14 Petrophysical Considerations in Evaluating the Montney Formation (Unit C), West-Central Area, Alberta, Canada – Part 1 19 The Value of Borehole Image Logs

30 Geomodeling: A Team Effort RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CSPG – Suite 600110, 640333 8th– 5 AvenueAve SW, SW Calgary, Calgary, AB, Alberta T2P 3B6 T2P 1G7 34 Go Take A Hike Addressee Additional Delivery Information Street Address Postal Box Number and Station Information Municipality, Province/Territory Postal Code $10.00 MARCH 2015 VOLUME 42, ISSUE 3 Canadian Publication Mail Contract – 40070050

MARCH 2015 – VOLUME 42, ISSUE 3 ARTICLES

Petrophysical Considerations in Evaluating the Montney Formation (Unit C), West- CSPG OFFICE Central Area, Alberta, Canada – Part 1 ...... 14 #110, 333 – 5th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3B6 Tel: 403-264-5610 The Value of Borehole Image Logs ...... 19 Web: www.cspg.org Please visit our website for all tickets sales and event/course registrations 2014 R.J.W. Douglas Medal Award – Dr. George Pemberton ...... 22 Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm The CSPG Office is Closed the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Honorary Member – Colin Yeo ...... 25 OFFICE CONTACTS Membership Inquiries 2014 CSPG Honorary Address ...... 26 Tel: 403-264-5610 Email: [email protected] Technical/Educational Events: Biljana Popovic Geomodeling: A Team Effort – Part 2 ...... 30 Tel: 403-513-1225 Email: [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: Emma MacPherson Go Take a Hike ...... 34 Tel: 403-513-1230 Email: [email protected] Sponsorship Opportunities: Candace Seepersad CSPG University Outreach 2014 Fall Lecture Tour ...... 38 Tel: 403-513-1227 Email: [email protected] Conference Inquiries: Candace Seepersad Tel: 403-513-1227 Email: [email protected] CSPG Educational Trust Fund: Kasandra Amaro DEPARTMENTS Tel: 403-513-1234 Email: [email protected] Accounting Inquiries: Eric Tang Message from the Board ...... 5 Tel: 403-513-1232 Email: [email protected] Executive Director: Lis Bjeld Technical Luncheons ...... 8 Tel: 403-513-1235, Email: [email protected] Division Talks ...... 12 EDITORS/AUTHORS Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG office. Submission deadline is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to Rock Shop ...... 37 issue date. (e.g., January 23 for the March issue). To publish an article, the CSPG requires digital copies of the document. Text should be in Microsoft Word format and illustrations should be in TIFF format at 300 dpi., at final size. CSPG COORDINATING EDITOR Emma MacPherson, Communications Coordinator, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Tel: 403-513-1230, [email protected]

The RESERVOIR is published 11 times per year by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. This includes a combined issue for the months of July and August. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish. The 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. 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, employees, and agents be liable for any injury, loss, damage, or expense arising in any manner whatsoever from the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user. Designed and Printed by McAra Printing, Calgary, Alberta.

FRONT COVER Upper Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona. The Antelope Canyons were formed by erosion of Early Jurassic Navajo Sandstones. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season rushes through the narrow passageways at high speeds making the corridors deeper and smoothing out the hard edges creating the characteristic “flowing” shapes. Photo by: Mike Lam

RESERVOIR ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2015 3 Warning: Our data has gone mobile (You may never return to the office)

Now, get geoLOGIC’s value-added data almost any place, any time, any way you want it. Available through gDCweb on your tablet, smartphone or computer.

With 30 years of data experience behind it, gDC is the source for high quality, value-added well and land data from across Western Canada and the Northern United States. Another plus – our data is accessible through an expanding range of industry software utilizing our own easy-to-use gDC GIS and our geoSCOUT software. Leading the way with customer-driven data, integrated software and services for your upstream decision-making needs. View, search, import and export well, land and production data, documents, logs and more from almost anywhere. For more information geoSCOUT | gDC | petroCUBE at www.geoLOGIC.com visit our website at www.geoLOGIC.com Message from the Board A message from Michael LaBerge and Darren Roblin Warning: Our data has gone mobile (You may never return to the office)

CSPG BOARD

PRESIDENT Tony Cadrin • Journey Energy Inc. [email protected]@cspg.org Tel: 403.303.3493

PRESIDENT ELECT Greg Lynch • Shell Canada Ltd Member Services [email protected] Tel: 403.384.7704 Generally, CSPG Members are geoscientists Member Services is specifically active in in academia or the oil and gas industry in advancing our mission in four key areas: PAST PRESIDENT Canada who find and develop hydrocarbons, 1. Individual Members: The CSPG exists by Dale Leckie and strive to understand modern and past and for the benefit of the Members. Simply [email protected] geological processes in the pursuit of a stated, the CSPG is the membership. better characterisation of subsurface geology Member Services will look into what FINANCE DIRECTOR pertaining to oil and gas. The approximately our membership wants, understand Astrid Arts • Cenovus Energy 3200 CSPG Members – comprised of Full, our demographics, gauge the level of [email protected] Tel: 403.766.5862 Associate, Honorary, Emeritus, and Student satisfaction with various CSPG activities, Members – represent considerable knowledge and encourage new Members, continued FINANCE DIRECTOR ELECT capital and are an essential segment of membership, and Member involvement. Astrid Arts • Cenovus Energy the Canadian oil and gas industry. (Note: [email protected] Tel: 403.716.3205 membership type and other demographics 2. Corporate Involvement: A large portion shifts were presented in the article, Message of the CSPG membership and potential DIRECTOR from the Board, presented in the October Members work for corporations in Mark Caplan • Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. 2014 Reservoir.) The CSPG offers a home for [email protected] Tel: 403.975.7701 the energy industry. These companies the Canadian geoscience community where depend on the Geoscience Community all vintages and specializations benefit from DIRECTOR to be knowledgeable and innovative; Milovan Fustic • Statoil Canada Ltd. sharing scientific and technical concepts, to find, quantify, and optimize oil and obtaining published academic and practitioner gas; and to manage risk in operations. [email protected] Tel: 403.724.3307 materials, and participating in conventions, Member Services will seek to understand DIRECTOR talks, and social events. what these corporations want from our Members and understand which Michael LaBerge • Channel Energy Inc. The demands of the energy market corporations are involved with and [email protected] Tel: 403.301.3739 (in the context of cyclic and relatively partner with the CSPG and why. unpredictable commodity prices), take-away DIRECTOR capacity constraints, regulatory and royalty 3. Sporting Events: (revise or remove). Ryan Lemiski • Nexen Energy ULC environments, and ever changing technological [email protected] Tel: 403.699.4413 Sporting events created for and developments influence the focus of the operated by dedicated CSPG Members geoscientist. Member Services will seek to offer a variety of annual athletic social DIRECTOR understand the Members’ demographics and Robert Mummery • Almandine Resources Inc. events. The fiscal year begins with the current focus, and will be conducting a survey CSPG 10K Road Race and 5K Fun Run [email protected] Tel: 403.651.4917 in 2015 similar to that which was done in in September, followed by the CSPG DIRECTOR 2009 and 2012. This survey is important for Squash Tournament in February, the Now, get geoLOGIC’s value-added data almost any place, any time, Darren Roblin • Kelt Exploration the CSPG to understand what is relevant CSPG Classic Golf Tournament in June, to Members and to determine how we are any way you want it. Available through gDCweb on your tablet, [email protected] Tel: 587.233.0784 and the CSPG Mixed Golf Tournament in smartphone or computer. performing. Your opinion counts! August to finish off the year. The CSPG Slo-Pitch Ball Tournament is in the works DIRECTOR CSPG Member Services interacts and With 30 years of data experience behind it, gDC is the source for high for its 2015 debut. Member Services will Jen Russel-Houston • Osum Oil Sands Corp. participates with other CSPG portfolios quality, value-added well and land data from across Western Canada and [email protected] Tel: 403.270.4768 assist the sporting event committees to further the CSPG’s mission: To advance the Northern United States. Another plus – our data is accessible through with demographic and regulatory the professions of the energy geosciences an expanding range of industry software utilizing our own easy-to-use DIRECTOR information, administrative assistance, - as it applies to geology; foster the Leading the way with customer-driven data, integrated software Eric Street • Jupiter Resources and seamless processes to maximize gDC GIS and our geoSCOUT software. scientific, technical learning and professional and services for your upstream decision-making needs. [email protected] Tel: 587.747.2631 Member participation. View, search, import and export well, land and production data, development of its members; and promote the awareness of the profession to industry documents, logs and more from almost anywhere. For more information geoSCOUT | gDC | petroCUBE at www.geoLOGIC.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR visit our website at www.geoLOGIC.com Lis Bjeld • CSPG and the public. [email protected] Tel: 403.513.1235

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 5 Join AAPG President-Elect John Hogg as the Playmaker Forum makes its Canadian debut! Produced by Geoscientists for Geoscientist's, the Playmaker Forum brings well- known, successful and distinguished Canadian speakers together for a day of unparalleled discussion.

Your ticket includes: Speakers include:  David Gardner  Complimentary networking lunch at the  Charles Sternbach Hyatt Regency with a Q&A forum  Ted Beaumont  Tom Sneddon  Energy Drivers Reception;  Bill Haskett appetizers and refreshments will be served  Nathan Meehan

Register now at www.cspg.org or by calling 403-513-1227

SPONSORED BY: 4. Social and Networking Events: Members find abundant networking opportunities at a variety of CSPG activities such as conferences, division talks, and technical luncheons to name a few. In addition, there are specific events that provide a social setting for Members, including the Young Geoscientists Networking Reception, Honorary Address, Energy Drivers, International Division Reception, and Long-Time Members’ Reception. Do you know CORPORATE Member Services will touch base with about the Corporate SPONSORS all Members to see what sorts of events interest them. SAMARIUM Membership geoLOGIC systems ltd. Your CSPG membership matters! The DIAMOND Canadian oil and gas industry is an active Advantage? AGAT Laboratories participant in the provision of energy to The CSPG Educational Trust Fund Cenovus Energy domestic and world markets. A quick look at TITANIUM the Government of Canada - Statistics Canada Tourmaline Oil Corp. website (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables- When ALL of your ConocoPhillips Canada Limited tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/gblec04-eng.htm) APEGA shows that in 2013, 23.7% of Canada’s exports geoscientists are PLATINUM of goods on a balance-of-payments basis were registered as CSPG Nexen ULC energy. The largest category of energy exports Imperial Oil Resources are crude oil and crude bitumen. We suspect Schlumberger Canada Limited members, CSPG will IHS Global Canada Limited the pending 2014 data will demonstrate similar Baker Hughes contribution levels to the Canadian economy. compensate you GOLD The 2015 projections are probably lower with Suncor Energy the current commodity prices, but one thing $1000 as a Corporate Devon Energy Corp is certain – the petroleum industry, and thus Supporter. Seitel Canada Ltd. petroleum geosciences, matters to Canada. Enerplus Husky Energy Inc. As such, it is important to maintain your connection to the geoscience community SILVER Canadian Natural Resources Ltd and to stay informed through continued Chinook Consulting membership. Your company name CSEG Arcis Seismic Solutions If you are not a CSPG Member, but are interested will run in our ads MJ Systems in joining, please call us at 403-264-5610. Cabra Consulting Inc. throughout the year Emerson Process Management Don’t miss out on our upcoming events! For EOG Resources Canada Inc. more information and for event registration, recognizing you as a BRONZE please visit www.cspg.org. Weatherford Canada Partnership Corporate Supporter of Talisman Energy March 10 - CSPG Technical Luncheon SeisWare CSPG! Halliburton March 11 - CSPG International Osum Oil Sands Corp. Division Talk Pro Geo Consultants Qatar Shell GTL Limited March 24 - CSPG Technical Luncheon AAPG - Canada region Buy memberships Ikon Science Ltd. March 31 - AAPG CSPG Pengrowth Corporation Playmaker Forum for your Crescent Point Energy Trust Geovariances Geoscientists today! Paradigm Pason System www.cspg.org Geomodeling Technology Corp. Painted Pony Petroleum Ltd. Canadian Discovery Ltd. RPS Energy Canada Ltd. Encana Corporation GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd. Current Corporate Sproule Associates Limited Membership Supporter: Streamsim Technologies, Inc. Tucker Energy Services Canada

As of January 31, 2015 A Special Thanks to Geologic Systems Ltd., CSPG’s Top Sponsor of the Month.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 7 MARCH LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS

cores and petrographic work that, in addition BIOGRAPHY Characterization to inter-particle porosity, there are fractures, slots, vugs, dissolution and/or any other type of Multi-Porosity of secondary porosities, these porosities and Unconventional associated permeabilities must not be ignored. They have to be accounted for quantitatively. Reservoirs and Unconventional reservoirs are very complex heterogeneous systems that many times are their Relationship handled in the oil and gas industry with the to Oil and Gas use single porosity models. This presentation shows that unconventional reservoirs can Productivity be better represented by dual, triple and/ or multi-porosity models for more rigorous SPEAKER quantitative petrophysical characterization, Robert Aguilera Ph.D., P.Eng. production decline analysis, completion and McMaster University stimulation design. Complicating the problem University of Calgary of unconventional reservoirs is the fact that Roberto Aguilera is Professor and CNOOC Limited 11:30 am many times we have to deal with commingled and Nexen Industrial Research Chair in Tight Oil Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 completions, and in the case of shales and and Unconventional Gas (TOUG) in the Schulich Calgary, TELUS Convention Centre coals, with adsorbed and diffused gas. School of Engineering, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Macleod Hall C/D Calgary, Alberta The presentation demonstrates with the use Calgary, Canada and a principal of Servipetrol of core data and drill cuttings that there is Ltd. He is the creator and Principal Investigator of Please note: The cut-off date for ticket a continuum that goes from conventional the GFREE* research program at the University of sales is1:00 pm, three business days before to tight gas to shale gas to tight oil to shale Calgary. He is a petroleum engineering graduate event. [Thursday, March 5th, 2015]. oil reservoirs. Results indicate that there from the Universidad de America at Bogota, CSPG Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. are distinctive flow units for each type of Colombia and holds Masters and Ph.D. degrees Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST. reservoir that can be linked empirically to gas in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado and oil rates and under favorable conditions Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH School of Mines. He was an AAPG instructor on to production decline. To make the work credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https:// the subject of naturally fractured reservoirs from tractable the bulk of the data used in this www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/index.cfm. 1984 through 1996. He has lectured, presented presentation have been extracted from his course entitled Naturally Fractured Reservoirs published geologic and petroleum engineering and/or has rendered consulting services in more ABSTRACT literature. This presentation discusses how to build than 50 countries throughout the world. Production decline models are used and how to use multi-porosity petrophysical *GFREE stands for an integrated multidisciplinary team to illustrate the effect of commingled models of unconventional reservoirs and how researching geoscience (G), formation evaluation (F), completions on the production decline to link them with production decline analysis. reservoir drilling, completion and stimulation (R), reservoir performance of some wells in the Western The essential premise is that if we know from engineering (RE), and economics and externalities (EE). Canada Sedimentary Basin.

8 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 MARCH LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS

isolated samples. The fossil skin impressions discoveries associated with a very special Dinosaurs, attributable to dinosaurs may also be found fossil dinosaur called Dakota! - See more as isolated patches not associated with a at: http://www.aapg.org/career/training/ mummies & dinosaur skeleton. In other cases, fragmentary in-person/distinguished-lecturer/abstract/ space-shuttles skin impressions are found associated with articleid/11553/dinosaurs-mummies-space- a skeleton. It is curious to note that for shuttles#sthash.ll3xEYUg.dpuf SPEAKER some reason, patches of skin on hadrosaur Phillip Manning tails are the most common. Only a select BIOGRAPHY Professor of Natural History & Director of few palaeontologists and fossil hunters have Phil Manning is Professor of Natural History and Director the Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient Life, ever known the experience of discovering, of the cross-faculty Interdisciplinary Centre for Ancient University of Manchester excavating, preparing and studying the Life (ICAL) at the University of Manchester (UK). Phil is fossil remains of a dinosaur mummy. Such also a Fellow (International) of the Explorer’s Club (New 11:30 am stories illustrate the changing nature of Tuesday, March 24th, 2015 York). He has a BSc from Leicester University in Earth palaeontological science as new ideas and Sciences, an MSc from the University of Manchester in Calgary, TELUS Convention, Exhibition Hall techniques can be applied to the most special D, North Building, Calgary, Alberta Geology and a PhD from the University of Sheffield in of dinosaur fossils. While it is possible to Paleontology. deploy 21st Century science on such ancient Please note: The cut-off date for ticket remains, the recovery of such animals has sales is 1:00 pm, three business days Phil has worked as a paleontologist for over 25 years, changed little since the first dinosaur mummy before event. [Thursday, March 19th, including positions in museums and universities, working was discovered a little over 100 years ago. 2015]. in both the laboratory and the field. A pivotal theme CSPG Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. Charles H. Sternberg and his sons, possibly of his research is the study the multiple contemporary Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST. the most successful palaeontological dynasty, problems of natural-resource conservation and were the first to discover the mummified environmental quality and how they relate to the Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH remains of a dinosaur in 1908. This was a history of life on Earth. His work explores both the past credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https:// find that surpassed anything that Sternberg and present interactions of processes that integrate www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/index.cfm. had ever seen in his forty years of fieldwork. the four terrestrial spheres: lithosphere, hydrosphere, This must have been not unlike the feelings atmosphere and biosphere. Phil’s research is both ABSTRACT of Howard Carter upon opening the intact broad and interdisciplinary with active research topics tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen including: biomechanics, geobiology, taphonomy and in 1922, resulting in equally unprecedented soft tissue preservation, synchrotron-based imaging insight to another world. and spectroscopy, de novo applications of LiDAR-based imaging (including landscape and skeletal modeling), In 1999 a prehistoric burial site scene was x-ray microtomography, as well as the application of discovered by a young fossil hunter, Tyler numerical modeling techniques to biomaterials. Phil and Lyson, now a successful scientist working at his team have worked extensively in the Hell Creek the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. This is the Formation of South Dakota and Montana, but his field discovery that would lead to an international The word “mummy” has been used to mean program also includes sites in South America, Europe, interdisciplinary alliance centred around many different things, but is synonymous Asia, Africa and Australia. a beautiful fossil. Tyler had discovered the with excellent preservation in the realms mummified remains of a hadrosaur dinosaur of archaeology and palaeontology. The term Phil has presented several documentaries including a in the Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota signifies the preservation of soft tissue, such recent series for National Geographic Channel (‘Jurassic (USA). Through a series of very fortunate as hair, muscle, tendon, but especially skin. The CSI’) that showcased the application of new technologies events, I got to work with Tyler and was able most familiar examples to us are human, usually in paleontology and he has also contributed to many BBC, to help build the team of scientists who gained of the Egyptian variety, but many such remains Discovery Channel, Channel 4 and History Channel TV access to this remarkable fossil. The dinosaur include both human and animal remains from documentaries. Phil plays an active role in the University was nicknamed ‘Dakota’ and is possibly the all over the world. While some mummies are of Manchester’s public programs, contributing to open- first dinosaur to properly wear the ‘mummy’ artificially created by human effort, many are days, public lectures, workshops and fieldwork. He has badge, based upon the information harvested the natural product of accidents or specific authored both children and popular science books and from these fossil remains. environmental conditions. There are multiple is a regular contributor to public speaking programs preservation types that are unique to each The study of this remarkable fossil took around the world, promoting the public engagement environment in which the physical remains our team from NASA facilities where we of science. Phil has been appointed as the Science and of organisms come to rest. The processes probed Dakota’s innermost secrets with high- Technology Research Council (STFC) Science in Society that impact upon a body post-deposition powered tomography to particle accelerators Fellow (2013-2017), so as to further promote science introduce the splendidly macabre science of where the chemical ghosts of past biology and technology to as wide an audience as possible. taphonomy, literally ‘burial-laws’. were still present in the fossilized soft-tissues. The ‘Dinosaur CSI’ blog is authored and regularly Even the diagnostic chemistry that typifies updated by Phil and includes information on recent The fossilized impressions/remains of melanin skin pigment has now been mapped publications from ICAL as well as their extensive field dinosaur skin occur in various contexts. and its coordination chemistry constrained programs around the globe. You can follow Phil on Twitter Post-mortem factors can move both bones within the prehistoric hide of this very special @DrPhilManning and soft-tissue elements from a body fossil. This lecture will take you on a whistle after death, often generating frustratingly stop tour of the people, places, science and

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 9 MARCHAPRIL LUNCHEON LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS

producing supervolcano silicic caldera localized in transtensional stepovers. Extensional and fields in the east, including the Sierra Madre This talk will focus on distinguishing Occidental silicic large igneous province. sedimentary, volcanic and structural features Transtensional Our new work there shows that extension of basins formed under the tectonic regimes accompanied the ignimbrite flareup and described above Rift Basins in swept westward with it, producing the largest epithermal gold province on Earth. California BIOGRAPHY Continued Farallon slab fallback at ~22-16 Ma and Mexico produced stratovolcano/lava dome chains on SPEAKER thinner crust in the west, including the Sierra Cathy Busby Nevada Ancestral Cascades arc and Comundú University of California arc, in Alta and Baja California, respectively. By ~16-12 Ma, the Pacific/North America 11:30 am plate boundary lengthened, causing E-W Tuesday, April 7th, 2015 extension over a broad arc/backarc region in Calgary, TELUS Convention Centre the southwest U.S. and Mexico (northern and Macleod Hall C/D Calgary, Alberta southern Basin and Range).

Please note: The cut-off date for ticket Thermal softening weakened the continent sales is1:00 pm, three business days before in the arc front, just inboard of a strong event. [Thursday, April 2nd, 2015]. lithospheric block created by the Cretaceous CSPG Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. batholith in Alta and Baja California. This Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST. became exploited by focused NNW-SSE transtension at ~12 Ma, in response to a Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH change in Pacific plate motion, from more credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https:// westerly to more northerly. Baja California Cathy Busby has been a professor at the University of www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/index.cfm. was quickly rifted off of North America California for 32 years. Her B.S. is from Berkeley, and at 12-6 Ma, due to stalling of large Farallon her Ph.D. is from Princeton, both in Geological Sciences. microplates, but extension in Baja basins has Cathy is a field-based geologist, doing research in ABSTRACT continued during the “drift” phase. sedimentology, volcanology, and structural geology, in Cenozoic volcanism and sedimentation convergent margin and rift tectonic settings. Her work in the western U.S. and Mexico occurred California is calving off more slowly, is mainly sponsored by the National Science Foundation, under extensional to transtensional strain following northward migration of the but has also been supported by the geothermal, mineral regimes, resulting in excellent preservation Mendocino triple junction (MTJ). The onset and petroleum industries, and the U.S. Geological of stratigraphy in deep, fault-controlled basins. of transtension is marked by a burst of ~12- Survey. Most recently, Cathy has become involved in At ~50-16 Ma, fallback of the subducting 10 Ma high-K arc volcanism. The leading tip oceanographic research, serving as Co-Chief Scientist Farallon slab resulted in long-distance of the transtensional rift exploited a series of on International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition westward-migration of arc front volcanism large arc volcanic centers localized at major 350 to the Izu-Bonin arc (2014). Cathy teaches short across the southwest US and western Mexico, transtensional stepovers (Sierra Crest-Little courses and field workshops on sedimentary tectonics, accompanied by E-W extension and basin Walker, Ebbetts Pass), presently occurring deepwater sedimentation, and volcanic-volcaniclastic development. Initially (pre-22 Ma), Farallon at Mount Lassen; in its wake, the largest geology. Cathy’s two offered talks will focus on the two slab fallback caused asthenospheric upwelling, rift volcanic centers (Long Valley, Coso) are main themes of her current NSF-funded research.

10 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 APRIL LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS

related to petroleum development activity in years, OilTracers was acquired by Weatherford. He is Reducing an area. an author of more than 30 articles on the application of geochemistry to petroleum exploration, reservoir Additional applications of gas fingerprinting to Exploration and management, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. conventional reservoirs: Development As an Expert Witness he has testified (i) in Mississippi • Determination as to whether or not the gas State Court, (ii) in Ohio Federal Court, (iii) before the Risk Using Gas in each penetrated interval is bacterial or Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and (iv) before the thermogenic in origin (greatly constraining the Texas Railroad Commission. Geochemistry likelihood of associated hydrocarbon liquids). SPEAKER • Prevention of “missed pay” (e.g., pay zones Mark A. McCaffrey, Ph.D. could be missed where they have been flushed Weatherford Laboratories by drilling while overbalanced, but isotope data identify when an interval contains migrated 11:30 am gas, even if the drilling conditions prevent the Tuesday, April 21th, 2015 migrated gas from appearing clearly on well Calgary, TELUS Convention Centre log data). Macleod Hall C/D Calgary, Alberta • Characterization of hydrocarbon type in a Please note: The cut-off date for ticket zone (gas, condensate, or oil). sales is1:00 pm, three business days before event. [Thursday, April 2nd, 2015]. • Identification of reservoir compartment CSPG Member Ticket Price: $45.00 + GST. boundaries. Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST. Weatherford Laboratories scientists have developed tools for deriving the maximum Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH information from gas fingerprinting data by credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https:// thoroughly integrating gas compositional and www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/index.cfm. isotopic data with each other and with geological and engineering data. This talk will use case ABSTRACT studies to illustrate such applications of gas “Gas Fingerprinting” refers to using the data. Both laboratory-based and well-site-based composition of a gas as a tool to resolve gas analyses will be discussed. various exploration and development problems. Two characteristics of a gas define the gas BIOGRAPHY “fingerprint”: (i) the molecular composition of the gas (i.e., how MUCH of each gas species is present – e.g. methane, ethane, propane, butanes, CO2, N2 etc.) and (ii) the isotopic composition of the gas (i.e., the abundances of the stable isotopes of carbon and hydrogen in each gas species). The primary applications of gas fingerprinting to exploration and development of petroleum in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs are: • Determination of reservoir thermal maturity (constraining the likelihood of associated hydrocarbon liquids). • Assessment as to whether or not induced Dr. Mark McCaffrey is the Geoscience Manager of fractures have propagated out of the intended Interpretive Services at Weatherford Laboratories. He zone and into either an overlying or underlying received his B.A. (1985) from Harvard University, magna zone causing the unintended commingling of cum laude with highest honors in geological sciences, production from multiple intervals. and his Ph.D. (1990) in chemical oceanography (in the • Quantitative allocation of the contribution area of organic geochemistry) from the Massachusetts of individual pay zones to commingled gas Institute of Technology/ Woods Hole Oceanographic production. Institution Joint Program. Mark spent 10 years at Chevron and Arco as a petroleum geochemist, • Assessing the origin of hydrocarbon gas in then founded OilTracers LLC, a firm specializing in aquifers to determine if such gas is, or is not, applications of petroleum geochemistry. After 10

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 11 GEOMODELING DIVISION Sponsored by DIVISION TALKS Sweet Spot Analysis Using Nonlinear Neural Network with Multivariate Input and Multivariate Output SPEAKER Tom Cox Schlumberger Information Solutions, Calgary 12:00 pm Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Figure: Multi-variant neural network predicted oil production rate, P50 of 100 realizations (units of m^3/m length). Husky Conference Room A, 3rd Floor, +30 level, South Tower, 707 8th Ave SW, Calgary, BIOGRAPHY University of Western Ontario with Bachelor of Alberta Tom Cox has been working with Schlumberger Science (1985) and Masters of Science (1988) Information Solutions since 1992, providing degrees in Geophysics, and completed the technical support and workflow solutions to oil Citation Program in Applied Geostatistics at the ABSTRACT and gas companies across Canada. Focused University of Alberta (2008). The identification of sweet spots in on the integration of seismic and well data unconventional and resources development for the characterization of reservoirs, he has plays is a method for focusing efforts on the INFORMATION worked extensively with the Petrel Platform and areas of best potential. These plays often have There is no charge for the division talk and we GeoFrame applications helping clients achieve an an abundance of diverse data sets that can be welcome non-members of the CSPG. Please bring integrated understanding of their reservoirs. Prior utilized; seismic data (amplitudes, inversions, your lunch. For details or to present a talk in the to Schlumberger, Tom worked as a geophysicist for rock properties, etc), regional maps (gravity, future, please contact Weishan at Weishan.Ren@ Imperial Oil Limited in the Western Canada basin magnetics, stress maps, etc), production pennwest.com. and East coast offshore. Tom graduated from the information (oil, gas, water rates, etc.), and development parameters (horizontal length, azimuth, fracture design, etc). Combing the information sets requires a multi-variant approach. Neural networks are well suited CRAINʼS LOG ANALYSIS COURSES for predicting multiple parameters due For Engineers, Geologists, Geophysicists, and Technologists to their ability to simultaneously predict several variables, their lack of sensitivity to highly correlated inputs, and the ability to 35$&7,&$/48$17,7$7,9(/2*$1$/<6,6 incorporate non-linear relationships. Every April and October in Calgary Details / Registration at www.spec2000.net/00-coursedates.htm Using seismic, gravity, and magnetic maps production potential is predicted at an edge of the historical Pembina Cardium field 1$55$7('08/7,-0(',$6(/)678'<&2856(6 where drilling has evolved from vertical Slide Shows, Reference Manuals, and Exercises Included wells in a pattern, to horizontal well drilling AV-01 Practical Quantitative Log Analysis with stimulation, following the techniques AV-02 Advanced Quantitative Log Analysis employed in the unconventional plays. The AV-03 Analysis of Unconventional Reservoirs prediction technique uses a neural network Details / Order Online at: www.spec2000.net/00-av-training.htm to predict production parameters. The actual Single-User, Corporate, and Academic Licenses Available well production is conditioned to account Individual Reference Manuals and Slide Shows Available Separately for varying lengths of horizontal wells, and for varying success in accessing the geologic &5$,163(7523+<6,&$/+$1'%22.21/,1( potential. The neural network is trained with Shareware Petrophysical Encyclopedia at www.spec2000.net the production data to predict production 50+ Years Of Experience At Your Fingertips rate. === E. R. (Ross) Crain. P.Eng. The prediction compares very well with input 1-403-845-2527 [email protected] data achieving a 0.789 correlation. ======

12 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 BASS DIVISION Sponsored by DIVISION TALKS

performance, typically with a focus on the Inc., in Calgary. Zhuoheng currently leads the Perspectives role of the reservoir and the seal rather than GSC’s Unconventional Petroleum Assessment on the petroleum generation and migration project in the Geoscience for New Energy on, and tools process. This explains directly the historical Resources Program. for, analyzing success of the anticlinal and stratigraphic accumulation paradigms in conventional INFORMATION geological risk: exploration. The role of reservoir and BASS Division talks are free. Lunch is generously seal are as, or even more, important when provided by NExT of Schlumberger and TarCore. Moving beyond evaluating unconventional play risks and For further information about the division, joining reservoir engineering interventions. Because our mailing list, a list of upcoming talks, or if the historical many petroleum system parameters have you wish to present a talk or lead a field trip, analysis of drilling geographic significance it is possible to please contact either Steve Donaldson at 403- characterize petroleum system risks 766-5534, email: Steve.Donaldson@cenovus. risk to improve geographically, both qualitatively and com or Mark Caplan at 403-975-7701, email: quantitatively. This use of risk, as a geographic [email protected] or visit our web page on the unconventional feature of a spatially distributed resource CSPG website at http://www.cspg.org. has great potential for improving industrial play performance. performance. We will discuss several tools that permit the geographic description of play SPEAKERS risk, and we will look at how they might be Kirk G. Osadetz1,3 and used and applied to improve unconventional Zhuoheng Chen2, resource development. 1Programs Development Manager, CMC Research Institutes Inc., 3535 Research BIOGRAPHIES Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, kirk. Kirk Osadetz, a graduate of the University [email protected] of Toronto, and Zhuoheng Chen, A graduate 2Senior Research Scientist or 3Volunteer of the Norwegian University of Science and Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Technology, Tronheim have worked together Resources Canada, 3303, 33rd Street NW, at the Geological Survey of Canada in Calgary, Calgary, Alta., Canada T2L 2A7 addressing topics of petroleum resource appraisal and petroleum geoscience. Kirk 12:00 pm now works with CMC Research Institutes Wednesday, March 11 2015 ConocoPhillips Auditorium, Gulf Canada Square, 401 – 9th Ave. S.W. Calgary, AB

ABSTRACT

Everyone understands the simple a posteriori definition of petroleum drilling risk as the ratio of successful results compared to the result of the total drilling effort. Most people, conceptually at least, treat drilling risk as a statement of past events with little significance for planning future activities. This can be confirmed by the analysis of risk evolution through a play’s history, as exemplified by the “Rainbow Reef” play. Such an analysis suggests that we did not extract fully the past lessons of both successes and failures as conventional petroleum plays were identified and exploited. Could the same be true for unconventional activities like the exploitation of pervasive low porosity and low permeability plays and in situ bitumen project? If we consider risk more intensively, we observe that it is much more than just a tale of successful and unsuccessful wells. Rather, it is the story of how petroleum system parameters control petroleum system

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 13 PETROPHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN EVALUATING THE MONTNEY FORMATION (UNIT C), WEST-CENTRAL AREA, ALBERTA, CANADA – PART 1 | By Omar Mazen Derder, NeoSeis Technology Group Ltd., Earth Science Section, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Fig. 1 Map of Alberta showing the location of the study area and the base map of study area showing the well locations within the southern part of the Montney Pouce Coupe Pool. Left picture (Alberta Map) from Alberta Atlas Abstract: to better understand reservoir quality. These Basin, Continental Margin Basin, and the sub-petrofacies have different petrophysical Liard Basin (Davies et al., 1997). The study The petrophysical analysis of tight gas properties and consequently will form distinct area overlies the southeastern margin of reservoirs has been a challenge due to flow units within the reservoir. Best estimates the collapsed Peace River Arch as defined by heterogeneity. Non routine methods are of permeability and porosity cut-offs were Barclay et al. (1990), and northeast trending required to understand the low-permeability read from the best fit line through the data. Upper Devonian Leduc Reef. The second of the Montney reservoir. Pulse-decay This paper focuses on tight and shale gas of major structural element in the study area is permeability under confining pressure was the Unit C of the Lower Triassic of Montney the southern extension of the Fort St. John used to calibrate the profile permeability to Formation in the Pouce Coupe Area of west- Graben (Barclay et al., 1990). in-situ stress conditions which in turn was central Alberta; petrophysical properties used as a basis to identify flow units and The Triassic Montney tight unconventional measurements for tight gas reservoir using reservoir heterogeneity. Winland Cross-Plot gas is one of the recent popular exploration wire-line logs and lab analysis. and Modified Lorenz Plot methods relating and development natural gas reservoirs in pore throat size to permeability and porosity Key words: Western Canada. The Montney is comprised are used to define the reservoir flow unit. of upper and lower members, informally Unconventional Reservoir, Montney Formation, These methods permit identification of rock subdivided into the Montney B-F (Montney Rock type, Petrofacies, Flow Unit, Net Pay. types, which can then be used to characterize F, Basal Doig in Alberta) and ranges from the reservoir in terms of rock quality and 1. INTRODUCTION primarily a conventional gas or oil reservoir from there, net pay intervals for the study Sedimentation in the Western Canadian on the east side of the play, associated with wells. To allow an appropriate classification of Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) in the Triassic mainly shoreface depositional environments, the observed rock types, we recognized three was confined to three tectonically controlled to a tight gas and shale gas reservoir, associated sub-petrofacies of the nano-porous rock-type contiguous basins, which are the Peace River with primarily proximal-middle (tight gas)

14 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 to distal shelf (shale gas) depositional saturation (Sw) was obtained from Dean- Porosity and Permeability Relationship environments in the west. Stark (D-S) distillation. RCA were performed The probe permeability data was arithmetically at conditions not reflective of the in-situ averaged over seven-points because the data There are many technical challenges reservoir condition. was collected at a finer resolution than RCA associated with exploration and development and correlated to the porosity from the of unconventional gas plays in the Montney: Profile (Probe) Permeability and Pulse- density log. (i) Heterogeneity in the core is finer than Decay Permeability the resolution of well logging tools; (ii) The The probe permeability measurements Pore-throat Radius and Flow Unit development of relationships between the were performed on a slabbed core from Identification matrix pore structure and fluid flow, which the O1 Well using a PDPK-400 (®CoreLab). An empirical equation based on the Winland/ is difficult to quantify in an extremely low Measurements were on unconfined core Pittman Plot, which relates permeability permeability unconventional reservoir; (not representative of in-situ conditions). A to porosity has been widely used as the (iii) The understanding and utilization of measurement was taken at 2.54 cm spacing basis for deriving specific pore throat size petrophysical methods to characterize and a total of 485 measuring points were distributions (Tiab & Donaldson, 2004). The rock typing and reservoir quality; (iv) The collected with measurements performed equation proposed by Aguilera, (2002) applied estimation of cut-off values and net-pay using parallel to bedding in the core. The probe in this study. The derivation of the equation is well logs. permeability measurement was important to discussed in detail by Clarkson et al., (2012). the study because it provides the permeability The flow unit can be estimated from the This paper is aimed at providing a better measurement at a finer scale than the RCA, storage and flow calculations in the porous understanding of the reservoir characteristics and it can be useful to define the vertical media at 35% mercury saturation (rp35) of the upper Montney unconventional gas heterogeneity in the MnFM reservoir. during a mercury injection capillary pressure play, by collecting and interpreting critical test (Aguilera, 2010). Pore throat can be reservoir data, some of which is not routinely Following the probe permeability calculated from: gathered by industry. The information, measurements, a total of twenty-five core resulting interpretations, and conclusions plugs of 1 inch (2.54 cm) diameter were 35=2.665 100 0.45 (1) are designed to improve industry’s ability to retrieved from the slabbed core of well O1. The relationship between the permeability, exploit this resource. The area of this study is Samples were selected at the same location 푟푝 푘 ∅ porosity and pore/pore throat size is used located in the subsurface from approximately as the probe measurements, in addition to in the recognition of the rock types and to 56° to 57° N latitude and 118° to 119° W being representative of lithological variations identify the flow units. Rock types have been longitudes. The selected wells O1, O2, O3 across the entire core. classified according to their petrophysical and O4 covered and area of 1546.448 Acres There was a concern of mud invasion into properties such as porosity, permeability (6.258 km2) (Fig. 1). the end of the core due to that the end of and saturation. In general, the rock types The geology of the Montney Formation the plug intersected the outer diameter of are categorized by properties related to (MnFM) in the studied wells is variable the core. Several mm of the end of the core hydrocarbon storage and flow. and consists of inter-laminated very fine plug was thus ground-off to remove material In addition, a Modified Lorenz Plot (MLP) is sandstone-siltstone-shale successions. This that might be subjected to mud invasion. Ten the suggested method for defining the flow paper is focused on the reservoir properties of the twenty-five core plugs were analyzed units that are required for interpretation. The of the Lower Triassic MnFM (basal part of the for pulse-decay permeability measurements at estimated reservoir net overburden stress MLP plot of the percent flow capacity (% kh) upper Montney) for the studied wells of the conditions (NOB). versus the storage capacity (% Øh) is made Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The for the core interval by using continuous core wells are located within the distal part of the Petrophysical Reservoir porosity and permeability or the log derived basin, Southern Pouce Coupe area. Characterization porosity and permeability. The selected flow The integration of petrophysical properties 2. METHODS unit intervals are based on the inflection derived from wireline logs with the geological Geological Characterization points from the MLP. data are used to (i) evaluate the reservoir Core Description and Analysis properties; (ii) delineate the different Water Saturation Calculation As a part of the drilling program, 17.5 m of petrofacies and rock types (iii) identify the Water saturation (Sw) is a critical reservoir core obtained from the studied well (O1) flow units; (iv) estimate the net pay for the parameter as it affects effective gas in the gas-producing basal part of the upper tight gas reservoirs in the studied well. permeability and gas-in-place (Kukal et al., Montney Member (unit D1 of Davies et al., 1983). Dean-Stark (D-S) water saturation Porosity Determination 1997). The core was collected using invert method has been tried using oil-based mud Matrix density is determined in this study mud from a vertical well prior to drilling systems. Generally, the results were taken using different methods including: (i) log horizontal well. The core interval was from the industry support database with no bulk density versus core porosity plots, (ii) subdivided into two informal members, units further information. cumulative frequency distribution of density Montney C (MnC) and Montney (MnB) grain- logs, (iii) mineral distribution ratios and (iv) Archie’s water saturation formula is used size distribution and bulk density variations. “litho-porosity cross-plots”. Routine core extensively for the MnFM by many operators Routine Core Analysis porosity was calibrated to the density log (Nieto et al., 2009). The advantage of this Routine Core Analyses (RCA) on the full- porosity for MnC and the result was used to conventional technique is that it is well- diameter core was performed by CoreLab depth shift the core. established and is relatively easy to apply. to obtain porosity (Ø) from helium The calculated Sw value is susceptible to In addition, a Bulk X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) porosimetry, permeability (k) from steady- error because it requires a large number of was performed by Bustin (2009) in order state measurements performed at a confining parameters such as formation water resistivity to determine the mineral composition and pressure, grain density ( ) bulk volume (Rw), pore geometry (a), cementation factor distribution of the siltstone and shale for the calculation was caliper based and water (m), and saturation exponent (n) (Bassiouni, ρ core in Well O1.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 15 1994); consequently affecting the evaluation output of this method is used to evaluate the away from the channels and fan lobes into process. net pay zones through MnC unit. an outer fan. Petrofacies and Rock Types 3. RESULTS and DISCUSSION Routine Core Analysis The permeability-porosity measurements Twenty-seven core plugs from the MnC unit Geological Characterization were related to the different sub-units were analyzed from Well O1. Fourteen of the (petrofacies) defined on the core and on the Core Description and Analysis permeability measurements from the Well O1 conventional logs. Petrofacies are defined The MnC represents the upper part of the are equal to or below 0.01 mD, which is the by Porras et al. (1999) as a rock that has studied core of 13.41 m. The MnB is not lower resolution of the RCA (Fig. 3). The inability a similar pore throat radius and fluid flow included in this study. The core in the subject to find a correlation between the permeability characteristics. A common definition for the well is comprised of a series of stacked very and porosity is contributed by an insufficient petrofacies correlates the petrophysical rock fine sandstone-siltstone-shale packages (Fig. accuracy of the whole core analysis, or due to type and pore structure to the physical rock 2). The studied core shows vertical changes the resolution of the RCA measurements and a properties such as porosity and permeability in composition on a millimeter to centimeter wide variation in permeability and porosity. (Rushing et al., 2008). scale (Derder, 2012). Satisfactory correlations from the cross-plot of In order to identify and/or differentiate The grain sizes range from shale, siltstone, the porosity-permeability cannot be obtained rock types, core samples were used to to a very fine-grained sandstone. The MnC by using RCA because the analysis was determine typical petrophysical properties is characterized by finely-laminated planar, performed on full-diameter core that contains of the studied unit. This analysis was done rippled laminations, and trace fossils within heterogeneities. For example, there are by comparing the petrophysical properties the siltstone. The presence of siltstone/shale identical permeability values on the different of core to the logs. The work focused on in the MnC suggests a low original porosity, porosities, or different permeability values on correlating, comparing and evaluating the which was further reduced due to compaction identical porosity values. Also, some outliers parameters existing from core and well log and diagenesis. that are observed in the characterization of the data. low permeability regions will have a significant The studied shale and siltstones were effect on the fluid-flow prediction that is not The Montney Formation was divided into interpreted as being deposited by turbidity represented in the correlation. three petrofacies. Petropfacies 1 (siliciclastic currents at the toe of the slope break where Montney) in the east of Alberta characterized the gravity flows decelerate (Moslow & In general, the full diameter core analysis by coarse grain size. Petrofacies 2 (organic- Davies, 1997). In well O1, the thicknesses of represents the average rock properties over rich Montney). To the basin-ward in the west the silt bedding are variable with the bedding the studied interval. As a result, the whole core of Alberta, Petrofacies 3 contains phosphatic thickness decreasing toward the top of the analysis has a tendency to ignore the average of and dolomitic material (Nieto et al., 2009). core. Siltstone beds range from 4 cm thick the small scale changes in the rock properties at the base to <1 cm at the top, while the that are common in the heterogeneous MnFM. Sub-petrofacies (SP), based mainly on distance between siltstone beds decreases In addition, this indicates that the porosity is the core descriptions and petrophysical upward from 75 cm at the base to 2.5 cm at not the only primary control on permeability measurements were assigned to all the the top of the core (Derder, 2012). for this unit. samples used in the current study. The reservoir was separated into groups with similar lithology, permeability, pore throat radius, and petrophysical properties. Core and log responses were combined into rock types based on large-scale geologic features defined by the log signatures or electrofacies (rock with specified characteristics based on electric log responses). Net Pay Estimation Finally, delineation of the upper and lower limits of the geologic strata or rocks containing hydrocarbons is important for estimating pay zone thickness. To ensure an economical flow rate, a zone of economic interest should have satisfactory permeability. Fig. 2 Core interval 2196-2209.41 m, well O1, consists of grey to light grey very fine grained sandstone, siltstone Net pay is determined by applying cut-off & shale. The dots marked on the core correspond to the profile permeability measurement location (Derder, 2012) values in order to distinguish the pay from As previously mentioned the MnC unit is the non-pay sections in a given formation characterized by finely-laminated siltstone (Worthington & Cosentino, 2005). and shale, and upward increase in the There are many procedures in order to siltstone content as shown by low core estimate the cut-off values by using the gamma ray reading. The siltstone-shale petrophysical data such as Snyder (1971), laminae occurring on the mm scale are Worthington & Cosentino (2005), Jensen separated by shale beds 0.5 cm to 10 cm and Menke (2006) and Worthington (2010). (2.5 cm in average). These sediments appear The cut-off values in the studied unit were to represent a basin plain turbidite deposit estimated by using a statistical method based on Mutti’s classification (1977), and Fig. 3 Cross-plot of RCA data (permeability and developed by Jensen and Menke (2006). The can be classified as deposits located further porosity) for full diameter core samples showing a poor relationship

16 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 Profile (Probe) Permeability and Pulse- weakly correlated. The two values vary significantly in every 2 m. Generally, the range of permeability Decay Permeability absolute values because of volumes of rock sampled is a relatively from 0.0008 mD to 0.03 mD Based on the ten plugs of measured porosity and measurement conditions) suggesting a fairly narrow range in dominant using a CMS-300 (®CoreLab) and permeability pore-throat radius (Fig. 7). using a PDK-200 (®CoreLab) at variable Check out the April issue of the Reservoir confining pressures. The variation between for the second part of the “Petrophysical the probe and pulse-decay in permeability Considerations in Evaluating the Montney is obsorved due to the difference in the Formation (Unit C), West-Central Area, conditions of measurement, namely stress- Alberta, Canada” article dependence and volume of the sample size. The variable porosity measurements are attributed References to lithological differences. 1. Aguilera, R., 2010. Flow Units: From A plot of the pulse-decay permeability conventional to tight gas to shale gas measurements and porosity measured at Fig. 6 the pulse-decay permeability measured at net reservoirs. Paper SPE 132845 presented at ambient pressure versus pulse-decay permeability the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Resources reservoir net confining pressure of 25.5 MPa measured at estimated reservoir net overburden (at estimated reservoir NOB pressure of pressure conditions shows that the difference increases Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27-30. 3700 psi) conditions; and at smaller equivalent with a decrease in permeability 2. Aguilera, R., 2002. Incorporating capillary confining pressures of 4.9 MPa (at estimated a pressure, pore aperture radii, height above smaller NOB pressure of 710 psi) are shown in In this data set, a change in the corrected free water table and Winland r35 values on (Fig. 4). The NOB stress for the reservoir was permeability with depth was observed only Picket Plots: AAPG Bulletin, v.86, p. 605-624. estimated from lithostatic gradient and initial in the uppermost 2 m. However, above 2210 reservoir pressure (Clarkson et al., 2012). m cyclic changes in permeability occur about With knowledge of the dependence of permeability on confining pressure, the probe permeability can be corrected to in-situ stress conditions. Profile permeability was related to pulse-decay permeability measurements that were performed at reservoir net confining pressure to allow for correction of probe in-situ conditions. The correction of probe measurements to in-situ permeability is derived (Fig. 5). A measurement plot of pulse-decay permeability at two different stresses (ambient vs NOB) demonstrated that the difference increases with a decrease in permeability (Fig. 6). Only one sample point out of the ten measurements was eliminated due to an erroneous reading.

Fig. 4 Impact of the ambient and various confining (Overburden) pressures on the porosity and permeability from ten core plugs for tight gas samples)

Fig. 7 Log of collected slip-corrected profile permeability on slabbed core with depth, Well O1. The permeability range in values from 0.001 mD to 0.03 mD. No strong changes in permeability with depth, except in interval above 2198 m . The permeability below 2198 m fluctuates for every 2 m cycles. Permeability are relatively small range indicating Fig. 5 the profile permeability versus pulse decay a small pore throat size. Number of measurements k: 485, Average k: 0.007 mD, Standard Deviation k: 0.004 mD, permeability measured at net overburden pressure are Variance k: 0.588

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 17 3. Alberta Information, Alberta Atlas: Maps 9. Derder, O., 2012. Rock typing and definition 16. Porras, J., Barbato, R., & Khazen, L., 1999. and Online Resources [Online], May 28, 2014, of flow units, Montney Formation (Unit C), Reservoir flow units: A comparison between www.infoplease/atlas/region/alberta.html. West Central Alberta. InSite: 31(1): 16-21. three different models in the Santa Barbara and Pirital Fields, North Monagas Area, 4. Barclay, J., Krause, F., Campbell, R., & 10. Derder, O., 2014. Well-to-Well automated Eastern Venezuela Basin. Paper SPE 53671 Utting, J., 1990. Dynamic casting and growth Correlation: Western Canadian Sedimentary Latin American and Carribbean Petroleum faulting: Dawson Creek Graben Complex, Basin, Alberta, Canada. Reservoir: CSPG, v. 41, Engineering Conference. Caracas, Venezuela. Carboniferous-Permian Peace River Issue 02, pp.20-29. Embayment, western Canada. Bulletin of 17. Rushing, J.A., Newsham, K.E. & Blasingame, 11. Jensen, J., & Menke, J., 2006. Some statistical Canadian Petroleum Geology, v.38A, p.115-145. T.A., 2008. Rock typing-keys to understanding issues in selecting porosity cutoffs for productivity in tight gas sands. Paper SPE 5. Bassiouni, Z., 1994. Theory, Measurement estimating net pay. Petrophysics: 47(4): 315-320. 114164 presented at the SPE Unconventional and interpretation of well logs. Richardson, 12. Kukal, G., Biddison, C., Hill, R., Monson, E., & Gas Reservoir Conference, Keystone, TX, USA: Society of Petroleum Engineers. Simons, K., 1983. Critical problems hindering Colorado, USA. 6. Clarkson, C., Jensen, J., Pedersen, P.k., & accurate log interpretation of tight gas sand 18. Snyder, R., 1971. A Review of the Concepts Freeman, M., 2012. Innovative methods for reservoir. SPE/DOE 11620, 1-10. and Methodology of Determining “Net flow-unit and pore-structure analyses in a 13. Moslow, T., & Davies, G., 1997. Turbidite Pay”. SPE Paper 3609, Society of Petroleum tight siltstone and shale gas reservoir. AAPG reservoir facies in the Lower-Triassic Engineers, Richardson, Texas. Bulletin, v. 96, No. 2, pp. 355-374. Montney Formation, west-central Alberta. 19. Tiab, D., & Donaldson, E., 2004. 7. Davies, G., Moslow, T., & Sherwin, M., 1997. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, v.45, Pertrophysics: Theory and practice of The Lower Triassic Montney Formation, No.4, p.507-536. measuring reservoir rock and fluid transport west-central Alberta. Bulletin of Canadian 14. Mutti, E., 1977. Distinctive thin-bedded properties. Oxford: Elsevier. Petroleum Geology, v. 45, No. 4, 474-505. Turbidite facies and related depositional 20. Worthington, P., & Cosentino, L., 2005. The 8. Derder, O., 2012. Characterizing Reservoir environments in the Eocene Hecho role of cutoffs in integrated reservoir studies. Properties for the Lower Triassic Montney Group (south-central Pyrenees, Spain): SPE Res Eval & Eng 8(4), 276-290. Formation (Units C and D) Based on Sedimentology, v. 24, p.107-131. Petrophysical Methods. MS thesis, University 15. Nieto, J., Bercha, R., & Chan, J., 2009. Shale 21. Worthington, P., 2010. Net pay-what is it? of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (January gas Petrophysics-Montney and Muskwa, What does it do? How do we quantify it? How 2012) are they Barnett look-alikes?. SPWLA 50th do we use it?. SPE Res Eval & Eng 13(5), 812-822 Annual Logging Symposium, the Woodlands, Texas, June 21-24, 2009, pp. 1-18.

for information contact: GEOEDGES INC. Joel Harding at 403 870 8122 Detailed and accurate geology at your fingertips in Petra, email [email protected] GeoGraphix, ArcGIS, AccuMap, GeoScout and other applications www.geoedges.com

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US Rockies & Williston: Red River, Mississippian subcrops & anhydrite barriers (Bluell, Sherwood, Rival, etc), Bakken, Three Forks, Cutbank, Sunburst, Tyler, Heath, Muddy, Dakota, Sussex, Shannon, Parkman, Almond, Western Canada Lewis, Frontier, Niobrara, Mesaverde shorelines, Minnelusa, Gothic, Geological Edge Set Hovenweep, Ismay, Desert Creek, Field Outlines, Outcrops Texas & Midcontinent: Granite Wash, Permian Basin paleogeography (Wolfcampian, Leonardian, Guadalupian), Mississippian Horizontal Play, Red Fork, Morrow, Cleveland, Sligo/Edwards Reefs, Salt Basins, Frio, Wilcox, Eastern US / Eagleford, Tuscaloosa, Haynesville, Fayeteville-Caney, Woodford, Field Outlines, Outcrops, Structures Appalachian Basin Northern US Rockies Geological Edge Set North American Shales: Shale plays characterized by O&G fields, formation limit, outcrop, subcrop, structure, isopach, maturity, stratigraphic cross- & Williston Basin sections. Includes: Marcellus, Rhinestreet, Huron, New Albany, Antrim, Utica- Geological Edge Set Collingwood, Barnett, Eagleford, Niobrara, Gothic, Hovenweep, Mowry, Bakken, Three Forks, Monterey, Montney, Horn River, Colorado

Eastern US / Appalachia: PreCambrian, Trenton, Utica-Collingwood, Medina- Clinton, Tuscarora, Marcellus, Onondaga Structure, Geneseo, Huron, Antrim, New Albny, Rhinestreet, Sonyea, Cleveland, Venango, Bradford, Elk, Berea, Weir, Big Injun, Formation limits, Outcrops, Allegheny Thrust, Cincinatti Arch, Field outlines North American Shales Geological Edge Set Mexico: Eagle Ford-Agua Nueva, Pimienta, Oil-Gas-Condensate Windows, Cupido-Sligo and Edwards Reefs, Tuxpan Platform, El Abra-Tamabra facies, (all colors) Salt structures, Basins, Uplifts, Structural features, Sierra Madre Front, Texas & Midcontinent US Outcrops, Field Outlines Geological Edge Set Deliverables include: -Shapefiles and AccuMap map features -hard copy maps, manual, pdf cross-sections -Petra Thematic Map projects, GeoGraphix projects, ArcView Mexico map and layers files Geological Edge Set -bi-annual updates and additions to mapping -technical support

18 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 THE VALUE OF BOREHOLE IMAGE LOGS Part 3: Image Logs in Unconventional Plays and Horizontal Wells | By Amy Fox, Canadian Discovery Ltd. and Kris Vickerman, HEF Petrophysical Consulting Inc. Introduction The first and second parts of this three-part series focused on describing image logs and their utility in interpreting stress-induced features, structure and natural fractures. This final article will focus on image logs in unconventional plays and horizontal wells. Although the applications of image logs in these environments aren’t necessarily new, some of the challenges in collecting and interpreting image logs in them are. In horizontal wells, for example, depending on the orientation of the well with respect to that of the maximum horizontal in situ stress, induced fractures can easily look like natural fractures and be misinterpreted as such. Horizontal wells also tend to show complex patterns of induced fractures. As if these challenges aren’t difficult enough when interpreting traditional image logs, they become even more problematic when interpreting data from newer, oil- based mud imaging tools. However, despite these limitations, images collected in unconventional plays and horizontal wells can provide extremely valuable information about the reservoir. Data Collection The relatively recent change in industry to drilling in unconventional reservoirs, in particular shale reservoirs, which are often drilled horizontally, comes with some unique situations for collecting wellbore image logs. Many wells, for example, are now drilled with invert, or oil-based, drilling Figure 1: Horizontal electrical image log (dynamic normalization on the left, static normalization on the right) showing fluid. Because oil-based mud is electrically bedding (the long, highly inclined spotted black sinusoids), healed fractures (lower amplitude sinusoids with the yellow non-conductive, electrical imaging tools halos above the peaks and below the troughs) and a number of black, conductive traces, some of which are natural, designed for use in boreholes filled open fractures and others of which may be drilling induced fractures. with water-based mud do not function properly. This has led to the development into the image buttons, meaning they are less difficult to interpret due to the presence of of specialized, oil-based electrical imaging liable to miss vertically oriented features. repeatable borehole interference (sometimes tools such as Schlumberger’s OBMI (vertical Scratcher-based image and dipmeter tools referred to as desiccation fractures) in vertical field), Halliburton’s OMRI (vertical field), have blade-like electrodes that scratch field oil-based electrical imaging tools and Baker’s Earth Imager (horizontal field) and through the non-conductive mud cake and the presence of sometimes overwhelming Weatherford’s OMI tools (scratcher-based). rarely see fractures. Another consideration is bit/tool marks in horizontal field oil-based Vertical field tools produce an electrical field conveying the tool string along considerable electrical imaging tools. Further, all oil-based that is oriented vertically to the pad which distances in a horizontal or nearly-horizontal electrical images suffer in intervals with any means that they can see horizontal resistivity hole. If this can’t be accomplished using borehole rugosity that causes the pads to discontinuities well (those that break the wireline, then the imaging tool must be run make poor contact on the borehole wall. vertical field lines) but do not see vertical on drill pipe or even moved along the hole New electrical oil-based imaging tools are resistivity events well such as fractures in a with a well tractor. on the horizon (such as Schlumberger’s NGI tool) that look promising and may present vertical well or bedding in a horizontal well. In addition to the operational challenges a compelling improvement over the first- Horizontal field tools induce a more standard just discussed, the borehole environment generation imagers. electrical field through the drilling mud, into itself can lead to difficulty in obtaining good- the formation and then horizontally (radially) quality data. Oil-based images are much more Acoustic imagers are subject to their own

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 19 limitations related to an inability to image Induced Features through heavy muds or thick filter cakes. Compressive and tensile wellbore They have an advantage in that they tend to failure (breakouts and induced fractures, ignore finer aperture fractures and therefore respectively) are caused by the near- can differentiate between a conductive but wellbore stress concentration, which is pyrite-filled fracture and an open fracture. controlled by the orientation of the well with respect to the orientation of the three Image Interpretation principal in situ stresses, and differences in Natural Fractures both temperature and pressure between the In electrical image logs run in conventional well and the formation. In theory, knowing reservoir rocks, natural fractures typically the geomechanical setting and the well show up as either dark, conductive, open information, the pressures at which these fractures or bright, healed fractures that features will form as well their positon show a familiar resistivity halo. Natural around the well, and their orientation fractures in shale reservoirs, however, are with respect to the wellbore axis, can be not as straightforward. Shale reservoirs calculated (Peška and Zoback, 1995). In a can have a variety of materials that can fill reverse sense, the presence and geometry (heal) open fractures. These fill materials of wellbore failure can help determine have electrical signatures ranging from highly the in situ stresses when they are not resistive (silica, calcite and anhydrite) to previously known. This type of in situ stress highly conductive (pyrite, clays), so it is not determination is commonly applied in always trivial to differentiate natural open vertical wells. In horizontal wells, however, σhmax σhmax fractures from sealed fractures (Figure 1). the wellbore conditions can be affected by Many unconventional reservoirs also have operational parameters in ways not normally a faulting history that introduces a further Figure 3: Drilling-induced fractures in vertical seen in vertical wells. In addition, horizontal layer of complexity to fracture interpretation wells tend to produce pairs of non-linear, wells drilled through thin horizontal layers (Figure 2). generally axial cracks oriented 180 degrees of transversely anisotropic, extremely low- apart, oriented in the direction of maximum permeability rock set up a very complicated An important topic to remember when horizontal principal stress. mechanical situation. If the reservoir is in a interpreting a horizontal image log (or, for that matter, any image log) to characterize a natural fracture population is that the well orientation will bias the fracture sets imaged. A horizontal drilled East, for example, has a high probability of intersecting steeply dipping fractures striking North-South and a low probability of intersecting horizontal fractures or steeply dipping fractures with East-West strikes (e.g., Prioul et al., 1997).

5 degree deviation 7.5 degree deviation

Figure 2: Horizontal electrical image log (dynamic normalization on the left, static normalization on the right) that shows four cross-cutting vertical normal faults (highlighted with the olive-coloured sinusoids). These particular faults appear to be filled with a 16 degree deviation 20 degree deviation resistive material, either re-cemented fault gouge or some other healing mineral like silica or calcite. Clearly, Figure 4: As the wellbore deviation increases, drilling induced fractures tend to curve away from these features could have a significant impact on being a pair of vertical cracks into more complex, S or clef-shaped geometries that increasingly hydraulic fracturing. look similar to natural fractures.

20 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 deep, high-temperature basin, the thermal such that they have a component that tends fractures at a right angle. These types of effects on wellbore failure can also be quite to be wellbore parallel and a component that features occur at the bit and are thought considerable. This all leads to complex curves out of the borehole in a vertical plane to be a result of complex hoop stress feature geometries that, thankfully, do show towards the maximum horizontal stress immediately at the bit. some common patterns. (Figure 4). By the time the well is horizontal, Also sometimes seen in horizontal wells induced fractures are generally transverse, In vertical images collected in shale, is a chevron fracture pattern suggestive of perpendicular to the well axis. They usually tensile failure generally looks similar to a helical shaped cracks (Figure 6). appear to start on the high and low side of conventional image log, usually appearing the borehole, spread for about a quarter Conclusion, and the Case for as a pair of vertical cracks separated of the borehole’s circumference, and then Horizontal Image Logs by 180 degrees and oriented parallel to propagate parallel to the natural hydraulic the maximum principal horizontal stress As the examples in the figures have shown, parting plane (vertical and parallel to the direction (Figure 3). As wellbore deviation bedding, natural fractures and even induced maximum horizontal in situ stress, Figure 5). increases, the position and shape of the features can often be identified on images tensile cracks change. As deviation increases, Images in horizontal wells also often show collected in shales and horizontal wells e.g., in a direction towards the minimum longitudinal induced fractures propagating despite the challenges involved in their horizontal in situ stress, induced fractures along the high and low sides of the wellbore, collection and interpretation. Frequently tend to shorten and become more curved often connecting transverse induced if a vertical pilot well is drilled prior to a horizontal, an image log might be run, but it remains unclear how a few tens or hundreds of meters of image through a vertical reservoir section can accurately represent a kilometer or more of horizontal reservoir section. Although an oil-based and/or horizontal image log may seem costly up front, the fact is that it pales in comparison to the cost of a multi-stage hydraulic fracture treatment. General consensus is that only a relatively small number of frac stages actually contribute to the productivity of a given well. Decisions in designing well completions Figure 5: In horizontal wells (such as the four wellbore close-ups shown above), drilling induced and hydraulic fracturing might be made fractures can have a component that propagates parallel to the borehole (longitudinal) and a differently if horizontal image logs indicated component that propagates towards the direction of maximum horizontal stress (σhmax). If important changes in stress, lithology and/or there is an angle between the wellbore and hmax, the transverse-induced fracture geometry fractures along the horizontal section. can change from linear bars to S and zipper-shaped configurations. These transverse induced References fractures can be seen with or, commonly, withoutσ accompanying longitudinal induced fractures. Peška, P. and Zoback, M. D., Compressive and tensile failure of inclined well bores and determination of in situ stress and rock strength, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 100, no. B7, p. 12,791-12,811, 1995. Prioul, R., Donald, A., Koepsell, R., El Marzouki, Z. and Bratton, T., Forward modeling of fracture-induced sonic anisotropy using a combination of borehole image and sonic logs, Geophysics, v. 72, no. 4, p. E135-E147, 2007.

Figure 6: Some fractures come in a paired V shape as shown in the example above (Dynamic image on the Left, Static image on the Right). Since a straight line in a borehole image log is a helix shape, these peculiar failure structures must be mirrored helixes and thus cannot be natural fractures.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 21 2014 R. J. W. DOUGLAS MEDAL AWARD Dr. George Pemberton geology, becoming a University of Alberta on the production and recovery of oil Distinguished University Professor and and gas reserves has been instrumental finally assumed the C. R. Stelck Chair in the economic development of many in Petroleum Geology in 2013. During oil and gas pools. Dr. Pemberton his tenure at the University of Alberta, has been directly involved in 104 he has served as a Visiting Professor at projects for 80 companies working in four other universities and a Visiting 35 geological provinces. He has used Scientist at four major, global petroleum ichnology to describe regional geological, companies. sedimentological and stratigraphic settings, identifying exploration trends Dr. Pemberton is a member of 16 through facies analysis and proximity professional and technical organizations. indicators. He has been successful in He is a Fellow, Distinguished Fellow and identifying high-grade producing areas and Honorary Member of five of them. Dr. enhanced recovery opportunities, and Pemberton has served as an instructor, integrating ichnological rock types with field trip leader, chairman, organizer, petrophysical attributes, allowing regional convenor, delegate, evaluator, reviewer, mapping from well logs. Dr. Pemberton committee member, board examiner, has conducted 130 petroleum industry secretary, vice president, president, editor, short courses which is a testament to The R. J. W. Douglas Medal is awarded business manager and short course co- the value he brings to the petroleum annually by the Canadian Society of author with these groups. industry. This transferred knowledge is Petroleum Geologists for outstanding During his career, Dr. Pemberton has used by industry practitioners to explore, contributions to the understanding focused his research interests on optimize development plans, and assess of sedimentary geology in Canada, animal-sediment relationships, clastic enhanced recovery opportunities. Due commending major contributions sedimentology, genetic stratigraphy, largely to his work, ichnological analysis is to regional tectonics, petroleum and petroleum geology and carbonate now an integral part of geological project structural geology. The award is open bioerosion. work. to all geologists who follow the example of Bob Douglas in contributing to the Dr. Pemberton has used the science During his career, Dr. Pemberton has development of Canadian sedimentary, of ichnology, the study of trace fossils received numerous awards including petroleum and structural geology. The to infer the behaviour and anatomy of the SEPM RC Moore Medal, the AAPG 2014 recipient is Dr. George Pemberton, organisms, to integrate these essential Grover Murray Award and the Geological as chosen by the R. J. W. Douglas Medal elements into clastic sedimentology and Association of Canada’s prestigious Award Committee. genetic stratigraphy and then applied this Logan Medal. The testimonials from the knowledge to petroleum geology around respected organizations that bestow George Pemberton was born in Preston, the world. Through his numerous these awards speak volumes to the United Kingdom, immigrating to Canada publications he has successfully integrated impact he has had on the science of in 1950 and raised in Dundas, Ontario, ichnological concepts and observations ichnology globally, his contributions as an where he attended elementary and into the principles of sedimentology and educator and the significance of his work secondary school. George’s post- stratigraphy including the recognition to the petroleum industry. secondary education began when he of important sedimentological surfaces graduated from Queen’s University with In taking ichnology from taxonomy to and their integration into sequence an Honours B. Sc. degree in geology. He integration with sedimentology and stratigraphic analysis. received his M.Sc. in 1976 and a Ph.D. in genetic stratigraphy and applying this to 1979 from McMaster University. While the scientific merits of Dr. the petroleum industry, Dr. Pemberton Pemberton’s work are outstanding, it has demonstrated an outstanding Dr. Pemberton began his academic is the transfer of this knowledge to the scientific contribution to sedimentary career taking the position of Assistant petroleum industry that has created and petroleum geology in Canada. Dr. Professor at the University of Georgia in much economic value. Dr. Pemberton Pemberton’s significant contributions Athens, Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He has gone beyond integrating ichnology to science, education and industrial returned to Canada in 1981 to join the into sedimentology and stratigraphy, to applications make him a very worthy Alberta Research Council where he rose extending the science into reservoir recipient of the R. J. W. Douglas Medal. to the position of Associate Research characterization, exploration and Officer. In 1984, Dr. Pemberton joined petroleum geology. His research into the University of Alberta, rising from the effects of geochemical alteration, the position of Professor through a Tier permeability anisotropy and bioturbation 1 Canada Research Chair in petroleum

22 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 PALEO 2015 Presented in conjunction with the CSPG Palaeontological Division and Mount Royal University Earth Sciences Department

Mount Royal University, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, Alberta

Lectures and poster displays—Saturday, March 21, 2015, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Workshops—Sunday, March 22, 2015, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Saturday lecture events and poster viewings are free and require no registration. There will be fossil displays and activities of interest to a wide audience including families on the Saturday. The Sunday workshop requires pre-registration and a fee.

SPEAKER SCHEDULE WORKSHOP Saturday, March 21st Sunday March 22nd

All talks to be held in Jenkins Theatre, lower level of Mount Royal University Mount Royal University, Room B213 You may sign up for either the morning or the afternoon session by 9:00 AM Opening statement by Cory Gross, APS President, and contacting Harold as set out below. The workshops will be identical. Symposium instructions by APS Program Director Harold Whittaker. 9:00 am to 12:00 noon OR 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

9:15 AM Alberta amateur palaeontologist Hope Johnson: “Now Exploring Canadian Cretaceous Amber and the there was a lady!” Darren Tanke | Royal Tyrrell Museum of Amber Research Process Palaeontology.

Presenter: 10:15 AM Coffee Break Dr. Ryan McKellar

Research Scientist, Curator of Palaeontology, 10:30 AM Burrowing in early tetrapods: Morphology, ichnology and Royal Saskatchewan Museum diversity. Jason Pardo | University of Calgary.

11:00 AM Gondwanan amber: The range of inclusions and This short course will introduce participants to the range of inclusions pseudoinclusions preserved in Late Cretaceous amber found within Canadian Late Cretaceous amber, and provide hands-on from the Antarctic Circle. Annie Quinney | Monash University, experience in the search for inclusions, preparation of amber Australia. specimens for research, and many of the steps involved in studying

amber inclusions. Participants will help screen an unexplored set of 11:30 AM A new paradigm for the origin of avian �ight and “bi�arre” Cretaceous amber pieces for inclusions, as well as specimens that dinosaur structures. Garnet Fraser, M.D., Prince George, have already been prepared as epoxy-embedded research mounts, British Columbia. using a stereomicroscope. Participants will also get a chance to prepare their own research-grade microscope slide mounts, and try 12:00 PM Lunch Break and Poster Displays. out some of the latest technology utilized in modern scienti�c illustration. In short, you will have a chance to experience many of the 1:00 PM The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, a new museum of steps involved in the amber research process, with the potential to palaeontology in northern Alberta. Robin Sissons | Philip J. make your own palaeontological discoveries. Currie Dinosaur Museum. Participants are asked to bring their own 'tweezers' or forceps for

handling amber pieces. 1:30 PM E�ploring the Devonian of eastern Canada for a �sh that bites. Tetsuto Miyashita | University of Alberta. Cost: $20 per person.

2:00 PM Poster Session, poster presenters are requested to be with To register for workshops their posters. contact Harold Whittaker (403) 286-0349 3:00 PM A new specimen of ornithomimid (Theropoda) from or email [email protected] Dinosaur Provincial Park provides unprecedented details in dinosaur plumage and feather evolution. Aaron van der Make the cheque payable to the Reest | University of Alberta. Alberta Palaeontological Society P.O. Box 35111, Sarcee Postal Outlet, 3:30 PM Palynomorphs from a footprint site in the Nemegt Calgary Alberta, Canada T3E 7C7. Formation (Maastrichtian) at Bugiin Tsav, Mongolia. Eva Koppelhus | University of Alberta. Deadline for workshop registration is March 10, 2015. Registration is limited to 20 participants in each session, so register 4:00 PM Deinocheirus—one of the few Mongolian dinosaurs not early. represented in Alberta. Dr. Philip Currie | University of Alberta. 2015 CSPG/SEPM Mountjoy Conference ABSTRACT SUBMISSION NOW OPEN

Sessions & Session Chairs

The Nature of Unconventional Carbonate Reservoirs Jay Gregg & Mike Grammer | Oklahoma State University

Carbonate Reservoirs in Structurally Complex Regions Rudy Swennen | Division of Geology, KU Leuven

The Nature of Intensely Fractured, Vuggy Carbonates Ron Nelson | Broken N Consulting, Texas Alex J. MacNeil | Osum Oil Sands, Calgary

Advances in Modeling Carbonate Systems and Reservoirs Part 1, Methods: Georg Warrlich | Shell, Malaysia Rachel Wood | School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh

Part 2, Flow in Carbonates: Xiomara Marquez | Maersk, Doha, Qatar Fiona Whitaker | School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol

Advances in Diagenesis Eva Drivet | Drivet Consulting, Calgary Conxita Taberner | Shell, Netherlands

Dolostones – The Nature of Dolostones in the Geologic Record Hans Machel | University of Alberta, Edmonton Jeff Lonnee | Shell, Qatar

Deadline for Abstracts: For more information visit: March 15th, 2015 www.cspg.org/Conferences

Conference Sponsors: HONORARY MEMBER – Colin Yeo and helped rejuvenate the Education and contributed to substantial property Committee. He served a three year divestitures throughout western Canada. term on the Executive, centered on As well as CSPG, Colin is a member of his 2007 Presidential year, where he AAPG, CWLS, CSEG and APEGA. He helped restructure the office and has been an APEGA Council Member brought in a new Executive Director. since 2009, and has served as the Vice He helped establish the precursor to President, President-Elect, President and GeoConvention, and placed the Society currently Past President. He presented on a solid business and financial footing. on the southern Alberta floods during Since then, he has been the Assistant APEGA’s President’s Tour and in 2013 Editor of the Reservoir, and has written was made a Fellow of Geoscientists two multipart series for the magazine, Canada and an Honorary Fellow of one on understanding reserves and Engineers Canada in recognition of his resources and the other on petroleum contributions. He’s also led multiple field economics for geologists. trips, primarily from 1988 through 1995. Mr. Yeo started his career at Amoco As well as his professional involvement, Canada in 1974 as a geologist. Over he was active in Boy Scouts from 1981 the next 25 years, he filled many roles, through 1988, as a Beaver Leader, a Cub Colin Yeo earned his B.Sc. in Geology and including Strategic Planner, Chief leader and as the Group Committee Geography from McMaster University Geoscientist and Team Leader. In 1999, Finance Chair. Mr. Yeo also has been a in 1974, after writing a thesis on the he moved to Petrorep Resources as an judge at the Calgary Youth Science Fair paleoecology of the Thorold Sandstone. Evaluations Geologist, where he helped from 2004 through 2006. He joined CSPG the same year, and develop and implement a technical and became Chairman of the Public Relations Colin Yeo has had an outstanding financial screening process to identify Committee in 1977, a role he held for career as both a geologist and a leader. acquisition targets. In 2000, he moved to 4 years. He was a Committee Member His attention to detail, professional PanCanadian as a Resource Development for an art event to raise money for the conduct, excellent communication Manager, where he oversaw exploration Educational Trust Fund in 1986, and skills, indubitable sense of humour, and and development of south western then became Chairman of the Archive persistent dedication are the hallmarks Alberta properties. After PanCanadian and History Committee from 1988 to of a true professional. No matter merged and became Encana, Colin 1992. Colin was Chairman of the Core the challenge in his career, Colin has became a Business Development Advisor, Conference in 1994 to 1995, and then consistently met and exceeded all goals. a role he held until his retirement in the Services Director in 1999 to 2000. Combined with his very significant and 2014. During that time, he worked on The next year, he became a member of ongoing contributions to CSPG, he is the an innovative joint venture to develop Volunteer Management Committee, a epitome of a consummate professional. coal bed methane resources, increased position he held for four years, where CSPG is pleased to welcome Colin Yeo in retention value on heavy oil properties he helped recruit committee chairs to the ranks of Honorary Members. Rock Shop

Reach more than 3000 petroleum professionals who are empowered to purchase your product or service.

ADVERTISE IN THE RESERVOIR Please call: Emma MacPherson Tel: 403.513.1230 Email: [email protected]

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 25 2014 CSPG HONORARY ADDRESS Dr. François Therrien, Dr. Scott Tinker | By Keith Millis, Honorary Address Chairman drivers such as affordability, availability, reliability, environmental sustainability, and energy security. The latter of these being a key focus for the world’s governments. By communicating that “every energy source has pros and cons, benefits and challenges,” he fairly portrayed what roles the different resources play and how they fit together in today’s economies. Current market conditions notwithstanding, he also provided insightful glimpses into the future. The question and answer period following the talk was a clear indication of the importance of the issues he raised and their relevance to the audience.

The 2014 CSPG Honorary Address, held on CBC’s Doug Dirks as emcee, and of course, Monday, November 17th, was a smashingly the presentations of both Dr. François good time! CSPG has been holding the Therrien from the Royal Tyrrell Museum and Honorary Address annually since the 1960s Dr. Scott Tinker from the Bureau of Economic as a way to share earth science passions Geology at the University of Texas. from the past, present and future, and to If the title of François’ talk, “Alberta: Land honour those who have contributed to our of Dinosaurs and Other Paleontological knowledge base. The Honorary Address not Wonders” had given goose bumps, his talk only reaches out to youth and post-secondary gave even more! He highlighted the fortuitous With the tremendously positive feedback students, but also attempts to bridge the gap combination of Alberta’s geological past and we’ve received from attendees, the committee between the geoscience community and the modern climate as a link to the vast amount is well underway in our planning of the 2015 general public. By partnering with engaging of dinosaur fossils recovered, and even cited Honorary Address. With the tentative theme speakers and focusing on visually stimulating discoveries made through the endeavours of of Planetary Geology, we are continuing our presentations, this year’s event was inspiring, energy companies. Scott provided refreshing emphasis on the event being engaging and an educational, and fun. The Jack Singer Concert and novel insight into the global mix of energy exciting opportunity to share our geoscience Hall in downtown Calgary saw hundreds of sources, market functions, and production passion with each other. We would like to attendees enjoy appetizers, a string quartet, thank our 2014 Honorary Address sponsors – whose contribution made the event such a success – the CSPG Educational Trust Fund, CSEG Foundation, APEGA, Crescent Point Energy, Suncor Energy, ConocoPhillips Canada, Painted Pony Petroleum, Explor, DATA Group, and the Calgary Marriott.

26 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 CONTINUING EDUCATION Upcoming CSPG Short Courses

AppliedApplied HydrogeologyHydrogeology and and the STARTSTART LENGTHLENGTH INSTRUCTORINSTRUCTOR PDH CreditsPDH thePetroleum Petroleum Industry Industry in Alberta in DATEDATE 22 day days MorrisRick D.Sarg Maccagno & 8 HoursCredits Alberta 2323-Apr-Apr--1515 Tannis Sharp 16 Hrs Groundwater is everywhere beneath our feet, but most of us think very little of its significance, either as a resource to be managed or an agent of geologic change. Nevertheless, groundwater can have an important role across a broad spectrum of activities, especially in the hydrocarbons industry in Alberta. Shallow groundwater flow from legacy or operational sites can deliver dissolved contaminants to human or natural receptors. Deeper groundwater can be a source of non-saline or brackish water for use by industry, but the possible effects of groundwater extraction on other users or natural systems must be understood. Over long periods of time and across large distances, regional groundwater flow can result in significant accumulations of hydrocarbon resources. More recent events of hydrogeologic significance include brine and bitumen discharge to the land surface associated with hydrocarbons development, the controversy around hydraulic fracturing, and the effects of oil sands development on groundwater resources. A solid understanding of the groundwater system is becoming increasingly important to obtaining social license to develop and operate. This course will provide you with an understanding of:

• the fundamentals of hydrogeology,  environmental site assessment and remediation,  regional hydrogeology and groundwater management,  petroleum hydrogeology, and  current issues in Alberta such as hydraulic fracturing, geohazards, and oil sands hydrogeology.

This course is designed for environmental advisors, regulatory professionals, and technical environmental specialists in the hydrocarbon industry in Alberta. Mannville Stratigraphy, START LENGTH INSTRUCTOR PDH Sedimentology and DATE 3 days Doug Cant Credits Petroleum Geology 27-Apr-15 24 Hrs

Topic(s): Overview of Mannville basin, structure and sedimentation; Review of individual units/plays Type of Play(s): This clastic unit is a reservoir for unconventional oil (heavy oil, bitumen), unconventional gas (tight, sands, coals), liquids-rich gas, as well as conventional hydrocarbons. Who Should Attend: Geologists and geophysicists who work local Course Content: areas in the Mannville. 1. Introduction - Mannville, Stratigraphic and Basin Setting 2. Basal Cretaceous Unconformity Why Should You Attend: Previous attendees have cited the 3. Lower Mannville Units and Plays - Cadomin, Gething, Bluesky, regional perspective of their areas, gaining knowledge of other Ostracode, McMurray, Dina, Wabiskaw, Cummings-Sunburst, related plays, and frequent unpredictable shifts of exploration Cutbank, Basal Quartz - Ellerslie, Ostracode. areas in the Mannville. 4. Upper Mannville Units and Plays - Glauconite, Wilrich, Falher, Objectives: Notikewin - Colongy to Lloydminster Fms - Clearwater, Grand 1. To familiarize attendees with the vast amount of Mannville Rapids, non-marine Upper Mannville, Pense Fm research already published. 2. To put small exploration areas in regional and stratigraphy context. 3. To review details of presently active and inactive plays. Register online today at www.cspg.org

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 27 CONTINUING EDUCATION Upcoming CSPG Short Courses

Introduction Energy START LENGTH INSTRUCTOR PDH DATE 2 days Art Irwin Credits Geoscience Workshop (IEG) 01-May-15 16 Hrs

This course will provide learners with a basic understanding of geologic concepts and their underlying principles. They will become familiar with terminology and industry inner workings that are valuable to anyone working within the energy geoscience industry. Targeted audience: Learning Objectives: 1. Petroleum industry employees who could benefit By the end of this workshop participants will: from basic geologic understanding 1. Understand fundamentals of geologic definitions, key principles and important 2. New graduate geoscientists processes—to assist in the breakdown of the technical language barrier 3. Geophysicists with limited geologic background 2. Understand the formation, migration and entrapment of petroleum 4. Energy personnel providing technical support products—excitement of petroleum geology 5. Petroleum engineers working with geologic data 3. Realize the work team effort required to produce Energy 6. Summer students and interns 4. Awareness to the risks associated with the production of energy and the Two day workshop is designed for oil and gas employees need to comply with safety procedures who have little to no technical training and who wish to l 5. Be aware of the types of energy being produced in Canada earn more about the geoscience.The modules, covered in 6. Observe a type locality of oil and gas production in Alberta, Canada, this workshop, are authored and instructed by experienced discuss outcrops, identify formations (25yrs.+) Canadian Geoscientists who are CSPG members*. 7. An understanding of where the energy industry is exploring currently Evaluation and Exploitation of START LENGTH INSTRUCTOR PDH Credits Low Permeability Carbonate DATE 1 days Graeme Bloy 8 Hours Reservoirs in Western Canada 01-May-15

Who Should Attend: Geologists, geophysicists, managers and engineers who are exploiting and developing low permeability carbonate reservoirs in the WCSB. Some experience with carbonate rocks is useful, but not required. Course Agenda: This course will review the characteristics of several low permeability (or tight) carbonate reservoirs through a lecture /core display format. Low permeability carbonate reservoirs in the Wabamun, Muskeg, Zama, Debolt/Elkton, Nisku, Souris River, Torquay, and Midale Formations will be reviewed. The objective of the course is to develop an understanding of low permeability carbonate reservoirs, through their: 1.) depositional setting, 2.) subsequent diagenesis, 3.) pore system development 4.) spatial distribution of productive flow units 5.) production profile;

The course will be practical in terms of integrating petrophysical logs, core analysis, petrography, and reviewing of selected cores in recent developing pools as case studies. This full day course will review all aspects of tight reservoirs from their inception (in the primordial ooze) to their production. The review of the core of these ow permeability reservoirs will be the central teaching tool. This overview will allow one to strategically, horizontally exploit this type of reservoir, economically. Register online today at www.cspg.org

28 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 CONTINUING EDUCATION Upcoming CSPG Short Courses

Facies Architecture and Sequence START LENGTH INSTRUCTOR PDH Stratigraphy of Delta System: From DATE 3 days Janok P. Bhattacharya Credits Exploration to Reservoir Performance 29-Apr-15 24 Hours

This 3 day short course will provide both a theoretical framework for understanding how deltas originate as well as be a practical guide for interpreting and mapping ancient delta systems in subsurface. The course will cover basic definitions, theory of delta forming process and the significance for recognizing these processes in ancient systems, a description of the essential facies components of a delta and the implications for subsurface facies architecture, and finally a survey of the different types of delta systems. Emphasis will be on recognizing river-, tide-, wave- and mixed-influence delta systems. Several case histories, emphasizing both exploration and production scale characteristics will be covered including; The Dunvegan Delta (Alberta) and Prudhoe Bay Field (Alaska). In addition, several outcrop examples will be discussed to give participants an idea of the lateral heterogeneity in delta systems and its effect on reservoir flow behaviour. The course will include a series of powerpoint lectures, followed by several well-log correlation and core interpretation exercises. Core examples will be from the Dunvegan Formation in Alberta. The course is designed as an up-to-date review of the last 20 years of new ideas in deltaic sedimentology and will appeal to geologists needing a review and update as well as to reservoir engineers and geoscientists working on reservoir modeling and production in deltaic reservoirs.

List of Topics: • Basic definitions and classification. • Theory of delta forming process. • Delta Environments. • Facies components of a delta. • Facies architecture. • Sequence stratigraphic concepts. • Case studies of different ancient and modern deltas. • Application to subsurface problems. • Reservoir Characterization • Thin-bedded reservoirs and halo plays Exercises: • Core description and interpretation • Outcrop correlation • Well Log correlation

More Short courses and Field Seminars coming For more info visit cspg.org

Register online today at www.cspg.org

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 29 GEOMODELING: A TEAM EFFORT Part 2: The Geomodeling Workflow | By Thomas Jerome, Jun Yang and Suzanne Gentile, RPS play as well as the depth of the different fluid contacts (oil-water contact, gas-oil contact…). The rock properties of interest will be those controlling the amount of hydrocarbons in the reservoir (facies, porosity, fluid saturations…) as well as those controlling how the rock and the fluids will behave once engineers start production (permeability, geomechanical properties…). Due to the underground depth of reservoirs they are difficult to describe. To characterize its asset, the team has to integrate all the possible data available. Well data will provide a lot of details near the wellbores (logs, core, cuttings, image logs, well testing…). Seismic data will complete this by giving a general image of the full reservoir, but with a limited level of resolution. The team’s knowledge about geological concepts (depositional environment, basin evolution…) and engineering concepts (fluid mechanics, geomechanics…) help to organize all of the different data so they can characterize the reservoir as best as possible. Data and knowledge integration has been at the core of reservoir characterization long before reservoir modeling started to be developed in the 1980s. The concept is explained in domains such as geological mapping (Tearpock and Bischke, 2003) or geophysical interpretation (Lines and Newrick, 2004). Geomodeling didn’t “invent” data and knowledge integration, but it provides a new set of tools to push it beyond what was done previously. PLACE OF RESERVOIR Figure 1. Geomodeling workflow. Example of a clastic reservoir. MODELING IN A RESERVOIR INTRODUCTION tools will be described in the third part of STUDY this series, published in the April issue of the Simagni volore reprovi digent ut ullam eosa Geomodeling is also called “reservoir Reservoir. The core of any reservoir modeling workflow modeling” or “static modeling”. This latest expression emphasizes the fact that includes five steps: gathering the data, RESERVOIR STUDY = DATA AND geomodeling focuses on quantifying the structural and stratigraphic modeling, three- KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION dimensional (3D) grid building, facies modeling current state (rocks + fluid distribution) of The goal of an exploration or development and petrophysical modeling (Figure 1). This the reservoir. “Dynamic modeling”, run by asset team is to characterize the dimension, paper gives an overview of each step and an engineers, focuses on how fluids (injected/ the rock properties and the fluid distribution idea of how the team members contribute to produced) will move and how the rocks will of the reservoir they are studying. This such work, either in providing input data or react during production. Dynamic modeling knowledge is a key factor for a company to in defining what the model is needed for. The can be thought of as modeling the reservoir decide what to do next with its asset. The team members’ contributions will be detailed “through time”. company might push the exploration further in the remaining articles of this series, starting or start its development. If the resource is Research on reservoir modeling started in with the May issue of the Reservoir. determined to be uneconomical to produce the late 1970s to the beginning of the 1980s One key element of reservoir modeling the company might drop the area. and it has continued to grow ever since as will be left aside at this time: geostatistics. computers became more popular, powerful To define the dimension of the reservoir, the Geostatistics provide a powerful set of and affordable. Reservoir modeling algorithms team must understand the geometry of the mathematical tools to interpolate any type rely on visualization techniques that are also horizons and the faults (if any) delimiting the of properties, using diverse constraints. These used in 3D computer games, 3D animated

30 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 movies and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) simulation model to be run around those Our geologist goes back to her office, adjusts tools that are used in the manufacturing future wells. To do so, the engineers ask their the extent of the geomodel as needed (Figure industry to model goods (cars, buildings, planes, geologist to build a reservoir model around 3 C, green polygon) and she delivers an etc.). Reservoir modeling has one essential the two horizontal wells. Engineers need the updated geomodel a month later, completely difference though: while other industries model to be ready in one month. The geologist missing the engineers’ deadline. build their 3D models by drawing (movies, agrees on their deadline and gets started. Data Years of consulting has shown that this type of video games…) or through the application of is available on all of the vertical wells (blue problem happens often: a misunderstanding in mathematical equations (geometry of the wing triangles) and there is no seismic. The geologist the scope of work is spotted only at the end of an airplane for example), geomodeling has decides to model the reservoir within the red of the project when the model is reviewed. to define the geometry of complex objects polygon (Figure 3 A). Her choice is motivated It is then necessary to redo everything. (horizons, geobodies) from a limited amount of by two things. Firstly, there is no need to include The issue is a lack of communication in the data points (well tops, seismic interpretation…). the whole lease as only the zone around the team at the beginning of the project. In my Interpolation and extrapolation techniques are future horizontal wells is of interest. Secondly, example (Figure 3B), engineers did not spend keys in this process (see the next article for the polygon includes the well W1, even if it is time – or were not asked to spend time – more information on geostatistics). outside the company’s lease, to get a better in defining which data was needed. Had they control during the interpolation of the facies The development of computers lead also to been (Figure 3D), engineers would have had and the petrophysics on the North-West of the development of complex 3D models in a chance to mention the well H3 and the the well H1. On the contrary, the vertical the domains of geophysics and flow simulation misunderstanding would have been lifted wells W2 and W3 located South of the lease among others (Figure 2). These tools are very before causing any damage. are excluded. W2 is considered too far to be complementary to those found in reservoir relevant while the South-East corner of the horizons (stratigraphic modeling) and potential modeling packages. Many studies first involve a chosen polygon already contains a vertical faults (structural modeling). If each surface is stage of 3D seismic interpretation and seismic well, making W3 redundant. only defined by well tops, the interpolation will inversion, these results are used as input to likely be poorly constrained and the model will the reservoir modeling workflow, which itself The reservoir modeling moves forward be highly uncertain far from the wells. If those feeds complex flow simulation computations. and the geologist delivers the model to surfaces were also interpreted on seismic, the The tools from those different domains are the engineers on time. To her surprise, the interpolation will respect both the well tops increasingly integrated. It began with the engineers reject it: it does not include the and the seismic interpretation making the definition of standardized file formats to horizontal well H3 located East of the lease. result will be more reliable: not certain, but at transfer data and results from one domain to While not needed to model the rocks around least “less” uncertain. the next. Nowadays, many software providers H1 and H2, and so rightfully ignored for are linking, if not merging, their different the geomodeling, this well is producing and Structural and stratigraphic modeling involves proprietary solutions into a single platform to to the engineers it was obvious that they more than just interpolating data. The modeler further facilitate the integration between the needed this well in the model for their flow must choose an interpolation technique that different disciplines. simulation. As it was obvious to them, they properly mimics the geological context of did not see the point at saying it aloud at the the reservoir. Figure 4 illustrates this – this beginning of the project. simple reservoir will also be used in the next sections of this paper.

Figure 2. Integration between geophysics, geomodeling and engineering.cv. As mentioned in the introduction, the core of any reservoir modeling study is made of five steps, described in the remaining of this paper: gathering the data, structural and stratigraphic modeling, three-dimensional (3D) grid building, facies modeling and petrophysical modeling (Figure 1). INPUT DATA Every reservoir modeling project starts with defining the extent of the model and what data should be included. This task seems straightforward and yet many modeling projects do not meet their deadlines because this phase did not involve enough the whole team. Figure 3 gives an example of the type of problem any team might face. A company’s lease covers three sections (Figure 3A and C, orange squares). Two horizontal wells are to be drilled soon (H1 Figure 3. Defining the lateral extent of a model A) based on reservoir modeling criteria only, or C) taking also into and H2) and management asked for a flow account engineers’ requests. Project timeframe: B) leading to the initial decision (A) and D) leading to the needed modeled area (C).

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 31 The reservoir is made of a single geological unit delimited by two horizons A and B. Three wells have been drilled and picked (W1, W2 and W3). W2 is not deep enough and it doesn’t reach the horizon B. The top horizon A is easily built by interpolating the TVDSS values of the three well picks. How shall the horizon B now be modeled? Two mathematical approaches are possible. With approach 1, the TVDSS of the two well picks B are interpolated, in the same way the horizon A was modeled. With approach 2, the thickness of the unit is interpolated and then the TVDSS of the horizon B is defined as being equal to the TVDSS of horizon A minus the local thickness of the unit. As shown on Figure 4, the resulting geometry of the horizon B varies a lot depending on the technique being applied. Furthermore, the well picks alone (the data) can’t help us decide which approach should be used. Only a geologist could answer this. Based on his/her understanding of the geological context and Figure 5. Teapot Dome model. A) Global view of the structural and stratigraphic model. B) Zoom to the model. C) on his/her work on the logs, the cores and the Focus on the fault network. D) Focus on sections of the resulted faulted 3D grid. surrounding area, he/she might conclude that: Defining the orientation of the mesh of the • Unit A was deposited above an 3D grid is an essential step of the modeling unconformity (Unit B). The two horizons process. Most interpolation techniques will should be modeled separately (approach tend to populate the properties following 1). Or… the main directions of the mesh. Figure 6 • Unit A and Unit B are conformable one illustrates this point with the vertical layering to the other. The two horizons should be of the 3D grid. modeled together (approach 2). Based on his interpretation of the data, In case the data is inconclusive, then two the geologist decides that horizon B is an models might be needed to capture this unconformity. This leads the geomodeler uncertainty: one is following the approach 1 to build the surface representing horizon Figure 6. A simple reservoir (A). Three possible and one following the approach 2. B following the first approach (Figure 4). geometries for the vertical layers of the 3D grid (B, C, D). Analysis of the core data shows that the Over the last few years a new set of reservoir is made of a massive fluvial sand techniques, coupling the structural modeling, channel surrounded by shale (Figure 6A). The the stratigraphic modeling and the 3D sand is only visible on well 1. Regional data grid building, have gained popularity. Such shows that it should extend further toward integrated techniques simplify and improve wells 2 and 3. How shall we interpolate the the construction of the structural model, sand? If the vertical layering of the 3D grid is which has always been difficult for complex made horizontal (Figure 6B), the sand channel fault networks. These techniques also allow will be interpolated horizontally. If the vertical the ability to align the mesh of the 3D grid layering is made parallel to horizon B (Figure to complex trends. For example, (Thenin 6C), the sand channel will dip like horizon B and Larson, 2013) used these techniques to does. If the vertical layering is made parallel to Figure 4. Stratigraphic modeling. How shall we model integrate the complex geometry of Inclined horizon A (Figure 6D), the channel will have a the horizon B based on the well picks? As illustrated Heterolithic Strata (IHS) found in oil sand more complex, curved geometry. with the modeling of the Teapot Dome (Figure 5), faults reservoirs into the mesh of the 3D grid. Such are also modeled as surfaces. The choice again lies in the hands of the workflow can be extended to any reservoir 3D GRID BUILDING geologist. Similarly to the problem of the in which seismic stratigraphy has been construction of the horizons, the answer isn’t interpreted (Veeken and van Moerkerken, Once the stratigraphic and the structural found in the data alone (the core data here). 2013). The details of the solutions implemented modeling is done, the 3D grid can be built. The geomodeler also needs the involvement by the different software vendors are not yet The 3D grid is representing the volume of of the geologist. In case the geologist has no all known. Implicit modeling seems to be at rocks inside each geological unit. The 3D grid way to be sure of which geometry should be the core of at least some of those new tools. is divided into cells, each cell representing built for the horizon building, the reservoir At this time, readers interested in the some a small piece of the reservoir. Typically, a modeler might have to carry forward several of the mathematical details should refer cell is between 25m*25m and 100m*100m models, one for each possible internal to (Mallet, 2014) which has recently been horizontally and 0.1m to 1m vertically. Each geometry of the 3D grid. published. cell will contain a specific value for the different properties (facies + petrophysics).

32 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 FACIES AND PETROPHYSICAL reflects the depositional space (Figure 6), the model cannot be good if the modeler does MODELING internal geometry of the 3D simulation grid not collaborate with his/her team. is made to optimize fluid flow computations. Facies modeling and petrophysical modeling Uncertainty management is the second Simulation grids (Figure 8) have often a “sugar will be detailed in the April issue focusing on important notion. With limited data available, box” mesh. The facies and petrophysical geostatistics. a lot of unknowns remain about our properties, populated in the 3D geological reservoirs. Reservoir modeling is tailored to Geostatistics allow the creation of multiple grid (Figure 8A), are transferred into the cells capture those uncertainties. Uncertainty will possible spatial distributions of the facies of the 3D simulation grid (Figure 8B) mostly be also discussed in each remaining paper of (and the petrophysics). Each respects the with upscaling techniques. this series. input data. It’s an efficient way to study the Engineers sometimes ask why reservoir uncertainty associated to rock properties Before the contribution of each team modelers don’t model directly the properties distributions. Figure 7 gives an example of two member is further investigated, the next issue into the 3D simulation grid. Why do we such spatial distributions given facies data at will focus on geostatistics, an essential set of need a specific grid for reservoir modeling? well locations along with information about techniques for every reservoir modeler. Comparing Figure 6A and Figure 8B illustrates the global facies proportions and the general why: there is no easy way of getting a dipping orientation of the facies geobodies. TO GO BEYOND… We highly recommend (Ringrose and Bentley, 2015) which was published a few weeks ago. It gives an excellent overview of the reservoir modeling workflow, without being heavy on the mathematics. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank the RMOTC and the U.S. Department of Energy for providing access to the Teapot Dome dataset (www.rmotc.doe.gov/datasets.html). REFERENCES Lines, L.R. and Newrick R.T., 2004. Fundamentals of Geophysical Interpretation. Figure 7. Two possible distributions of the sand and shale between wells (black dots).. SEG, Geophysical monograph series number 13. 274 pages. Mallet J.-L., 2014. Elements of Mathematical Sedimentary Geology: the GeoChron Model. EAGE. 374 pages. Ringrose, P. and Bentley, M., 2015. Reservoir Model Design – a Practitioner’s Guide. Springer. 260 pages. Tearpock D. J. and Bischke R.E., 2003. Applied Figure 8. Upscalling a facies model from the 3D grid made for the reservoir modeling (A) into the 3D grid optimized Subsurface Geological Mapping. 2nd edition. for flow simulation (B). Prentice Hall. 822 pages.

OUTPUT channel body if sugar grid geometry is used. Thenin D. and Larson, R., 2013. Quantitative Similarly, geologists sometimes ask why seismic interpretation – an earth modeling A geomodel is built for multiple reasons. As engineers can’t use the 3D geological grid perspective. CSEG Recorder. Vol. 38, Number such, the output provided back to the team for the flow simulation. Such complex grids 9, Nov 2013. Pages 30-35. can be varied. would slow down the flow simulation and Veeken, P.C.H. and van Moerkerken, B., 2013. The geomodel is a 3D visualization tool would create numerical instabilities. Engineers Seismic Stratigraphy and Depositional Facies that helps the entire team see the different need a grid optimized for their needs too. Models. EAGE. 494 pages. hypotheses made by them translated into 3D. More details about the different outputs Seeing the model in 3D sometimes leads to a TO CONTACT THE AUTHORS needed by engineers will be given in the three revision of the interpretation, which leads to issues on engineering (reservoir engineering Feel free to contact us if you have questions a revision of the model. The loop continues in September, reserves in October and about this paper or about the series. until the interpretation of the reservoir is production engineering in November). validated by the team and the model properly Thomas Jerome captures what the team had in mind regarding CONCLUSION [email protected] the reservoir. Reservoir modeling did not invent data Jun Yang If the model is meant to feed a dynamic and knowledge integration, but it can be [email protected] modeling study, the output will often be a 3D seen as one of its modern implementations. Suzanne Gentile, simulation grid. While the internal geometry As illustrated in this paper, and further [email protected] of a 3D grid made for reservoir modeling investigated in the next issues, a reservoir

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 33 GO TAKE A HIKE Wapta Mountain, Yoho National Park, BC | By Ron Spencer and Rob Taerum

Trailhead: From Hwy 1 in Yoho National Park drive 1.6 km south of Field and turn west on the Emerald Lake Road. Drive 9 km to Emerald Lake parking lot. Proceed clockwise around the lake. At the North end of the lake there are two trail junctions. At the second junction (1.75km) proceed northeast towards Yoho Lake and Pass. As you leave the lake the trail gently ascends the Emerald Alluvial fan. The trail meets the Wapta Highline trail at 6km. Turn a sharp right towards Burgess Pass. At about the 8km mark (about 15 minutes after a brief switchback) look to the left and pick a rough scrambling route up to the base of the Wapta Mountain cliffs. Snow lingers late so consider doing this hike between mid July and late September. Distance: 20 km for entire trail, or just 5.4 km if you circle the lake only. The trail around lake is well maintained, the leg to Wapta Mountain is rough and long. On hot days bring plenty of water. Beware of storms approaching from the west. Elevation Gain: 1100m to base of Wapta Mountain, but negligible around lake. See the Emerald Basin hike for a description of Emerald Lake. The sediments of the Emerald Alluvial Fan are sourced from glacial debris and rock flows in Emerald Basin. The sediments are carried through a slot canyon and emerge at the top of the Alluvial Fan. During late June and early July the creeks that you cross may be raging torrents filled with sediment. You may find the creeks impassible and the trail closed. The trail has been elevated and simple bridges placed over the creeks. However, alluvial fans are notoriously fickle as the route the creeks take change during each flood. PPP

222 km kmkm

After crossing the Alluvial Fan you’ll start to gain elevation through a series of switchbacks. To your left is a spectacular waterfall sourced from a receding Emerald Glacier. Above the switchbacks the trail WaptaWapta MountainMountain traverses a talus slope comprised of Cambrian Eldon Formation carbonates. The trail enters old growth forest and joins the Wapta Highline Trail. After a short gain in elevation the trail re-emerges in the Emerald Valley. To your left are “the Eldon Cliffs” which show rhythmic bedding, cleavage and fracturing. Far above these cliffs the Eldon Formation is repeated again in the hanging wall of the Wapta Thrust. Centre Right: View of Wapta Mountain from Wapta Highline Trail. From here begin picking your way up to the base of the cliffs. Note the contrast between the brown dolomite and black limestone and the expansion of the dolomite upwards. Bottom: View of Emerald Valley from Wapta Highline Trail. Note Emerald Basin, Emerald Alluvial Fan and Emerald Lake.

34 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 Mount Wapta Eldon Cliffs MountMount WaptaWapta EldonEldon CliCliffffss Mount Wapta Eldon Cliffs

Top Left: The view of Cambrian Eldon Formation carbonates at the “Eldon Cliffs”. Rhythmic beds are cut obliquely by calcite filled fractures and cleavage.Top Right: Vertically oriented dolomite “pipes” or “cones” (brown) cut through the lower portion of the Eldon Formation limestone (grey); upward, dolomite spreads out and becomes stratiform. This dolomite pipe is visible immediately above Walcott’s Quarry – roughly perpendicular to view from Emerald Lake. Geochemical analysis of the dolomites suggest they formed at temperatures in excess of 100ºC (Spencer, 2006). Centre Left; Ribbon bedding; alternating layers of grey lime mudstone and orange argillite.

Dolomite DolomiteDolomite

Dolomite

Limeston LimestonLimestone ee Limeston e

Centre: view is upwards, beneath an overhang at core of dolomite pipe; relatively thin (a few cm) vertical fractures (indicated by arrows) filled with sparry dolomite appear to have fed the dolomitizing fluids upward. The intensity of dolomitization is bed dependant with some beds dolomitized and others not (Centre right), but generally decreases away from these fractures. Distinct beds such as the conglomerate (lower left) can be followed laterally to see the change in dolomite (and chert) intensity in a given bed. The dolomite feathers out into the limestone at the edge (lower right). References • Balkwill, H.R., Price, R.A., Cook, D.G., and Mountjoy, E.W.,1980. GSC Map 1496A; Golden, East Half. • Price, R.A., Cook, D.G., Aitken, J.D., and Mountjoy, E.W.,1980. GSC Map 1483A; Lake Louise West Half. • Spencer, R., 2006. Constraints on the Origin of dolomite in the Middle Cambrian Eldon Formation at Mt. Wapta from Fluid Inclusion and Stable Isotope Data. CSPG- CSEG-CWLS Convention abstract.

RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 35 Rock Shop

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GeoConvention is a geoscience-focused Mark your calendar! annual convention www.geoconvention.com with over 4000 delegates, 100 GeoConvention 2015 is taking place May 4-8, 2015. Our exhibitors, 300 technical program and exhibition floor are at the Telus technical talks, Convention Centre from May 4-6 with the Core Conference networking events being held May 7-8 at the Core Research Centre. and the Core Conference. The Our technical chairs have assembled a strong technical theme this year is program based on our theme Geoscience: New Horizons. Geoscience: New With posters and oral presentations discussing the latest Horizons. Please join technology, business trends and financial impacts of the us as an exhibitor, market, GeoConvention is tremendous opportunity to learn sponsor or attendee what is new and important in the industry while networking to learn from, and with exiting colleagues and new ones to exchange ideas network with a and experiences.

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36 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS FEBRUARY LUNCHEON Webcasts sponsored by

Abstract Geomechanical Fracture and fault observations at different scales reveal dramatic changes in density Controls on Fault and orientation over small relative distances. This variation has previously been explained and Fracture by variable rock properties or variation in the applied stress. The poroelastic strain Distribution with relationship describes the coupling of the elastic properties with the way stresses are Application to distributed and when this is combined with an understanding of the material strength Structural we can also better predict failure which manifests itself as the creation of structural Permeability and elements (faults and fractures). Hydraulic When considering permeability of fractures Stimulation or placement of hydraulic fractures to BIOGRAPHY stimulate production, we are effectively Scott is a geoscientist with 15 years of consulting evaluating failure of the medium. This experience in petroleum geomechanics and SPEAKER presentation looks at the relationship image log services. On completion of his PhD he Scott Mildren between elastic properties, rock strength spent time with Z&S (Asia) Ltd performing stress, Ikon GeoMechanics and stress distribution with the aid of real structural and sedimentological interpretation of world examples, and demonstrates the image log data. Subsequently, he was among 11: 30 am parameters that we need to consider to the academic staff at the Australian School of Thursday, February 5, 2015 better understand geomechanical failure. This Petroleum researching various geomechanical TELUS Convention Centre approach is then considered in the context of issues such as fault and cap rock seal integrity, Rock Shop Exhibition Hall D, North Building various petroleum related applications that fractured reservoirs, wellbore stability and trap Calgary, Alberta include: risk before founding his own geomechanics and image log service company, JRS Petroleum Please note: The cut-off date for ticket sales • predicting permeable fractures; Research. JRS was merged with Ikon Science in is 1:00 pm, three business days before event. 2012 and Scott is now a Senior Vice President (Monday, Feb. 2nd, 2015). CSPG Member Ticket • discriminating natural fractures from of Ikon Geomechanics at Ikon Science based in Price: $45.00 + GST. Non-Member Ticket Price: drilling induced fractures; London. $47.50 + GST. • hydraulic fracture placement and Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA containment, and; PDH credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.cspg.org/eSeries/source/Events/ • explaining variable fracture gradients. index.cfm.

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 02 • FEBRUARY 2015 9

maps . technical illustrations presentations . posters . graphics

elizabeth macey, B.A., cartographer 403.993.0055 [email protected] www3.telus.net/elizabethmacey CSPG University Outreach 2014 Fall Lecture Tour

CORPORATE University Outreach Corner SUPPORTERS Enviro-Tech Surveys Ltd CL Consultants Exova Canada Inc Pulse Seismic Inc Canada Brokerlink Inc. Energy Navigator Golder Associates Nalcor Energy Paramount Resources Belloy Petroleum Consulting EDGE Technologies Compass Directional Services EV Cam Canada Inc. Sigma Explorations Upcoming Events Canacol Energy Ltd. Earth Signal Processing Ltd Explor Student Event Grant Award Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd. Deadline McDaniel & Associates Consultants Ltd. Sproule International Limited March 6 Target Data Ltd. Petrocraft Products Ltd. Dr. Tom Moslow, Lecture Tour Speaker RIGSAT Communications AESRC, Queen’s University Spectrum In late October and early November 2014, Birchcliff Energy Ltd. March 27 - 29 Cabra Enterprises Ltd. Dr. Tom Moslow toured five Universities in Cougar Consultants, Inc. SAExploration Western Canada in conjunction with the Serpa Petroleum Consulting Ltd. CSPG University Outreach Program. Dr. GeoConvention (Visit the National Oilwell Varco Signature Seismic Processing Inc. Moslow, President of Moslow Geoscience University Outreach booth!) Consulting and Adjunct Professor in the Sensor Geophysical Ltd. May 4 - 8 Cossack Land Services Ltd. Department of Geosciences at the University Deloitte Petroleum Services Group EPI Group of Calgary, was hosted by the geoscience FMQ Southern Exploration departments at the University of Regina, GeoChemTech Inc. Andrew Baillie Awards Geotir University of Saskatchewan, University of (Best student poster and oral Hurry Hydrocarbons Calgary, University of Alberta and Simon NExT- A Schlumberger Company presentations) @ Fraser University. A generous number of Petrel Robertson Consulting Ltd. GeoConvention Roke Technologies Ltd. undergraduate students, graduate students Mcleay Geological Consultants Ltd. May 4 - 8 HEF Petrophysical Consulting Inc. and faculty all attended his lecture – Reservoir Caracal Energy Inc. Geology of the Montney Formation, NEBC: A Regent Resources World Class Hydrocarbon Resource Play. Not Bankers Petroleum Ltd. University Pub Night BJV Exploration Partnership only were the attendees exposed to Dr. May 6 SOCO International Moslow’s extensive expertise on the subject, 3e Royalties Bengal Energy they were further acquainted with one of Bounty Developments Ltd. Canada’s pre-eminent hydrocarbon plays and Brasoil Corp. Summer Student Field Trip Bukit Energy its economic impact on Canada’s present July (TBA) Central European Petroleum Ltd and future. The technical presentation was DualEx Energy International Franconia Geoscience designed to offer students aspiring to work in Gran Tierra Energy Inc. the Oil and Gas Industry with the opportunity Graduate Thesis Award International Petroleum Consulting Jenner Geoconsulting Inc. to appreciate the application of geoscience on Deadline Korean National Oil Company a multidisciplinary level to the attainment of Long Reach Resources Ltd. September 15 Lorne LeClerc & Associates economic success within an industry setting. Madison Petrogas Ltd. The Outreach Lecture Tour also provided the Petroamerica opportunity for geoscience students to learn Serinus Energy Remember Sherritt International Corporation about the numerous benefits and privileges of CSPG Student Membership is Skyhawk Exploration membership in the CSPG. Tretio Exploration Ltd. FREE! Valeura Energy A successful University Lecture Tour – with AS OF JANUARY 31, 2015 many thanks to Dr. Tom Moslow for the www.cspg.org benevolent gift of his time and instruction! (click on Students tab)

38 RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 Welcome to your Professional Career Home

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 03 • MARCH 2015 39 ANNUAL GeNeRAL MeetiNG ANd CoNfeReNCe

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