unconventional reservoirs (coalbed rock whereas coal and shale is source as methane / shale gas), with reference to its 3. Gas migrates into tight sandstones well as reservoir rock. constituent petroleum system parameters: from the nearby source rock and the source, trap, seal, reservoir properties charged gas may be housed within the INTRODUCTION (porosity and permeability), and time reservoir due to high capillary pressure Unconventional reservoirs are ones that factors (timing of charge and migration). (Continued on page 32...)

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 31 Petroleum system and Conventional reservoirs Tight gas sandstone Coal bed methane Shale gas reservoirs other parameters (sandstone/carbonate) reservoirs reservoirs Coal acts as a source rock Shale acts as a source rock Source Present Present and reservoir rock as well as reservoir rock Entrapment by adsorption in coal Entrapment by adsorption in matrix of Trap Present Present matrix (trap not necessary) organic matter (trap not necessary) Entrapment by adsorption in coal Entrapment by adsorption in matrix of Seal Present Present matrix (seal not necessary) organic matter (seal not necessary) Essential for generation and migration Essential for generation and migration Time not essential. Time is significant Time Factor from source and entrapment of oil from source and entrapment of oil only in context of maturity and Similar to coal bed methane (Timing and Migration) and gas by trap and/or seal and gas by trap and/or seal generation of gas from organic matter Reservoir Porosity High: > 10% Low: < 10% Low: < 10% Low: < 10% Reservoir Permeability High: > 100 mD Low: < 0.1 mD Low: < 0.1 mD Low: < 0.1 mD Initially due to natural reservoir Dewatering and fracturing to pressure (primary drive Fracturing, flooding (water, Production decrease water pressure in coal Hydraulic fracturing mechanism); secondary/tertiary steam), acidization seams to release and flow gas recovery methods to follow

Table 1. A comparison of petroleum system parameters of: tight gas sandstones, coal bed methane, shale gas, and conventional reservoirs.

(...Continued from page 31) 4. Many conventional reservoirs are because enhanced recovery techniques conditions by virtue of low porosity porous and permeable but do not have are required for them to be economically and permeability, and up-dip presence enough primary energy to support producible. Similarly, tight gas sandstone of water due to regional or local hydrocarbon production unaided at an reservoirs need enhanced recovery hydrodynamic conditions, whereas in economic level, but are still categorized as techniques like fracturing, flooding, and coal and shale gas, it is adsorbed into conventional reservoirs. According to the acidization to make them economically the matrix of organic matter (Bustin and unconventional reservoir definition given viable. However, instead of categorizing others, 2009). above, this quality should then define these these low primary-energy conventional reservoirs as unconventional, primarily reservoirs as unconventional, it is the

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32 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 authors’ opinion that they should remain act simply as a reservoir, whereas coal exploration, gambling game or business venture. classified as conventional reservoirs, and shale act as a source rock as well as Institute of Economic Petroleum Exploration, and that tight gas sandstones should be a reservoir for the gas. Tight sandstones Development, and Property Evaluation. classified as a sub-type within the overall may become a hydrocarbon reservoir only Englewood, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, p. 38-69 conventional reservoir petroleum system. when a potential source rock is available within the basin, or a nearby region, capable Holditch, S. A. 2003. The increasing role of 5. The only correlatable property of tight of charging the reservoir. Utilizing the unconventional reservoirs in the future of the oil sandstones to coal and shale is their low framework described in this paper, tight gas and gas business. Society of Petroleum Engineers. porosity and permeability similarity, unlike sandstone reservoirs should be considered http://www.spe.org/jpt/print/archives/2003/11/ the higher porosities and permeabilities as a sub-type conventional reservoir, as the JPT2003_11_management.pdf typically seen in conventional sandstone / majority of its geological and petroleum carbonate reservoirs. system parameters fall within this definition, Holditch, S. A. 2006. Tight gas sands (SPE Paper and not that of an unconventional reservoir. 103356). Journal of Petroleum Technology, v. The geological aspects discussed above 58, no. 6, p. 86-94. suggest that tight gas sandstone as REFERENCES a reservoir is closer to conventional Berry, F. A. F. 1959. Hydrodynamics and Meckel, L. D. and Thomasson, M. R. 2008. reservoirs (sandstone / carbonates) than to chemistry of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Pervasive tight-gas sandstone reservoirs: An coalbed methane and shale gas reservoirs. systems in the San Juan Basin, northwestern overview. In: S. P. Cumella, K. W. Shanley, and Table 1 summarizes the petroleum system New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. W. K. Camp (eds.). Understanding, exploring, and other parameters with respect to tight Stanford University, Ph.D. thesis, 269 p. and developing tight-gas sands. 2005 Vail gas sandstones, coalbed methane, shale gas, Hedberg Conference. American Association of and conventional reservoirs to elucidate the Bustin, R. M., Bustin, A., Ross, D., Petroleum Geologists. Hedberg Series, no. 3, similarities between these reservoir types. Chalmers, G., Murthy, V., Laxmi, C., and p. 13-27. Cui, X. 2009. Shale gas opportunities and CONCLUSION challenges. Search and Discovery Article Shanley, K. W., Cluff, R. M., and Robinson, J. W. Evaluation of the above geological aspects 40382. http://www.searchanddiscovery.net/ 2004. Factors controlling prolific gas production suggests that tight gas sandstones, as a documents/2009/40382bustin/ndx_bustin.pdf from low-permeability sandstone reservoirs: reservoir, are closer to conventional type Implications for resource assessment, prospect reservoirs than to unconventional type Hill, G. A., Colburn, W. A., and Knight, J. development, and risk analysis. American reservoirs, like coalbed methane and shale W. 1961. Reducing oil finding costs by use Association of Petroleum Geologist Bulletin, v. gas. It is clear that tight gas sandstones of hydrodynamic evaluations, in petroleum 88, p. 1083-1121.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 33 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SUMMARY | By Colin Yeo While most of us gear down for the summer, The business of the Society never ceases and decided to hold the 2011 convention at the your Executive was hard at work. After this past summer was no exception. President Telus Convention Centre. spending the first half of the year generating Varsek and Society Historian Clint Tippet met a strategic direction for the Society centered with Alberta Community and Culture to discuss President Varsek attended AAPG’s Leadership on technical rejuvenation, encouraging and a possible contribution to the Turner Valley Gas Days where he will participate in discussions on helping Society volunteers, and marketing Plant Historic Site. Contributions are always a the future of technical geological publications the CSPG, the Executive is now focused delicate and sensitive issue especially when the and the direction of AAPG over the next on strategy implementation. Usually, the Society is under constant pressure to practice 35 years. We are closely associated with the Executive doesn’t formally meet in July and financial discipline. AAPG; almost one third of CSPG members August but this rebuilding year is an exception are also AAPG members. We have held joint and they wanted to get a jump-start on a busy The presidents of the CSPG, CSEG, and annual conventions about every 10 years with balance of their term in office. CWLS reviewed convention registration the AAPG and recently participated in their data and began to gather data in preparation International Convention and Exhibition in At the meeting, each Director spoke to for a presentation by the 2010 Convention September. Their global scientific scope is a their strategic plan milestones, what they Organizing Committee later in the fall. benefit to geoscientists and CSPG members are doing, and what members will see as a Further intersociety discussion centered on have benefited from this association. result. Directors are also busy defining their the scope and intent of the Joint Annual roles and responsibilities so that incoming Convention, including some legal issues. We The Executive is looking at recognizing directors will know what is expected of have to remember that the Annual Convention volunteers from the last decade, holding them them and allow them to be more effective in is big business and is bound to attract different up as examples of dedicated service to other a shorter time frame. Additionally, current opinions and views from each of the three members. The Society needs to thank them directors will offer ideas about training and principal societies. But at the same time, the while encouraging others to get involved. orienting new directors on the Executive overarching goal of the convention is to provide For now, this is just an idea and requires Committee. Directors also discussed the our members with high-quality technical a full discussion amongst the Executive. The process and timeline of the 2009-2010 annual sessions and collaboration and networking Volunteer Management Committee, which has report. They are going to be very busy and opportunities. Of course, the reality is that been dormant for some time, is a much bigger potentially distracted by day-to-day tasks but all three societies rely on convention profit to issue. The Executive is very aware of this they are also disciplined and will concentrate provide member services that cost more than and is making every attempt to recruit key on the most important issue rather the most members’ annual dues. This is also a balancing people to this committee, which will be charged urgent. act. By the way, the CSPG and CSEG have with finding, placing, and rotating volunteers.

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34 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010

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Conventional Wells Heavy Oil/Oil Sands SAGD Horizontal Coring Programs Coal Bed Methane Project Supervision Because the Society relies almost exclusively on its volunteers to provide technical input into programs and services, member engagement is of the utmost importance.

The Past Presidents’ Dinner has been scheduled for October 28. This annual event is an opportunity for the current president to brief past presidents on the strategic direction, operations, and financial situation of the Society. Their advice and comments are solicited as many current issues have roots in the past or are variations of problems that have been seen and dealt with previously. Advice from the past presidents is always welcomed.

The fall strategy session will be held on October 30. Current Vice President Kirk Osadetz will be leading this session as he begins the transition to President of the Society next year. The strategy session provides an opportunity for all Directors to help shape events in the next year and beyond.

If this wasn’t enough, Directors were called upon to provide updates on each of their areas.

Services updated the Executive on the Under 35 Future Prospects Event and the level of sponsorship received to date. CSPG committee chair vacancies were reviewed, including a vacancy on the successful Earth Science for Society Committee. Potential new CSPG awards were addressed.

Programs discussed proposed fee structures for short-course instructors. An analysis of the AAPG ICE Conference short course attrition rate was presented and it was concluded that the Continuing Education Committee should have a position dedicated to determining what courses should be offered, which ones should be retired, and which ones should be created. The CSPG also needs to nominate a new member to the Joint Annual Convention Committee. It’s a new game. The Past President informed the Executive that nominations for the 2011 Executive have been completed. Registration numbers for AAPG’s Boyd PetroSearch is now RPS Boyd PetroSearch. ICE conference were disclosed. The President’s Advisory Group will hold an inaugural meeting in The game has changed – to our clients’ advantage. the last week of August. Boyd PetroSearch is pleased to announce we have Finance reports that the 2011 budget meeting been acquired by RPS Energy Canada. RPS is a leading has been set. consultancy, with Global and Canadian offices, offering energy services in Petroleum Engineering, Seismic Communications spoke about the possibility Operations, Wellsite Operations, Geology and of attending the Association of Earth Science Geophysics. Editors. A business plan around converting the Atlas to an electronic version was discussed. By joining expertise and resources we have greatly A replacement for the CSPG Communications Coordinator, who recently resigned, was also expanded our service offering. To learn more visit discussed. www.boydpetro.com or www.rpsgroup.com/canada

Outreach provided an update on the Honorary Address.

As you will agree, this Executive is making things happen. No summer break for them; much rpsgroup.com work remains to be done. And the Society greatly appreciates their efforts.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 35 36 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 2010 CSPG HONORARY ADDRESS The 2010 CSPG Honorary Address A Geoscientist in Antarctica: Following in Shackleton’s footsteps 100 years later... | By Susan R. Eaton I began packing by assembling the basics for my geology field trip: surface geology maps, topographic maps, hiking boots, wool socks, Polar a backpack and two digital cameras. My gear Polar list soon ballooned to include a hydrophone, an Iridium satellite phone, a laptop computer, an Arctic-rated dry suit (which doubles as a The Next Generation of “Cool survival suit), flares, a underwater camera housing, long underwear, a parka, mitts, hats, and knee-high rubber boots. Three hundred and fifty pounds of equipment later, I was rigged for a modern-day geology field trip to Antarctica and South Georgia.

In February and March 2010, I joined the scientific crew of the Elysium Visual Epic Featuring … Expedition (the “Elysium Expedition”), participating in an historical voyage of Geophysics in the Arctic Ocean: Breaking ice and exploration and discovery to the Bottom of the World. For nineteen days, the Elysium by Dr. Jacob Verhoef Geophysicist, Director UNCLOS Team – comprised of 57 Explorers from 19 nations – retraced the route of Sir Ernest of Canada, Natural Resources Canada Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-17, a journey that went horribly sideways when the Endurance was crushed by ice and sank, precipitating Caption: (L to R) Elysium Epic Visual Expedition Explorers Jonathan Shackleton (historian and author), Susan R. A Geoscientist in Antarctica: Following in one of the greatest survival stories of the Eaton (geologist and geophysicist) and Dr. Toni Davies (geologist) toast Sir Ernest Henry Shacklteon with Jameson Whiskey, at his gravesite in Grytivken, South Gerogia. Photo Credit: Susan R.Eaton. by Susan R. Eaton Geologist, Geophysicist, Journalist, and twentieth century. During my audition for a coveted spot in the and the earth science departments of Whiskey. Respectfully, I poured the last Elysium Visual Epic Expedition 2010 Elysium Expedition – a chance-of-a-lifetime Dalhousie University (my alma mater) and dram of my whisky on his grave. opportunity for me – I waxed poetically the University of Calgary, enabling readers about the ground-breaking science to explore Antarctica and South Georgia Running the gauntlet of Antarctic Fur Seals conducted by geologists and geophysicists with me. – who lunged at us from hiding places in who had played key roles in Shackleton’s hummocky grass tussocks – we made the numerous polar expeditions. And, I pitched As a member of the Elysium Expedition’s pilgrimage to Shackleton’s memorial cairn my vision of recreating the role of the scientific crew, I worked alongside the and cross situated on an exposed hilltop ship’s geoscientist, one hundred years world’s preeminent scientists from the at the entrance to Grytviken Harbour. In SOUTHERN ALBERTA JUBILEE AUDITORIUM later, providing a unique perspective to the Australian Antarctic Division and the Woods the lead was Jonathan Shackleton, an Irish discussions of climate change, glaciology, Hole Oceanographic Institution, movie organic farmer, author, and cousin to Sir CALGARY, ALBERTA and oceanography. I was joined during the makers, photographers, artists, musicians, Ernest. Erected in 1922 by George Vibert 7PM, OCTOBER 26, 2010 Elysium Expedition by Dr. Toni Williamson, scuba divers and explorers, including Douglas, a Canadian geologist and the Quest a Toronto-based, Australian geologist, National Geographic’s Photographers- Expedition’s chief scientist, the memorial whose doctorate studies involved a paleo- in-Residence Emory Kristof and David cross faces Magnetic South Pole which was environmental assessment of climate Doubilet. Kristof is famous for discovering discovered during Shackleton’s Nimrod All ages welcome change during the Early Cretaceous System the Titanic with National Geographic’s Expedition of 1909. Adults $12 advance, $15 at the door of Australia. Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard. Secreted inside the cairn was a scroll Students $6 advance, $10 at the door Just as in Shackleton’s era, mounting an During our voyage of exploration and bearing the stamp of the Royal Geographical Children 6 & under free expedition to Antarctica and South Georgia discovery, we visited Grytviken, an Society. Jonathan Shackleton unfurled the was an incredibly expensive undertaking – abandoned Norwegian whaling station in scroll and, with an historical sense of place in fact, Shackleton continued to fundraise South Georgia that is littered with whale and purpose, read aloud the names of the even after the Endurance had sailed from vertebrae and rusting rendering tanks. Quest Expedition’s crew to our team of For tickets and information visit: England. My vision to participate in the Home to the British Antarctic Survey, twenty-first century Explorers who had www.cspg.org Elysium Expedition was widely supported Grytviken is linked to the outside world by been humbled by following in Shackleton’s through corporate partnerships and by the Internet, and is populated by thirteen footsteps one hundred years later... generous individual donors. I also received Britons and countless King Penguins, Fur crucial financial support from geoscience Seals, and Elephant Seals. Join us at the 2010 CSPG Honorary Address, on October 26th at 7:00pm at the Southern Alberta organizations, including the Canadian Jubilee Auditorium, to hear Susan R. Eaton present “A Society of Exploration Geophysicists, On January 5, 1922, Shackleton died in Grytviken – of a heart attack at age 47 Geoscientist in Antarctica: Following in Shackleton’s the American Association of Petroleum footsteps 100 years later...” Geologists, the Association of Professional – shortly after the start of the Quest Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists Expedition. We visited Shackleton’s gravesite Susan R. Eaton is a geologist, geophysicist, freelance of Alberta, and the Canmore Museum and in a small cemetery enclosed by a white writer, and an “extreme” snorkeler who lives in Geoscience Centre. My Antarctic dispatches picket fence and patrolled by King Penguins, Calgary, Alberta. were published by the Calgary Herald, enthusiastically toasting this Irishman’s CSPG Trust great accomplishments with Jameson Irish Geoscientists for our future my supporting geoscience associations,

RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 37 JAMES HUTTON, THE MAN WHO FOUND TIME (A biography by Jack Repcheck) | Reviewed by Albert Jacobs

accepted limits of creation, as laid out in What eventually won the day after the first verses of Genesis 1, but they had Hutton’s death were his friends at to wring themselves through rather absurd the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which contortions of logic to do so. embodied the Scottish Enlightenment, a truly remarkable intellectual movement in Hutton saw things differently: intrusions, the arts and sciences. His old friend John unconformities, tilted, folded, even vertical Playfair summarised Hutton’s work in 1802 bedding. He came to the conclusion that by extending the “Theory of the Earth” a great heat source in the earth caused and Charles Lyell, using Hutton and Playfair uplifts and downwarps and that the earth as starting points, published his standard had to be much, much older than 6,000 reference work “Principles of Geology” years. He stated: “In the economy of the between 1830 and 1832. world, I can find no traces of a beginning, no prospect of an end.” Modern geology as a science was born. James Hutton had been the man with the One must understand the power of the insight and author Repcheck consequently church in those days to appreciate the classifies him with Copernicus, Gallileo, vehement opposition that resulted from and Darwin “as the key figures in the this concept. The establishment, which freeing of science from the straightjacket of apart from Werner included Kirwan, De religious orthodoxy.” Luc, and Jameson, kept the upper hand Repcheck’s book is not the first biography over Hutton, who was not a very good of the man we know as the Father of communicator and had towards the end of Modern Geology. But the title and the his days only completed two of the three subtitle of the book (“the discovery of sections of his “Theory of the Earth.” the earth’s antiquity”) point to his specific emphasis and to the reasons why Geology was a Johnny-come-lately among the sciences.

Hutton (1726-1797) grew up in Edinburgh and – having an inquiring mind – developed a curiosity in various aspects of “natural philosophy”, as science was known in those days. Minerals and chemistry led to an interest in geology, but as it was not taught in Edinburgh, he pursued a medical education, which he completed in Paris and Leyden. Back in Scotland, he did not start a practice, but went to work in agriculture, eventually developing his own farm near Berwick. Meanwhile he continued his pursuit of earth science and made numerous forays to outcrops all over Scotland.

Geology in those days was dominated by the biblical dogma that the earth was 6,000 years old. A theory had been developed in the 1770s and taught by Abraham Gottlob Werner, which held that a universal ocean had blanketed the earth and that all geology that one could see had been the result of this flood. This theory explained igneous dikes as cracks filled by sediment and Figure 1. The Siccar Point exposure on Scotland’s East Coast near the English border convinced Hutton that 6,000 volcanoes as shallow pimples. Werner and years of geologic history since the happenings in the first 12 verses of Genesis I, would not explain the outcrop (Photo his many followers fitted well within the by Dave Souza: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siccar_Point_red_capstone_closeup.jpg).

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