Canadian Publication Mail Contract - 40070050 $3.00

VOLUME 30, ISSUE 10 NOVEMBER 2003

Trends in the Canadian Oil Patch Milk River Gas at Abbey, Saskatchewan Fifteenth Annual CSPG 10Km Road Race, September 10, 2003 ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Memorial Scholarships in Geosciences 2004 CSPG Fall / Winter Conference, Dolomites: The Spectrum – Mechanisms,Models, Reservoir Development Fugro Airborne Surveys flying worldwide

Choosing the right airborne exploration contractor is this easy.

magnetics electromagnetics gravity multispectral/radiometrics value added services

Calgary ph 1 403 777 9280 fax 1 403 777 9289

Houston ph 1 713 369 6100 fax 1 713 369 6110 www. fugroairborne.com www.fugro.com CSPG OFFICE #160, 540 - 5th Avenue SW Calgary,Alberta, Canada T2P 0M2 Tel:403-264-5610 Fax: 403-264-5898 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cspg.org Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm CONTENTS

Business Manager:Tim Howard Email: [email protected] Office Manager: Deanna Watkins Email: [email protected] Communications Manager: Jaimè Croft ARTICLES Email: [email protected] Conventions Manager: Lori Humphrey-Clements Email: [email protected] Corporate Relations Manager: Kim MacLean TRENDS IN THE CANADIAN OIL PATCH ...... 20 Email: [email protected] MILK RIVER GAS AT ABBEY, SASKATCHEWAN ...... 22 FIFTEENTH ANNUAL CSPG 10KM ROAD RACE, SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 ...... 30 EDITORS Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG CONOCOPHILLIPS GLEN RUBY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS office. Submission deadline is the 23th day of the month, two months prior to issue date. IN GEOSCIENCES ...... 32 (i.e., January 23 for the March issue). 2004 CSPG FALL / WINTER CONFERENCE: DOLOMITES: THE SPECTRUM To publish an article, the CSPG requires digital – MECHANISMS, MODELS, RESERVOIR DEVELOPMENT ...... 34 copies of the document. Text should be in Microsoft Word format and illustrations should be in TIFF format at 300 dpi. For additional information on manuscript preparation, refer to the Guidelines for Authors published in the CSPG Bulletin or contact the editor. DEPARTMENTS

COORDINATING EDITOR & OPERATIONS Jaimè Croft CSPG CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP ...... 5 Tel:403-264-5610 Fax: 403-264-5898 EXECUTIVE COMMENT ...... 7 Email: [email protected] TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS ...... 8 TECHNICAL EDITOR Ben McKenzie DIVISION TALKS ...... 12 GEOCAN Energy Inc. 2003/2004 CALENDAR OF EVENTS ...... 18 Tel:403-261-3851 Email: [email protected] JACK PORTER: VIGNETTES OF CANADIAN PETROLEUM GEOLOGY ...... 24

ADVERTISING ROCK SHOP ...... 28 All inquiries regarding advertising and technical specifications should be directed to Kim MacLean. The deadline to reserve advertising space is the 23th day of the month, two months prior to issue date. All advertising artwork should be sent directly to Kim MacLean at the CSPG.

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/August.

Advertisements, as well as inserts, mailed with the publication are paid advertisements. No endorsement or sponsorship by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists is implied.

The CSPG Rock Shop is an attractive and affordable way for advertisers to present their services to the CSPG Readership. Spaces are sold at business card sizes (3.5” wide by 2” high) and will eventually fill an entire Rock Shop page. For more information or to book a space please contact Kim MacLean at 403-264-5610, ext. 205.

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher.

Design & Layout by McAra Printing FRONT COVER Printed in Canada by McAra Printing Ellesmere Island,Nunavut – Looking west toward Eureka Sound from western Ellesmere Island at Upper Jurassic Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are sediments of the Awingak Formation, Sverdrup Basin.The Awingak Formation consists predominantly of sandstone available at the CSPG office for $3.00. with interbedded siltstone and shale in coarsening-upward cycles up to 30 metres thick, representing mainly progradational shelf deposits of varied shallow-marine environments.The island of Axel Heiberg can be seen in the background. Photo by Dario Sodero. 3 Test Drive at www.geographix.com CORPORATE MEMBERS

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS 2004 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THE CSPG GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES ITS *CORPORATE MEMBERS: The Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists takes great pleasure in announcing the Executive Committee for 2004.

ABU DHABI OIL CO., LTD. (JAPAN) PRESIDENT Craig Lamb, Husky Energy Inc. VICE PRESIDENT Jeff Packard, Burlington Resources Canada Energy Inc. ARCHEAN ENERGY LTD. PAST PRESIDENT John Hogg, Encana Corporation BURLINGTON RESOURCES CANADA ENERGY LTD. FINANCE DIRECTOR Pauline Chung, Burlington Resources Canada Energy Inc.

CALPINE CANADA ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR Al Schink, Berland Exploration Ltd. PROGRAM DIRECTOR Lavern Stasiuk, Geological Survey of Canada - Calgary CANADIAN FOREST OIL LTD. ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR Doug Hamilton, Encana Corporation CONOCOPHILLIPS CANADA RESOURCES LIMITED SERVICES DIRECTOR Wayne Dwyer, ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd. ASSISTANT SERVICES DIRECTOR Astrid Arts, ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd. DEVON CANADA CORPORATION COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Ashton Embry, Geological Survey of Canada - Calgary DOMINION EXPLORATION CANADA LTD. The 2004 Executive Committee will take office following the Annual General Meeting at DUVERNAY OIL CORP. the Telus Convention Centre on Thursday, January 8th, 2004. Photos and biographies of the ECL CANADA 2004 Executive will be included in the December Reservoir.

EL PASO OIL & GAS CANADA, INC. If you require further information please contact: Tim Howard, Business Manager, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists HUNT OIL COMPANY OF CANADA, INC. #160, 540-5th Avenue S.W., Calgary,Alberta,T2P 0M2 Ph: 403-264-5610; Fax: 403-264-5898, email: [email protected] HUSKY ENERGY

IHS ENERGY

IMPERIAL OIL RESOURCES LIMITED RIG TIME costs money...CALL LARIO OIL & GAS COMPANY

MJ SYSTEMS

MURPHY OIL COMPANY LTD.

NCE RESOURCES GROUP INC.

NEXEN INC.

NORTHROCK RESOURCES LTD.

PENN WEST PETROLEUM LTD.

PETRO-CANADA OIL AND GAS FOR REEVES WIRELINE PEN OLE ELL OGGING SAMSON CANADA O H W L

SHELL CANADA LIMITED RECON Petrotechnologies Ltd. SPROULE ASSOCIATES LIMITED

SUNCOR ENERGY INC. DISPATCH:

TALISMAN ENERGY INC. (403) 51-RECON

TOTAL E&P CANADA LIMITED 51-73266

UPTON RESOURCES INC. www.reconpetro.com *CORPORATE MEMBERS AS OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 5

EXECUTIVE COMMENT A MESSAGE FROM THE PAST PRESIDENT PRESIDENT John Hogg community by providing membership EnCana Corporation benefits to the various student chapters Tel: 645-2533 Fax: 645-2453 and through lectures by visiting petroleum geoscientists. The Educational [email protected] Trust Fund sponsors the Student Industry VICE PRESIDENT Field Trip every year and introduces more Craig Lamb than 20 of the best and brightest to the Husky Oil Operations Ltd. petroleum business. Most of these Tel:750-1499 students that want summer employment [email protected] can find it. It is those three months of experience that often can set the course PAST PRESIDENT Bruce McIntyre for a burgeoning geologist’s ongoing involvement in petroleum geology. TriQuest Energy Corp. After three years on the CSPG Executive Tel:531-8544 Fax: 531-8569 the time has come for me to make my final [email protected] commentary. Students and graduating geologists often have difficulty finding employment and FINANCE DIRECTOR The Society is in good shape from a acquiring relevant training.They are caught Lisa Griffith financial standpoint, however, I feel that we in the trap of having no related experience GEDCO Tel:303-8698 Fax: 262-8632 are rapidly approaching a membership that most employers look for. Smaller [email protected] crisis as many of us approach retirement companies, I believe, must hire from the age. The membership survey that was university ranks and assume some carried out in October of 2002 showed ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR responsibility for the training and that the average CSPG member is between Pauline Chung mentoring of the next generation of Burlington Resources Canada 45-50 years of age. These members will geoscientists. I have worked for smaller Tel:260-1713 Fax: 260-1160 retire within the next ten years. These [email protected] statistics are not unique to the CSPG – companies for most of my career and have these trends are global. made it a habit of hiring students or recent PROGRAM DIRECTOR graduates to work in these companies. I Elizabeth O’Neil When I graduated from university in the have been involved in the hiring, training, Samson Canada late 1970s, multinationals and large and mentoring of at least a dozen young Tel:231-9904 Fax: 233-0840 independent exploration companies hired geologists. Each one of them proved to be [email protected] recent graduates straight out of university. an asset to the company and, in the final They assumed the responsibility for our analysis, were a net financial benefit to the ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR training and provided us with the Vern Stasiuk experience that continues to guide us in company. These junior geologists typically GSC - Calgary the search for hydrocarbons.The oil patch learn their jobs quickly, are hard-working, Tel:292-7000 is now comprised of a few large companies computer-literate, and add a refreshingly [email protected] and a large number of smaller exploration youthful enthusiasm to the workplace.The and production companies. The larger cost of hiring a student for the summer is SERVICE DIRECTOR companies have absorbed the intermediate- Lisa Sack negligible within the context of most sized companies. Burlington Resources Canada exploration budgets. My experience has Tel:260-1608 Fax: 260-1821 been that the company will get many of The Western Canada Sedimentary basin is [email protected] those cross-sections hung, log tops picked, maturing. Conventional oil and gas exploration is becoming more difficult. In and projects finished that may have been ASSISTANT SERVICE DIRECTOR sitting on the back burner due to lack of Wayne Dwyer general, larger companies are directing ConocoPhillips Canada their efforts towards the exploitation of personnel and hours in the day. Tel:233-3727 Fax: 233-5407 unconventional reserves while smaller [email protected] companies are left to exploit reserves that The next time you get a resume in the mail are found in increasingly smaller pools. or a call from a geology student or recent SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR These pools require more technical input graduate, think back to that time in your Ashton Embry to find and develop. career. Maybe you can find time to provide GSC - Calgary some guidance, encouragement, and Tel:292-7125 Fax: 292-4961 The CSPG is making a concerted effort to [email protected] inform geoscience students throughout perhaps even an employment opportunity. Canada about opportunities in petroleum geology. The revitalized Outreach Program will raise the profile of the CSPG Bruce G. McIntyre within the Canadian University Past President

7 NOVEMBER LUNCHEON

Triassic Ichthyosaurs from The Royal Tyrrell Museum has been The Late Triassic fauna is best known British Columbia - The West collecting and studying fossil marine from the Pardonet Formation, although reptiles from the Triassic of northeastern Coast of Pangea some specimens are found in the British Columbia for the last 12 years.As underlying Baldonel. This fauna is a result, we can now recognize three diverse, with at least five genera of SPEAKER distinct faunas of Triassic marine reptiles ichthyosaurs being represented. The Elizabeth L. Nicholls in the region. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology exceptional abundance of specimens in the Pardonet is consistent with a The Early Triassic (Smithian?) fauna is 11:30 am condensed zone and a slow Thursday, November 13, 2003 found in the Vega Phroso Member of the sedimentation rate. The two most Sulphur Mountain Formation, and abundant taxa are the shastasaurid TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE includes Chaohusaurus and Utatsusaurus. ichthyosaurs Callawayia and Shonisaurus. CALGARY, ALBERTA These are the earliest, most primitive Shonisaursus is the largest marine reptile ichthyosaurs known, and have many on record. A specimen collected by the Please note: transitional features. Prior to our work Tyrrell Museum in 2000 is 23 m long, and The cut-off date for ticket sales is in British Columbia, these genera were larger specimens are known.This puts it 1:00 pm, Monday, November 10th. known only from the Early Triassic of well within the range of the larger Ticket price is $28.00 + GST. China and Japan. The British Columbia baleen whales. specimens are older than the Asian Ichthyosaurs were the first reptiles to forms, and raise interesting questions invade the oceans, appearing in the Early regarding their dispersal. These forms became extinct at the end Triassic, right after the big extinction at of the Triassic, and were replaced by the the Permian-Triassic boundary. Of all The Middle Triassic fauna is much more widespread genus, Ichthyosaurus. marine reptiles, they are the most highly abundant and diverse.This is found in the adapted to the marine environment. Whistler and Llama Members of the BIOGRAPHY Until recently, most of our information Sulphur Mountain Formation (Anisian- Betsy Nicholls received her Ph.D. from the on ichthyosaurs was based on the many Ladinian). In addition to ichthyosaurs, it University of Calgary and has been Curator well preserved specimens from the includes thalattosaurs and sauropterygians. of Marine Reptiles at the Royal Tyrrell Jurassic of Europe. Triassic forms have a The common ichthyosaur genus is Museum since 1990. Her research focuses much poorer fossil record, and their Phalarodon, which is much more advanced on marine reptiles from the Triassic and origin and relationships have remained than the Early Triassic forms. It was well from the Cretaceous Western Interior poorly understood. Recent work in both adapted to the marine environment and, as Seaway. In 2000 she received the Rolex British Columbia and China are shedding a result, it had a world-wide distribution Award for Enterprise for her collection of a light on some of these problems. around the coast of Pangea. giant ichthyosaur from British Columbia.

NOVEMBER LUNCHEON

Geology of the Athabasca Oil Please note: flooding surface marked by a Sands: Current Research, The cut-off date for ticket sales is transgressive surface of erosion. The 1:00 pm, Monday, November 24th. marine mud deposited on this surface New Interpretations, Ticket price is $28.00 + GST. is easily mappable and appears to have Recent Debate been continuous and widespread, acting The last five years have witnessed a as a seal for reservoir fluids. The c/u SPEAKER surge in Athabasca research fueled by units are shoreface parasequences Mike Ranger an acceleration in oil sands possibly related to a wave-dominated Consultant development, as well as contentious gas deltaic system. Their typical facies production issues. succession is easily recognised in core, AUTHOR and they also have a distinctive gamma Murray Gingras In south Athabasca, an obligation to ray signature. Where that signature is University of Alberta demonstrate that gas is isolated from anomalous, the c/u parasequences have bitumen has generated strong interest apparently been eroded. Present debate 11:30 am in upper McMurray stratigraphy. centres on whether that erosion is Thursday, November 27, 2003 Indications of the widespread presence autocyclic within a genetic unit, or of stacked, coarsening-upward (c/u) perhaps is more profound evidence of TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE units, floored by marine mud, have been the presence of unconformities with CALGARY, ALBERTA borne out. The base of a c/u unit is a associated incised valley fills.

8 The middle McMurray can be subdivided into salt solution front. Here the trap was two dominant facies associations: FA1 probably stratigraphic. Delineating this constitutes thick bedsets of megarippled sand northeastern "bulge" has driven recent land containing abundant tidal indicators and a acquisition strategy. marine trace fossil assemblage; FA2 consists of muddy to sandy channel deposits, BIOGRAPHIES dominated by IHS point-bar architecture, Mike Ranger received his B.Sc. from Concordia with a brackish trace fossil fingerprint. The University, Montreal, and M.Sc. from Memorial FA2 IHS units always overlie the FA1 University of Newfoundland in 1979. Employed megarippled units in a close association, yet they are always separated by an erosional or for eight years at Gulf Canada as an exploration abrupt contact. This suggests that middle geologist, he worked on the Canadian Arctic estuary FA2 prograded over outer estuary Islands, Beaufort Sea, and Athabasca Oil Sands. FA1 into a low-accommodation basin, and is He received his Ph.D. from the University of not indicative of an incised valley fill. Alberta in 1993, and has been an independent consultant in Athabasca Oil Sands since 1990. Current speculation is that the McMurray Mike has also developed sedimentological Formation is a succession of prograding deltaic software which is currently in use worldwide. systems, initially tide-dominated (middle McMurray) due to lateral confinement by the Dr. Murray Gingras is an Assistant Professor of paleotopography of the sub-Cretaceous Geology at the University of Alberta. Murray's Unconformity, but evolving to wave- and areas of study include ichnology, sedimentology, storm-dominated (upper McMurray) as the and stratigraphy. His recent research has basin filled and topography became attenuated. focused on developing facies models from The Athabasca trapping mechanism is a modern, marginal-marine, sedimentary broad, low-amplitude anticline, the eastern environments. His aim is to apply derivative arm of which is a structural roll-over caused depositional models to the Alberta subsurface. by dissolution of Devonian salt. North of Murray was previously on faculty at the approximately Twp. 89, bitumen extends University of New Brunswick. He received his considerably farther to the east beyond the Ph.D. from the University of Alberta in 1999.

Finally, an integrated exploration and development tool that is PC-based, rapid, accurate, user intuitive and economical.

Build and Visualize 3D models of reservoirs by using geological, engineering and geophysical data.

Facies modelling, well placement, geosteer- ing and upscaling to flow simulators are only a few of the outstanding capabilities of this software.

1-866-265-8111

SMART4D.COM

For consulting services contact United Oil & Gas Consulting Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta (403) 265-0111 www.uogc.com

9 DECEMBER LUNCHEON

An integrated geological, margin to a slope with relief ranging from characterization and basin analysis for geophysical, and 20 to 60 metres to the St. George's Bay Canadian, US, and International onshore and oceanographic analysis of the seafloor. The embayment is receiving offshore basins. He and his students engaged sediment from barrier washover as well in and published on international petroleum Flat Island coarse-grained as from the Flat Bay River bayhead delta. research including major studies related to barrier complex on the west This barrier is unique in the respect that the Hibernia oil field and the Jeanne d'Arc coast of Newfoundland: a it is prograding into the 60+ metre "deep Basin of the Grand Banks. Dr. Harper new analogy for clastic water" with attendant slump failure, produced the Hydrocarbon Atlas of the submarine canyons and fans, and reservoirs. Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (a 4-D turbidites. The main basin attains depths analysis of hydrocarbon distribution in Alberta, of 100 metres.The coastal lowlands,about SPEAKER British Columbia, and Saskatchewan). His 10 kilometres wide, rise to 300+ metre- John D. Harper most recent activities include work in the high. fluvially dissected highlands. ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd. Mackenzie Delta, the Scotian Shelf and Deep Water, the West Coast of Newfoundland, and AUTHORS Characterization of this complex as a the Grand Banks. Dr. Laurence Davis potential reservoir will be presented in and Dr. John D. Harper the context of defining those criteria Laurence Davis, Ph.D, (Memorial University Fugro Jacques GeoSurveys Inc., St. John’s necessary to recognize a similar of Newfoundland): Presently employed as a and ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd., Calgary environment in the ancient record. senior project geoscientist with Fugro Although this complex occurs in a Jacques GeoSurveys Inc., St. John’s, 11:30 am storm-driven high energy, mid-latitude specializing in offshore 2D and 3D Tuesday, December 9, 2003 setting sheltered from the open ocean, it geohazard assessment and related marine should not be interpreted that this geoscience investigations. He was TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE setting is the only place where one might CALGARY, ALBERTA previously affiliated with the Centre for Cold expect such a complex to occur. With Ocean Resources Engineering (C-C0RE), Please note: the proper combination of sea level rise, Memorial University, where he was a The cut-off date for ticket sales tectonic movement, sediment source project manager and research scientist is Wednesday, December 3rd. and supply, topographies/bathymetries, involved in a joint industry-government Ticket price is $28.00 + GST. and climatic conditions such a complex funded Marine Minerals Research Program. could have occurred in many places His recently completed doctoral research Analogies of high-energy, coarse-grained, throughout time. involved a multi-disciplinary investigation of boulder to pebble-grained coastal sands a modern coarse-grained barrier system are few in the published literature yet The barrier has been studied using and its application to the interpretation of coarse-grained sediments are a common shallow seismic, multi-beam sonar, analogous ancient systems. occurrence in the geologic record. Many seabed video transects, seabed grab of these ancient deposits have economic sampling, offshore wave and current significance in terms of the occurrence of measurements, 17 drill core, aerial Old Mother oil and gas. Western Canadian examples imagery covering a span of several years, include the Falher, Belly River,Viking, and and pit and trench sampling. Hubbard? Cardium reservoirs. This study of the modern Flat Island Barrier Complex in This presentation will provide an CORRECTION: St. George's Bay,Western Newfoundland, overview of the complex from the basin In the May issue of the CSPG’s illustrates many significant aspects for floor to the bayhead delta. It will Reservoir, we paraphrased the interpretation to be encountered in such illustrate the nature of the facies following quotation, "Oil is coarse-grained sediments, which are interrelationships, considerations of sea- found in the minds of men (and directly applicable to these western level change, and implications for ancient women)" and mistakenly Canadian reservoirs. In addition, the reservoir analogies. attributed it to Hubbard. Jim Lee significance of isostatic rebound in and Eric Dahlberg were quick to combination with continuous sea level BIOGRAPHIES let us know that it was actually rise and sediment supply volume is well John D. Harper, PhD, P. Geol., FGSA, FGAC: Wallace Pratt who stated it in the documented, thereby providing insight Presently employed with ConocoPhillips AAPG Bulletin article, "Toward into relative sea level change and Canada Ltd.; Retired Full Professor, Petroleum a Philosophy of Oil Finding". implications for sequence stratigraphy. Geology, and the first Director of the Centre for Earth Resources Research at Memorial The end result...The only The Flat Island Barrier Complex consists University of Newfoundland to Jan 1, 1998, Hubbard is in an old nursery of the main barrier of 12 km length which and most recently Adjunct Professor; formerly rhyme. Certainly, Old Mother separates a three-kilometre-wide with Shell Development, Shell Oil, Shell Hubbard didn't find "oil in the embayment, open to the northeast, from Canada, and Trend Exploration. He has minds of men"...or even a bone a one-kilometre-wide shoreface platform. operational, management, and research for that matter! The platform breaks at its 25-metre-deep credentials over the past 34 years in reservoir

10

EMERGING PETROLEUM RESOURCES DIVISION

Numerical Study of Gas potential and economic viability of a production from formations containing Production from Hydrate recovery process. gas hydrates is analyzed using the results Reservoirs of the sensitivity study. This talk presents a 2-D cylindrical SPEAKER simulator for gas production from hydrate BIOGRAPHY Mehran Pooladi-Darvish reservoirs. The model includes the Mehran Pooladi-Darvish is an associate University of Calgary equations of gas-water two-phase flow, professor of petroleum engineering at the conductive and convective heat transfer, University of Calgary where he teaches 12:00 Noon and intrinsic kinetics of hydrate Reservoir Engineering and Well Testing Wednesday, November 12, 2003 decomposition. The simulator is used to courses. He is the winner of the “Best Paper model a hydrate reservoir where the published in JCPT 2000 award” and he has +30 (3rd floor) ConocoPhillips hydrate-bearing layer overlies a free gas appeared as an expert witness in Energy Conference Centre (inside Sunterra zone. A well is drilled and completed in the Board hearings on Gas over Bitumen. Market), Gulf Canada Square, free gas zone. Pressure reduction in the Mehran received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in 401 - 9th Avenue SW. free gas zone leads to the decomposition Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from Calgary, Alberta of the overlying hydrate and subsequent Iran. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Petroleum production of the generated gas. Engineering from the University of Alberta. Gas hydrates as a significant resource of He is a member of the petroleum society of natural gas have attracted considerable In this talk we investigate the effect of CIM, SPE,APEGGA, and CSChE. attention in recent years. However, the various parameters on gas production severe environmental conditions of gas behavior. In particular, these parameters INFORMATION hydrate reservoirs and the solid form of relate to formation properties, operating All luncheon talks are free – please bring hydrates require extensive technological conditions, kinetic parameters, etc. The your own lunch. If you would like more development and expertise before cumulative gas generated and produced, information about future EPRD activities, commercial gas production becomes pressure, temperature, and saturation please join our e-mail distribution list by possible. Numerical studies often give distributions are studied for the sending a messages with the title “EPRD useful information for predicting the different conditions. The potential of gas list” to [email protected].

HYDROGEOLOGY DIVISION

Shallow coal, mixed coal- demand for natural-gas supplies fluoride may exceed environmental sandstone, and sandstone- continues to increase. One such guideline values.The d18O, d2H and d11B aquifer water chemistry unconventional gas resource receiving data suggest that complex mixing more and more attention is natural gas in Alberta relationships between meteoric water from coal (NGC). Since exploration and and formation water exist. Isotopes of development for NGC within Alberta SPEAKER C and S indicate that the water are just beginning, little hydrogeological Tony Lemay chemistry is being modified by the information is publically available upon Alberta Geological Survey, presence of microorganisms. Certain which to base exploration, development, Alberta Energy and Utilities Board samples contained dissolved gases. and regulatory strategies. With this in Water isotopic signatures suggest that mind, the Alberta Geological Survey 12:00 Noon the gases are possibly biogenic in origin. Friday, November 21, 2003 undertook a groundwater-sampling program of shallow coal-bearing units INFORMATION Encana Amphitheatre within the Alberta Plains region. 2nd Floor, east end of the Intervals targeted included the Paskapoo- The luncheon talks are free and open to the Calgary Tower Complex Scollard Formations, Horseshoe Canyon public. Please bring your lunch. 1st St. and 9th Avenue S.E. Formation, and Belly River Group. Refreshments are provided by Norwest Calgary, Alberta Laboratories and Encana. For further The data indicate that certain water information or to present a talk, please Unconventional gas resources are quality parameters such as TDS, SAR, contact Stephen Grasby at (403) 292- becoming increasingly important as sodium, chromium, boron, sulphate, and 7111 or [email protected].

12

PALAEONTOLOGY DIVISION

Late Pleistocene Glacial Lake McConnell was impacted by a Valley morphology and sediment in the Lakes McConnell and major flood from glacial Lake Agassiz Fort McMurray region of Alberta indicate Mackenzie and the with a peak discharge of 2-7 x106m3/s. that a catastrophic flood discharged down Northwest outlet flood Flood water discharged from glacial the lower Clearwater and Athabasca river from Glacial Lake Agassiz: Lake McConnell, peaking at 0.35-0.57 valleys 9.9 ka BP. Geomorphic and Their paleo environments in x106m3/s, and receding flow continued chronologic evidence suggests that glacial Northeast Alberta and the for 30 months. The massive influx of Northwest Territories. Lake Agassiz (Emerson Phase) was the floodwater into glacial Lake McConnell probable water source. As the flood SPEAKER caused an abrupt increase of discharge incised a drainage divide located near the Dr Derald Smith which enlarged the outlet channel to Earth Science Program, Alberta-Saskatchewan border, the level of University of Calgary between 6 and 13 km wide between glacial Lake Agassiz decreased by 46 m, Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River. At discharging 2.4 x 106 m3/s for at least 78 7:30 PM 8.3 ka BP isostatic rebound ended the Friday, November 21, 2003 days and stabilized at 438 m above sea 3,500-year-old extensive lake, by level in the Lake Wasekamio area. Water Mount Royal College, Room B108 dividing it into the Great Slave Lake and at this time entered the Arctic Ocean via 4825 Richard Road S.W. Lake Athabasca. Calgary, Alberta glacial Lake McConnell and the Mackenzie River rather than the Gulf of Mexico via Glacial Lake Mackenzie, located in the Glacial Lake McConnell lasted from 11.8 the Mississippi River, as previously middle reach of the Mackenzie Valley, to 8.3 ka BP (Thousand Years Before thought. Such a large influx of fresh water Present) while occupying parts of the extended 800 km as a long narrow lake (8.6 km3) into the Arctic at the close of Great Bear, Great Slave, and Athabasca between the Rabbitskin River, 50 km the last glaciation may have had an abrupt, Lake basins. The retreating Laurentide east of Fort Simpson, and the Ramparts major influence on northern climate. ice-front formed the eastern margin, cliffs near Fort Good Hope; part of the whereas low rolling hills formed the lake extended an additional 75 km west BIOGRAPHY north, west, and south shorelines. Three from the Ramparts. The lake averaged Derald Smith received his BA and M.Sc. major deltas formed at the mouths of 15 km in width, but broadened to 75 km degrees from the University of Montana in the Liard, Peace, and Athabasca rivers. in the northern sector and 50 km near 1965 and 1966, respectively. He received Total extent of all phases of the lake was Fort Norman, and narrowed to five km his Ph.D. degree from the Johns Hopkins 240,000 km2, while the largest single near Wrigley. The depth was at least 80 University in 1973. Dr. Smith has been extent at 10.5 ka BP was 210,000 km2. m in the Fort Norman region and 60 m teaching at the University of Calgary since Downwarping of the basin by glacial ice near Wrigley. Radiocarbon ages suggest 1971, and presently, is Professor of was the main cause of the lake, whereas that the lake had formed in the Geography and Director of the Earth sediment blockage between Jean Marie northwest by 11.8 ka BP, and that the Science Program. River and Fort Simpson was secondary. last phase of the lake occurred in the south near Camsell Bend no later than Initially,glacial Lake McConnell occupied 10.3 ka BP. The lake formed as a result INFORMATION the northwest corner (Smith Arm) of of a bedrock (limestone) barrier at the This event is jointly presented by the the Great Bear Lake basin and Ramparts near Fort Good Hope and Alberta Palaeontological Society, Mount discharged through the Hare Indian glacial depression of the basin. The Royal College and the CSPG Paleontology River outlet. By 11.5 ka BP the enlarged demise of the lake is ascribed to outlet Division. For information or to present a water body flowed out the Great Bear incision into the limestone barrier, talk in the future, please contact CSPG River, but only for a short period of sediment filling, and isostatic rebound. Paleo Divison Head Philip Benham at 403- time. The Mackenzie River formed the Differential postglacial rebound raised 691-3343 or [email protected]. third outlet near Jean Marie River at 11 the Fort Simpson region at least 97 m Visit the APS website for confirmation of ka BP, and flow in the Great Bear River higher than the Ramparts over the past event times and upcoming speakers: ceased until 9 ka BP. At 9.9 ka BP glacial 11,500 years. http://www.albertapaleo.org/

14 Superior Wellbore Data for Western Canada and the Frontier Areas Always Available... Always Accessible

...... throughthrough thethe followingfollowing comprehensivecomprehensive mapmap basedbased software solutions:

Open System Solutions

QByte Services Ltd. INTERNATIONAL Petro-LAB™ PETRODATA LIMITED Decision Technology Corp. Quick Select Schlumberger Information Solutions PetroDesk™ internationalinternational DatashareDatashare corporationcorporation GEOcarta™ (Capture)(Capture)

Packaged System Solutions

IHSIHS AccuMapAccuMap AccuMap™ Accu-X™ geoLOGIC systems ltd. geoSCOUT™

Web Browser Solutions Make Your Decisions With a Higher Degree of CONFIDENCE Geo Webworks Inc. Geo Webworks Petroleum Place DataMap™ ProductProduct LineLine Veritas GeoServices GOLD SSPKSSPK

THE PETRODATA FILE BSLD Since 1963, the industry's only database that is created fromfrom originaloriginal sourcesource documents;documents; thethe resultresult isis thethe most accurate, complete and consistent database available today. MNVL General Well Data Formation Tops (correlated by IPL) GLCC Fluid Analyses (oil, gas, water) Core Analyses OCDZOCDZ Directional Surveys Production/Injection ELRLELRL Gas Well AOFP Oil Well BHP Reserves TIMETIME -- YourYour MostMost Valuable Resource TRVLTRVL SpendSpend LessLess TimeTime VerifyingVerifying Data and More Time InterpretingInterpreting && AnalyzingAnalyzing RESULTS!RESULTS!

Project Based and Special Application Business Partners

Auto-trol Technology (Canada) Ltd.-GEOSTATIONTM, COGNICASE-Interest Well-Landman-Preview, Divestco.com Inc.-MapQ-Oil Expert (OeX), geoPLUS Corporation-PETRA®, Landmark Graphics Corporation-GeoGraphix DiscoveryTM-OpenWorks®-OpenExplorerTM, LogTech Canada Ltd.- LOGarcTM, MJ Systems-LogSleuth, Paddock Lindstrom & Associates Ltd.-MOSAIC Integration, Petro-Soft Systems Ltd.-P/Z-DECPRO-ERGO- Phoenix Reserves, petroWEB Inc.-petroWEB MAP, Rakhit Petroleum Consulting Ltd.-HydroStation™, Schlumberger Information Solutions- Finder-GeoFrame-IndigoPool, Wellpoint Systems Inc.-Max•Well

1600, 505 - 3rd Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3E6 Telephone: (403) 263-7810 Fax: (403) 290-1002 Web: www.petrodata.com Email: [email protected] SEDIMENTOLOGY DIVISION

Early Palaeozoic It has long been recognised that the geologists studying early Palaeozoic and siliciclastic sedimentology: absence of extensive, megascopic plant older strata, whether from an academic The present is not quite cover on land prior to the Devonian led or industrial perspective. the key to the past to an overwhelming dominance of braided channel styles in pre-Devonian BIOGRAPHY SPEAKER fluvial systems. More recent workers Rob MacNaughton is a Research Scientist at Robert B. MacNaughton have documented the immense scale of the Geological Survey of Canada’s Calgary Geological Survey of Canada (Calgary) pre-Devonian braidplains and the effect office. He received a B.Sc. (Honours) in Natural Resources Canada of enhanced wind action on the geology from the University of New continental-scale distribution of shale. Brunswick in 1990 and a Ph.D. in 12:00 Noon, Additionally, increased understanding of sedimentary geology and palaeontology Monday November 24, 2003 the evolving environmental distribution of from Queen’s University in 1998. Before Encana Amphitheatre trace fossils during the early Palaeozoic joining the GSC in 2000, he spent two years 2nd Floor, east end of the has implications for reservoir quality and as a postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s Calgary Tower Complex for palaeoenvironmental interpretations. University. His current duties at the GSC 1st St. and 9th Avenue S.E. A very recent development is the centre around regional mapping and Calgary, Alberta realisation of the subtle but important stratigraphic studies in northern British roles played by microbial mats and Columbia and along the Mackenzie corridor. Throughout Earth’s history, sedimentary biofilms in many ancient siliciclastic Although much of his work deals with environments have been strongly depositional systems. Neoproterozoic and Cambrian stratigraphy, influenced by developments in the he has also worked in the Triassic and evolving biosphere. Although physical This presentation will review these Jurassic and is active in trace-fossil research. sedimentary processes have presumably factors, drawing primarily on changed little, if any, over time, their illustrations from the author’s work in INFORMATION expression can be strongly influenced by Neoproterozoic-Cambrian strata of Talks are free – don’t forget to bring biotic factors. For this reason, the older northwestern Canada and in the your lunch! a succession of strata is, the less likely it Cambrian of the central and eastern is to conform fully to models based on North American craton. Inasmuch as For more information about this talk, or Recent sedimentary systems. This such factors influence the distribution, about presenting a talk, please call Scott phenomenon is particularly important in geometry, and internal characteristics of Leroux at (403) 645-2419, (email: early Palaeozoic and older strata. lithofacies, they should be considered by [email protected]).

WATER RESOURCES & ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

MARCH 19 - 20, 2004 RADISSON HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTRE, CANMORE, ALBERTA Abstract Submission Deadline: December 10, 2003 Registration Opens On-Line Monday, January 5, 2004

For more information visit: www.cspg.org or contact the CSPG Office at 264-5610

16 STRUCTURAL DIVISION: CONFERENCE AND FIELD TRIP

personal contributions to their careers and lives as well as the discipline. Topics that will be highlighted include:

• structural processes and evolution of orogenic belts • structural traps associated with oil and gas • relationship between metamorphism and deformation • plutonism and orogenesis • structural and tectonic links between forelands and core zones of orogenic belts Structure Group Field Trip to Highwood Pass, September 6, 2003 - Despite the steep walk up the ridge, everyone made it to the top for an overview of the transverse faults in the hangwall of the Lewis and Rundle thrust sheets. The hot and dry weather was a bonus and we spent over an hour picking out the large number of WHERE: University of Calgary, faults visible in the carbonates of the Livingstone and Mt. Head formations. Unfortunately we did not have time Calgary,Alberta, Canada to cross the valley and view the faults up close.We'll do that next year! Deborah Sanderson, field trip leader.

Back row L to R: Thomas Kubli, Bob Gunn, Walter Andreeff, Greg Dyble, Patrick Stinson, Larry Barkley, Tim WHEN: June 17-20, 2004 Hartel,Tom Sneddon, Glen Stockmal, George Thomson. (talks and poster presentations) Front Row L to R: Kevin Brown, Deborah Sanderson, Jean Chatellier,George Ardies, Phil Simony, Geof Say, Kevin Root,Tom Nguyen (not in picture) June 20-23 (field trip from Calgary,Alberta to Dr. Philip Simony recently retired from a long From Forelands to Core Zones: Castlegar, British Columbia) led by and illustrious career in the Department of Deformation and Tectonic P.S. Simony and S. D. Carr Evolution of Orogenic Belts Geology and Geophysics at the University of Calgary. His 30 years of field research in CONFERENCE WEBSITE: A conference and field trip in structural geology and tectonics in the honour of Dr. Philip Simony Canadian Cordillera has resulted in an www.geo.ucalgary.ca/simony.htm enduring scientific legacy based on CONFERENCE meticulous field observations, rigorous Official registration for the conference and in Calgary,Alberta analyses, and insightful interpretations. Dr. abstract submission will begin in October June 17-20, 2004 Simony has also worked collaboratively with 2003. For more information email or contact the Calgary petroleum industry by leading Dr. Leslie Reid at the Department of Geology industry field trips in the Canadian Cordillera FIELD TRIP and conducting field-based research in the and Geophysics,University of Calgary through: from Calgary,Alberta Foreland Fold and Thrust Belt. The aim of the to Castlegar, British Columbia conference is to allow his many students, Email: [email protected] (Valhalla Complex) colleagues, and geological admirers to show Phone: 403-220-7405 June 20-23, 2004 their appreciation for Phil’s scientific and Fax: 403-284-0074

17 2003/2004 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DATE: November 2-4, 2003 DATE: January 13-15, 2004 EVENT: Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association, "Joint EVENT: Dolomites:The Spectrum - Mechanisms, Models, Ventures, Joint Rewards:The Resource Industry and Reservoir Development - 3-Day Seminar and Core Aboriginal Economic Development", 11th Annual Conference (A CSPG Seminar) Conference LOCATION: Calgary,Alberta LOCATION: Halifax, Nova Scotia INFORMATION: ONE-DAY SEMINAR INFORMATION: For more information contact: Ann Osler Invited speakers for the seminar are: Lawrence The Forum Group for the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Hardie,The Johns Hopkins University (keynote*); Association, 55 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 125A, Dave Morrow, Geological Survey of Canada;Taury Toronto, ON M4V 2Y7,Tel:416-925-0866 / 1-800-443- Smith, New York State Reservoir Group; Fiona 6452, Fax: 416-925-1709, Email: [email protected] or Whittaker, University of Bristol; Noel James and visit www.canadaforum.com Kurtis Keyser, Queen's University; Jack Wendte, Geological Survey of Canada *2002/3 Pettijohn Medallist DATE: November 26-27, 2003 CORE CONFERENCE EVENT: Conference Board of Canada,The Exploration It is anticipated that there will be 25 core/sample/poster Management Forum presentations of dolomite case histories, ranging from LOCATION: The Westin Hotel, Calgary,Alberta the Cambrian Cathedral Fm. to the Triassic Baldonnel INFORMATION: This event will look at the challenges of generating Fm.The Ordovician (Red River) and Silurian (Interlake) innovative and successful exploration prospects in a will be on display and the Devonian and Mississippian maturing Western Canada Sedimentary Basin with a will be thoroughly represented.The organizers have demographically aging geoscience workforce. It is an attempted to solicit examples that encompass the opportunity to exchange new ideas with industry spectrum of dolomitization models.All presentations peers on how to develop best practices for managing will remain available for viewing for the two days of the exploration process. For more information visit the conference. http://www.conferenceboard.ca/conf/nov03/exploration REGISTRATION: Online only, available December /overview.htm 1st, 2003, for both Seminar and Core Conference, or either event: Cap 250 registrants. Fees:TBA.Watch the Reservoir and website for more details. Porosity Type and Distribution Controls Permeability What Permeability Can You Expect? Let the experts at GR Petrology advise you.

Intergranular Dominated Pore System 14.4% Porosity 253 md Permeability

Grain Mold Dominated Microporosity Dominated Pore System Pore System 14.9% Porosity 14.2% Porosity 2.10 md Permeability 0.50 md Permeability

The Power of Interpretive Petrology Tel: 403-291-3420 Fax: 403-250-7212 Email: [email protected] Suite 8, 1323 44 Ave. NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 6L5

18 PETROLEUM

DATE: March 19-20, 2004 INDUSTRY EVENT: Water Resources & Energy Development - William C. Gussow Geoscience Conference (A CSPG Seminar) LOCATION: Raddison Hotel, Canmore,Alberta COURSES INFORMATION: SESSIONS: Water resources for petroleum exploration and production (Dr. Kevin Parks,Alberta Geological Survey - Chair); Resources for waterfloods, steam GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN generation, etc. CANADIAN SEDIMENTARY BASIN Resource Conflict (Dave McGee,Alberta Date: November 18, 19, & 20, 2003 Environment - Chair): Industrial impacts on surface Cost: $1284 incl. GST and shallow groundwater resources. Instructor: Bill Ayrton Handling and disposal of produced water (Dr. Ideal for those who wish to improve their Ian Hutcheon, University of Calgary - Chair); Coalbed geological understanding of where and how we Methane waters, co-produced freshwaters from look for oil and gas fields in Western Canada. shallow gas, SAGD produced water, treatment and • To visualize what Western Canada looked like compatibility, disposal of acid gases into aquifers, etc. throughout the stages of history, for example, KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: the position of the sea versus land, what Dr. Marios Sophocleous, Kansas Geological Survey sediments were deposited, and what type of Dr. Bill Gunter,Alberta Research Council life that existed and evolved. Dr. David Percy, Dean of Law, University of Alberta • To review the importance of each major CALL FOR POSTERS: stratigraphic unit, i.e. Devonian, Mississippian, Oral talks will be by invitation only. However w Cretaceous, etc. delegates are welcome to submit abstracts for poster e • Discuss the geological and seismic expression N rse presentations pertaining to the subject of the three ou of typical oil and gas fields in each unit. main themes of the conference. Deadline for abstract C submission is December 10, 2003. For more UNDERSTANDING OIL & GAS MAPS, Understanding Oil and Gas information, registration, and electronic submission of CROSS-SECTIONS & ILLUSTRATIONS Maps, Cross-Sections & Illustrations abstracts contact Lori Humphrey-Clements at (403) Date: December 2 & 3, 2003

Zero Edge of 264-5610, Ext. 202 or email to [email protected]. Cost: $856 incl. GST Sandstone 10 20 Instructor: Bill Ayrton 30 40 Sandstone is Water-Wet 50 Below G/W Line Since we show our ideas, our prospects, our oil and Recommended Land To Post DATE: April 18-21, 2004 gas fields, etc., primarily on maps and cross-sections, EVENT: AAPG Annual Convention this course is important to those working in the oil LOCATION: Dallas,Texas and gas industry who prepare, use or review this INFORMATION: For more information visit www.aapg.org information. Exploration technicians, technical staff new to the oil patch, the management and financial Course Presented By: W.G. (Bill) Ayrton personnel who evaluate our "show and tells" and DATE: May 10-13, 2004 recommendations will find this useful. We will: EVENT: 2004 CSEG National Convention • Review concepts incorporated into maps and cross-sections. Theme: Great Explorations – Canada and Beyond • Examine different types of maps and cross-sections used to identify oil and LOCATION: Calgary,Alberta gas traps and the significance of each. INFORMATION: For more information visit www.csegconvention.org • Complete hands-on mapping exercises. WHO SHOULD ATTEND DATE: May 31 - June 4, 2004 New geologists, engineers, geophysicists and landmen, as well as EVENT: I.C.E. 2004 - Innovation, Collaboration and students entering the industry for the first time, will find the courses a Exploitation, CSPG - CHOA - CWLS Joint Convention very beneficial introduction to the petroleum industry. These courses LOCATION: Round-Up Centre, Calgary,Alberta will be extremely useful to nonprofessional and support staff in the oil INFORMATION: For more information watch the Reservoir and CSPG website. and gas industry, as well as accountants, lawyers, brokerage and financial personnel working primarily alongside the oil and gas industry. TO REGISTER To request a brochure, to register, or to obtain additional information Please visit www.cspg.org regarding in-house and upcoming courses contact: Ayrton Exploration Consulting Ltd. to download or print Tel: (403) 262-5440 Email: [email protected] the monthly version of the Or visit our website: www.ayrtonexploration.com calendar of events.

19 TRENDS IN THE CANADIAN OIL PATCH BY DAVE RUSSUM

The National Energy Board (NEB) recently that showed production peaking at 22 bcf/d case from “The Cow and the Ostrich”, Dave published a new forecast of Canada’s Energy in 2013 (Case 1).The difference between the Russum, June 2003 (www.geohelp.ab.ca). Future (July 2003). The report covers all various projections is nearly half the supply These assessments do not include the loss of sources of energy and uses a ‘scenario’ when we look 12 years into the future! up to 250 mmcf/d from the potential shut-in approach to suggest possible future trends.The of gas overlying the Athabasca tarsands. I two scenarios addressed are:Techno-Vert (TV) The Canadian Energy Research Institute has believe even the realistic case will require an – emphasizing rapid technological development recently published a new report (Potential extraordinary effort by the geoscience and environmental action, and Supply Push (SP) Supply and Costs of Natural Gas in Canada, community – this is our challenge. – emphasizing the push to develop known June 2003).Their predictions are very bullish conventional resources. Their data for natural (similar to the NEB 1999 study). Clearly, To be continued . . . gas from the WCSB has been extracted from recent results make their forecast suspect. the report to create Figure 1 (brown lines).The BIOGRAPHY NEB admits that these scenarios are not An unknown author commented “Predictions Dave Russum has spent more than 25 years predictions but are “intended to challenge and are fraught with danger especially when they exploring for hydrocarbons. He recently broaden our thinking about the range of pertain to the future". However, politicians, completed an exhaustive study of Canada’s possible outcomes in an uncertain world”. planners, this industry, and the general future gas supply and demand. He has developed population rely on the various agencies to some unique approaches to both shorten the I believe the ‘scenarios’ are closer to reality provide reasonably accurate forecasts to timeframe and improve the results of exploration than the previous forecasts. However, it is determine Canada’s future supply, internal activities. More information can be found at disconcerting to see how radically they differ needs, and exports. Unrealistic forecasts are a www.geohelp.ab.ca. from the NEB’s 1999 forecast of production disservice to Canadians that could potentially over the same time period (Figure 1 - red jeopardize our economic future. INFORMATION lines, from: Canadian Energy Supply and This is part of a series of snapshots of the demand to 2025). Note that the new report For the record, I include on the graph (blue Canadian industry designed to provide up-to-date supports the conclusion that gas production lines) my ‘realistic’ case from “Running out of information and give possible insights into the in the WCSB has peaked and will start to Gas – the need for more and better future of oil and gas exploration. Comments are show significant decline by the end of the exploration”, Dave Russum, February 2003 strictly the views of the author; however, your decade.This compares with the 1999 report (www.cspg.ca/recorder) and an ‘optimistic’ feedback is encouraged ([email protected]).

25 NEB Estimate of 2010 Production reduced by 7 Bcf/d

20

15

10 NEB 1999 Case 1 NEB 1999 Case 2 NEB 2003 TV (Final) 5 Predicted Gas Production (Bcf/d) NEB 2003 SP (Final) Geo-Help (Optimistic) Geo-Help (Realistic) 0 2003 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Figure 1. Future predictions of WCSB Gas Production. 20 Vacation? Hideout?

Choosing the right printer makes a big difference. 105, 2507 - 12th Street N.E. Calgary,Alberta T2E 7L5 (403) 250-9510 www.mcara.com Be Sure. Make it McAra MILK RIVER GAS AT ABBEY, SASKATCHEWAN

The discovery of a large, shallow, unconventional gas reservoir in southwestern Saskatchewan resulted in a notable boost in that province’s activity in 2002. The Abbey area (Figure 1) is expected to produce 0.5 tcf of gas from the Alderson Member of the Cretaceous Milk River Formation.

Renaissance Energy made the initial discovery in November 1999 with a well at Abbey 1-19-21-19W3. That well was perforated in the Milk River and listed as a potential gas well.Within the next few months, a new start-up company, Profico Energy Management, began its own exploration project to the north of Abbey at Lacadena.The first Profico well, a NFW at 7-14-23-18W3, was completed as a potential dual-zone Second White Specks and Milk River gas well.The Lacadena area has since proven to be a core area for Profico. Renaissance followed Profico to the Figure 1. Milk River Completions in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Wells licensed since January 2000 in red). north in April 2000 when it purchased 74.5 sections in T22-23,R16-17W3 for a total bonus of $1,511,807. Land activity in the Abbey / Lacadena area began to heat up with the February 5, 2002 provincial land sale when $4.6 million was paid for 22,700 hectares at an average price of $202/ha. That sale was also the point at which Cavell Energy came onto the scene. Cavell purchased over 12,000 hectares of land in the Cabri area, south of Husky Energy (which had by this time taken over Renaissance) and Profico’s activity at Abbey / Lacadena. Sales in the area remained strong through 2002, with the biggest sale for that year occurring on August 13th when operators and agents paid a total of $18.5 million for 38,675 hectares in 60 parcels at an average price of $480/ha. In 2003, the area continues to attract land sale attention in what appears to be a regional extension of the play along

trend (Figure 2). Figure 2. Paleogeography of the Milk River Formation (Modified After: Natural Gas Potential Report in Canada 1997 and the Geological Atlas of Western Canada). To date, the Milk River has produced over eight tcf of gas from 40,000

22 completions in Western Canada. This Abbey / Lacadena shallow gas play. At In a recent shareholder report, Husky total is somewhat skewed as the Milk Abbey, 183 wells operated by Husky, indicated that, as of June 2003, the River is often completed with other Profico, and Cavell have flowed 10.2 bcf company had 140 wells on stream and zones of the Colorado Group. The of Milk River gas since the first well was 50 wells in the process of being tied-in. Medicine Hat, First White Specks, and placed on production in June 2002. At Second quarter 2003 sales volume Second White Specks zones are typically last report, total daily gas production at averaged 40 mmcf/d, and 40 more wells completed along with the Milk River.This Abbey was up to 59 mmcf/d or 322 were to be drilled in the third quarter. makes a true statistical analysis of any mcf/d per well. The Lacadena results, Husky predicts reserves of 250 bcf of gas specific zone rather difficult. Average while not as impressive, are still for its 250,000 acres (0.6 bcf/section) initial gas production (as calculated from promising. Eighty-seven wells in the following successful area development. a population of 2,755 single and multi- Lacadena and Lacadena South Milk River zone wells that were drilled between gas pools have produced a total of 2.8 The Milk River Formation forms a 1995 and 2000) from the Milk River is bcf of gas since the first 24 wells came northeasterly tapering clastic wedge that approximately 110 mcf/d. on stream in September 2002. The extends across southern Alberta and combined rate for those wells (operated southwestern Saskatchewan (Figure 2). Recent production data (May 2003) by Husky and Profico) in May 2003 was support the economic viability of the 18 mmcf/d or 211 mcf/d per well. Continued on Page 36 . . .

New Reggiional Study of the Mackenzie Delta

If you need an accurate database for your evaluation of the Mackenzie Delta then the AOA QuickStudy™ will get you off to a great start.

This study, consisting of high quality data, comprises 12 regional maps covering the entire delta as listed below. The deliverables include paper maps, digital GIS files to suit your format, and a PowerPoint Presentation for just US $7,500.

AOA Mackenzie Delta QuickStudy™ * Terrain * Gravity Station Location * Bouguer Gravity * 1st Vertical Derivative of Bouguer Gravity * 75 km High Passed Bouguer Gravity * 200 km High Passed Bouguer Gravity * Total Field Magnetic Intensity * 1st Vertical Deriv. of Total Field Magentic Intensity * 1st Residual of Total Field Magnetic Intensity * 2nd Residual of Total Field Magnetic Intensity * Reduced to the Pole Magnetics * Sediment Thickness

The study is complete and ready for purchase. For more details or to order this product contact: [email protected] Tel: 00 44 (0) 1252 615254 Mobile: 00 44 (0) 7989 542883

23 JACK PORTER- VIGNETTES OF CANADIAN PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Continued from the October Reservoir

The Extraordinary Odyssey of A side trip was conducted on the 26th of south of the discharge of Slave River into R. G. McConnell August by ascending Salt River, a small Great Slave Lake, was established by the tributary, located on the left bank of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1815. It was, prior In a letter to George Dawson dated August Slave, some eight miles below Bell’s Rock. to its union with the North West Company 23, 1887 from Fort Smith, Richard McConnell After a twenty-mile ascent of Salt River, in 1821, at the vanguard of the Bay’s activities states: “I am making arrangements to stay at McConnell and his two assistants arrived at in the northwest where the North West Fort Providence, as it is a good locality for the salt springs. In describing their environs, Company had enjoyed a trading monopoly in fish, and one will always have something to fall he notes that: “They are situated near the the Mackenzie River district for the previous back upon. It is, besides, below Slave Lake, the base of the ridge mentioned above, are three 29 years. ice on which is the great impediment to or four in number, and are surrounded for getting down the Mackenzie early. I am going some hundreds of yards by a salt-sprinkled Richard McConnell spent a day at Fort down Slave River in a canoe, and on the way I and desolate-looking clay flat, through which Resolution reconnoitering the northeast side will go up Salt River to the ridge in which it numerous briny streamlets make their way to of Resolution Bay in the vicinity of the Fort in heads. From the mouth of the Slave River I the river.” In respect to the springs’ deposits, hopes of locating in situ strata. Instead, he purpose going up Buffalo River if I have time. McConnell further states: “The springs are observed that shoreline was strewn with During the winter I will try to visit Horn Hills, enclosed by small evaporating basins, the angular blocks of light-colored limestone, and see the country about Fort Rae.” largest of which is about fifteen feet in which he deduced had not travelled far. He (Summary Report of the Operations of the diameter, and is crusted with a remarkably also remarked of the presence of dark- Geological Society for the years 1887 and pure deposit of sodic chloride. The salt colored, bituminous limestone erratics. 1888, Alfred R. C. Selwyn, Director, p. 13A). obtained here is of excellent quality, and has Accordingly, he obtained a canoe and the been used in the Mackenzie River district for The next day he and his two native assistants services of two natives at Fort Smith to many years.” (McConnell, Part D, Annual ascended the Little Buffalo River for a accompany him in his geological investigations Report, 1888-89; Report on an exploration distance of 40 miles where he examined for the remainder of the field season. in the Yukon and Mackenzie basins, N.W.T., p. outcrops of brecciated, unfossiliferous 63D). The source of the brine produced by limestone (Chinchaga Formation) similar to Geologically, the trip down the Slave River the springs appears to be the result of the the strata exposed at Bell’s Rock. This river below the 16-mile stretch of rapids was dissolution of sodium chloride associated flows into Resolution Bay some 12 miles somewhat tedious owing to the continuous with the gypsum-bearing limestone ridge south of the fort. Its configuration generally blanket of recent alluvium deposits flanking (Chinchaga Formation) behind the springs. conforms to that of the Slave River. Canoe either side of the river to its discharge into crews, by ascending the Little Buffalo River Great Slave Lake. However, McConnell did The following day McConnell and his party from Fort Resolution are able to make the describe an exposure of brecciated limestone descended Salt River and returned to the “Grand Detour” by traversing a six-mile (Chinchaga Formation) which forms a Slave arriving, after an uneventful passage, to portage to the Slave River at a point prominent cliff seven miles below Fort Smith Fort Resolution on the 1st of September. approximately 70 miles from its mouth. As a and which is known as Bell’s Rock. This fort, located approximately five miles consequence, the travellers avoid a longer

Fort Providence, NWT,ca 1916 - Where R. G. McConnell spent the winter of 1887-1888 under the auspices of the Hudson’s Bay Company prior to his descent of the Mackenzie River in the spring. Left of the centre can be seen the Roman Catholic church and adjoining mission, To the left of these two buildings in the far background is the Hudson’s Bay post. The large building to the right of centre is the main mission including administration complex and fenced garden area to the far right. Note ramp from Mackenzie River to access settlement on extreme left. Photo credit: Glenbow Archives NA-1411-16 24 route through the braided channels of the aneroid barometer and determined a delegated, the same year, to serve as a Slave’s delta. displacement of 85 feet. missionary in the Mackenzie River district. For the succeeding 41 years he resided in the Leaving Little Buffalo River on the 4th of The Alexandra Falls were encountered by far northwest, being appointed bishop of the September, McConnell and his party skirted William Carpenter Bompas during his decent Athabasca district in 1874 and later, in 1884 the coast of Great Slave Lake for 38 miles to of the Hay River in 1872. (1994, Hodgin and assigned as bishop to the Mackenzie River arrive at Sulphur Point. He reports:“Sulphur Hoyle, Canoeing into the Unknown - A district. Throughout his lengthy tenure he Point derives its name from the presence Record of River Travel: 1874 to 1974; pub. travelled thousands of miles by canoe on the there of several springs which emit a strong Natural Heritage/Natural History Inc., Mackenzie River and its tributaries as well as odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. The flow Toronto, p. 164). He selected the name in those of the Yukon River in reaching the from these is small, and the effluent water honour of Alexandra, the wife of Edward, natives, metis, and white people in their must carry up large quantities of soluble Prince of Wales during Queen Victoria’s reign. isolated and remote communities contained material, as heavy deposits of calcareous tufa in his dioceses. occur all around. The water is clear and William Bompas had been ordained an almost tasteless, and has a temperature of 57 Anglican priest in England in 1865 and was Continued on Page 26 . . . degrees F.” (Ibid., pp. 68D, 69D).

After being delayed for three days at Sulphur Point owing to inclement weather, McConnell and his party finally were able to proceed to Hay River, arriving there on the 8th of September. At the entrance to the river he discerned the ruins of the short-lived Hudson’s Bay post, which was established in 1875. McConnell was anxious to ascend the Hay River to the site of Alexandra Falls, a distance of some 34 miles upstream. The presence of an incised river valley bordered by continuous banks of bluish-green shale and associated beds of limestone (Upper Devonian, Hay River Formation) were encountered 10 miles from the falls. It was near here that Richard McConnell discovered, near the base of the cliffs, a prolific occurrence of fossils preserved in beds of friable shale. He collected an assemblage of 40 species of Upper Devonian fauna from these exposures.

After encountering a series of rapids, they abandoned their canoe and pursued the difficult portage route up scree-covered slopes to the base of the falls. McConnell, after viewing the falls and deducing their origin, made an analogy with the formation of Niagra Falls, noting that both are associated with regional limestone escarpments. Further, he inferred that the superjacent resistant limestone capping their surfaces have been progressively breached by water erosion, accompanied by an undercutting of the less resistant supporting shale and carbonate, resulting in a retreat of their scarp fronts. Above the Alexandra Falls, the banks of the Hay River are of very low relief, whereas, McConnell notes that the gorge formed by the river below the falls exposes massive-bedded limestone in excess of 200 feet in thickness. He measured the differential descent of the Hay River at the face of Alexandra Falls utilizing his pocket

25 Continued from Page 25 . . .

McConnell and his two assistants did not especially during the long winter months solitary spruce tree pruned of its branches continue their ascent of the Hay River during periods of game scarcity. with the exception of an eye-catching beyond the Alexandra Falls. After having remnant of its uppermost branches, which spent a week on the river, they retrieved On the 19th of September,McConnell’s party also served to keep the lobstick alive. their canoe and arrived back at Great Slave left Big Island by canoe to investigate the “tar Lake on the 14th of September. After springs” located on the north shore of Great During Richard McConnell’s investigation of proceeding along the southwest shore of the Slave Lake, a distance of 20 miles. By the “tar springs”, he observed that: “The lake, by way of Pte de Roche and Desmarias following the shore to Pointe aux Esclaves springs are situated a couple of hundred Island, they crossed to the eastern tip of Big (Slave Point) they continued to Point Brule yards from the shore, at the base of a low Island where the fishery depot was located. (Burnt Point) and entered a deep bay (Windy limestone cliff, which runs inland from the McConnell estimated the yield of netted fish Bay). It was here that one of the native lake, and are three in number, each of them being surrounded with a small basin, three to from the lake that same year would reach half guides brought to McConnell’s attention a four feet in diameter, filled with inspissated a million pounds. The commonest and most conspicuous lobstick, near the bay’s south bitumen, while the soil and moss for some desirable species being the white fish which, shore, which indicated the position of the distance away is impregnated with the same according to McConnell, provides a “tar springs”. The lobstick, a native sustainable and agreeable diet of the people innovation and adopted by the voyageurs, inhabiting the region of the Mackenzie River, served as a living marker. It consisted of a Continued on Page 38 . . .

VOLUNTEER SOURCE IS HERE!

Have you been thinking about getting involved as a volunteer with the CSPG… or switching roles, or a current Committee position? Does your Committee or individual effort require more volunteers?

The Volunteer Management Committee has implemented a NEW way to help. On the CSPG website (www.cspg.org), you can now access the Volunteer Source. If you are looking to volunteer, this feature will allow you to check for volunteer positions available and submit your name as a possible recruit. Or, if you are already involved as a Society volunteer and need back-up in your pursuits, this is the place to submit your needs so we can help you fill them. Additionally,Volunteer Source has background information on all CSPG Committees,Volunteer Awards and recent recipients, volunteer profiles / testaments, and other helpful Society links.

Our Committee mandate is to provide members with meaningful volunteer opportunities within the Society. We wish to generate a steady supply of volunteers and volunteer opportunities that will create energy and / or rejuvenate present CSPG Committees. Check out VOLUNTEER SOURCE and get involved today! www.cspg.org

Karen Webster, Chair, CSPG Volunteer Management Committee

For more information on how to become a CSPG VOLUNTEER check out the NEW Volunteer Source @ www.cspg.org

26 Advancing the process of reservoir management Providing key reservoir engineering and geological solutions.

• Regional Mapping • Waterfl ood, Planning and • 3D / 4D Reservoir Mapping for Optimization Geo-steering • Property Evaluations • 3D Mapping, Characterization and • Corporate Reserves Visualization • Simulation Studies • Coalbed Methane Studies • Production Engineering • Integrated Reservoir Studies • Heavy Oil Studies (EOR, SAGD) INTEGRITY EXPERTISE RELIABILITY UNITED OIL & GAS CONSULTING LTD. 500, 777 - 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3R5 Tel: 403.265.0111 Fax: 403.294.9544 Email: [email protected] www.uogc.com

27 ROCK SHOP

Providing professional, experienced, airborne LiDAR engineering services. “Using laser technology for 3-D earth surface mapping” Art Silver B.Sc. Tony Tubman P.Eng. [email protected] [email protected] (403) 517-3132 (403) 517-3131 www.lidarservices.ca

403.263.0449 www.ecqc.com

28 CSPG VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity within the CSPG, Blythe will be happy to help you find your volunteer niche.

She can also provide information about any of the Society’s numerous committees if you require it.

Blythe will also assist with finding replacements for current committee volunteers who need a change and help them to find different volunteer opportunities in the Society, if desired.

Blythe Lowe can be reached in Calgary at 403-290-3516. Give her a call!

29 As in years past, our annual CSPG 10Km race Syl Corbett the fastest female. These well- Mitchell, Pat Rambold, Grant Wennberg, Don was a terrific time for more than 130 trained athletes are people to whom we can Tanasichuk, John Trosch,Warren Walsh participants.This amazing race attracts a loyal all aspire. following of endorphin-craving runners and Bikers: David Middleton the odd ‘athlete’ who likes to celebrate a little Our sponsors deserve a great deal of exercise with some pizza and beer. Race day recognition for the success of this well loved Finish line: Marg Coutt, Carol George, Judy was just about perfect with temperatures of CSPG social event. Their generous funding Mahaffy, Guy Peasley, Leigh Taerum near 18° and rainy days before and after! The did more than make our event possible, they course followed the favored route, going out made it fantastic. A mammoth thanks to all Committee Members: Boe Baskerville, past Crowchild Trail and back to Eau Claire our Sponsors. Dorothy Chen, Fiona Katay, Cindy Koo, Cliff staying on the south side of the beautiful, Portier,Mark Shaw, Kees Sinke, Kathy Taerum, babbling Bow River. The runners enjoyed a Most important, the heart and soul of our Rob Taerum,Vic Urban,Tom Wilson tail wind for the last half of the course to help race depends upon the participation of many improve their running times. dedicated volunteers and committee Please see www.cspg.org for full race results. members. We wish to extend a huge thank- Please also help me welcome our new race Tim DeFreitas and Ashley de Jonge were the you to the following volunteers for helping director,Greg Hayden of ChevronTexaco and be fastest male and female geologists and Kees make this race fun and popular. sure to mark your calendar now, next year’s race Sinke and Lorna Hawley defended their titles is scheduled for Wednesday,September 15th,2004. of fastest male and female geophysicists. Marshals: Lorri Badran, Jeff Clarke, Bev James Grant was the fastest male overall and Fletcher, Karen Kartushyn, Rona Koski, Barb Stuart Mitchell, Race Director 2003.

Thanks to our MAJOR Sponsors Thanks to our EVENT Sponsors

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS

30 Accepting abstracts online at http://www.cspgconvention.org/program.htm starting November 1, 2003. Abstract deadline January 30, 2004

This year’s technical program reflects the importance of integration and collaboration between diverse disciplines, with significant effort and emphasis placed on sessions that capture and promote the common ground between the societies.

We are now soliciting abstracts for oral and posters presentation for technical sessions, including the following themes:

Heavy Oil - from grass roots exploration to final production (project overview, geology and geophysics, drilling and completions, reservoir and production, and facilities) The multidisciplinary role of petrophysics – interpretation, integration, and case studies. Innovations in the acquisition and application of LWD, and wireline data. Structural controls on stratigraphy and reservoir distribution Exploration and development in foreign and frontier regions. Unconventional gas resources. Pool studies: clastic and carbonate. Petrographic characteristics and mineralogic sensitivity of reservoirs in the WCSB. Recent advances in facies models. Advances in technique and application of core and cutting analysis.

Individuals are also encouraged to submit abstracts for presentation or posters that are beyond the themes listed, as the scope of individual sessions will be broadened or modified to accommodate relevant material. Papers and posters will be grouped where appropriate to provide multidisciplinary content.

The final two days of the convention will once again feature a number of core presentations at the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board’s Core Research Center, including a subsession, which will focus on a number of significant oil sands projects. Submission procedures and deadlines are the same as those of the technical program.

Individuals interested in leading a field trip or preparing a short course are encouraged to contact the appropriate Committee members or any of the technical program chairs.

For more information please visit www.cspg.org, www.cwls.org, www.choa.ab.ca CONOCOPHILLIPS GLEN RUBY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS IN GEOSCIENCES

ConocoPhillips Canada is proud to announce the creation of the ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Memorial Scholarships in Geosciences. These Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduates in order to promote excellence in petroleum geology and geophysics. The scholarships will be presented each year to second, third, and fourth years students.

$2,000 – 2nd year geoscience student $3,000 – 3rd year geoscience student $5,000 – 4th year geoscience student

Selection will be based on academic record and potential.

ConocoPhillips Canada is pleased to recognize and honour a pioneer who has had a lasting influence on the Canadian Oil and Gas industry. Glen Ruby was VP and General Manager of Marland Oil’s Canadian partnership, known as Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas from 1926 to 1929. He was a driving force behind the inaugural meeting and founding of the Alberta Society of Petroleum Geologists in 1927. (The ASPG was later renamed to become the Canadian Glenbow Archives Archives Glenbow ND-3-4155a:detail Society of Petroleum Geologists.) Since it began, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists has been a forum for geoscientists to share ideas and knowledge about the Western Canadian Basin and other Canadian oil and gas frontiers. This sharing of knowledge has played a fundamental role in the successful development of the Canadian oil industry. Glen Ruby’s legacy can therefore be seen to this day.

Glen Ruby went on to make oil discoveries in Chile and Alaska and the western US. At one time he was credited with having made the most northerly and southerly oil discoveries in the world. He is acknowledged as one of the great pioneers in the global oil and gas industry.

Through Continental Oil Company, Marland Oil/ Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas, Conoco Canada Ltd. and Phillips Petroleum, ConocoPhillips has been active in Canada since 1880. Our company is proud to honour an industry pioneer like Glen Ruby and we are pleased that these scholarships will help to develop the geoscientists of the future.

For more information or to apply for a ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Memorial Scholarship, visit www.cspg.org or www.conocophillips.ca

Application deadline is December 1, 2003.

The scholarships will be administered through the Educational Trust Fund (ETF) of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. The ETF is eager to aid others who wish to make contributions such as scholarships or endowments for the promotion of Geoscience in our schools, our community, and our industry.

32 THE CSPG EDUCATIONAL Donations of $5000+ TRUST FUND ENDOWMENT Alberta Energy Company Ltd. Robert H. Erickson Andrew Baillie Harley N. Hotchkiss DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM William A. Bell Sproule Associates Ltd. Canadian Natural Resources Limited Darol J. Wigham ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd. Anonymous Donors: 2 2000The Millennium Strategy

Donations of $1000+ Apache Canada Ltd. John A. Downing Fred G. Rayer APEGGA George Grant Kathryn Scales D.L. Barss Andrew Holder Des Smith Ted Best Husky Oil Operations Ltd. Charles Stelck BP Amoco Ian Hutcheon Uldis Upitis Charles and Sandra Buckley Jack Gallagher Fund Irmgard Weihmann Tony Cadrin Tako Konig Harry Woodward $3M C.K. Caldwell Keith A. Lowell Anonymous Donors: 6 Canadian Occidental Petroleum Mike Ware Memorial Fund Continental Laboratories Murphy Oil Company Ltd. (1985) Ltd. Alice Payne & Allin Follensbee Decollement Consulting Ltd. Petro-Canada Oil & Gas

Donations of $500+ John Andriuk Gerald Henderson Brian Norford S.A. Antoniuk Don Holmes Organ Family Belloy Petroleum Consulting Ltd. Dave Hutchinson Reeves Wireline Philip R. Brown Mike Hriskevich Rozsa Petroleum Ltd. $2M Cabre Exploration Ltd. Jenik Consultants Inc. Samson Canada Ltd. Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd. Alan R. and Faye Keevil John Wall M.A. Carrigy D. Keith MacDonald Charles Wright Barney Clare Emmanuel Malterre Anonymous Donors: 12 Roger N. Dueck Mancal Energy Inc. Andy Evans Monica Meding Brian F.G. Fischer MJ Systems Paul Gagnon François A. Montandon R.P. Glaister Arne R. Nielsen $1M

Donations up to $499 C.H. Acheson James A. Genereux Coleman W. Morton John G. Stout Shaun E. Alspach R.N. Ginsburg Eric W. Mountjoy Roy A. Stuart John Ambler V. Richard Green Daryll Myhr Gerald W. Sullivan TOTAL TO DATE: John Andrichuk Indraman Halim-Dihardja Charles Newmarch Suncor Energy Foundation Grey H.M. Austin Syed M. Hasan Northstar Energy Neil Theissen $ 421,021 Denis F. Bacon Brad Hayes Godfrey Nowlan Clinton Tippett Andreas Bayer Clifford Herman Karl Olson Sato Toshiaki Lorraine Beaupre Denise Hodder R.G. Oicle Jens F. Touborg FUND UST Tim Bird W. Gordon Holland Vic Panei John Townley III TR Thomas Boleantu Ernest C. Horvath D.J. Parker John Valent L A Simon L. Brame Tim Howard Kevin Parks Christian Viau N $$ John M. Browning Judy & Jodi Hughes June & Merv Pedlow R.S. Vogan O I $$ Finley Campbell J. Jansonius Steven W. Perry John Wall T James E. Christopher Bertram B. Jarrett Mitchell L. Peters Ted Watchuk A C $$ Barney Clare David Johnston Ken Potma Craig G. Wiebe U

Dean Clemenson Paul A. Johnston Ray Price Edwin Williams D Canada Post Corporation Donald M. Kent Mrs. J. Purvis Ulrich Wissner E

Murrary F.J. Cooper Aubrey Kerr Mr. & Mrs. H. Purvis Gordon Williams G $$ P

Corexcana Jim Kirker S. Silver Purvis John S. Wonfor S

Steve S. Cosburn Ian K. Kirkland Peter E. Putnam Barry Wood C Davis MPE, Inc. Sharna Laven Indraneel Raychaudhuri Brenda Wright $$ James E. Day Donald C. Lawton Cindy Riediger Dale A. Wright William G. Dean Patricia Lee Frances K. Roessingh G.C. Yamada Alice Desrocher S. Leggett Christopher E. Ruud Colin Yeo Rein DeWit C. Derek Lester Lisa Sack Ray Yole James A. Dolph Wilfred Loucks Katherine Sammons Philip M. Young Drummond Consulting Bruce Lyon James Scott Anonymous Donors: 79 John L.J. Duhault Kim MacLean Chris Sigvaldason Greg M. Dyble Robin Mann Philip S. Simony David Erickson David Q. Martin Claus Sitzler For more information Arthur Evans Barry Mazurkewich Scott R. Smith Myron D. Franks R.C. McCasland Jr. Brad Spence on the Educational Trust Fund, Paul Fuenning Margaret MacIntyre Michael S. Stanton please visit www.cspg.org Richard C. Galloway Keith A. McAdam Chris Steudler Garuda Resources Ronald M. Misko John Stobart Geo-Help Inc. G. Rae Morgan Donald Stott H pen mind elping open doors that help o s... 2004 CSPG FALL / WINTER CONFERENCE DOLOMITES: THE SPECTRUM – MECHANISMS, MODELS, RESERVOIR DEVELOPMENT

In mid-January of 2004, the CSPG is The conference will consist of two course of the three days, it is to present launching a new venture, the first of components. On Tuesday, we will stage a to the participants, the full spectrum of what is hoped will be a series one-day seminar at the Convention dolomitization models along with some of focused mini-conferences which Centre, that will feature a slate of of the most current hypotheses and address specific subjects of critical internationally recognized speakers, each ideas regarding this enigmatic geologic interest to petroleum geologists. an expert in various aspects of the process. Participants will receive a CD dolomite problem.The classroom setting publication containing thoroughly The inaugural event will be a three-day and limited registration will give the illustrated extended abstracts of all the th th affair, Jan 13 to 15 , dedicated to the seminar a short course/workshop feel talks and core presentations. always topical and commonly that we hope will be particularly controversial theme of dolomitization conducive to learning, with ample We anticipate being over-subscribed and and the varied processes responsible for opportunity for questions and informal remind the Society members that the creation of dolomite reservoir rock. dialogue. Lunch will be provided on all registration will be capped at 250 Dolomites are, of course, global in their three days.The seminar will be followed participants. Registration will be on-line occurrence,and few if any thick carbonate in the early evening by a “beer and bull” only and will be available as of successions, have not at least locally been reception that promises to be both lively th altered to dolomite. That being said, the and informative. November 17 . Spots will then be Western Canada Sedimentary Basin is reserved on a first come, first served relatively unique amongst the world’s On Wednesday and Thursday, the basis. For more information please visit hydrocarbon provinces in having such a conference will move to the AEUB Core www.cspg.org or contact the CSPG high proportion of carbonate strata, and Research Centre where there will be on office at 264 – 5610. by extension, dolomite reservoirs. It is display over 20 case studies of dolomite, estimated that a discovered hydrocarbon both domestic and international, We hope to see many of you there! resource (recoverable sale equivalent) of reservoir and non-reservoir, subsurface 105 Tcfe is hosted in dolomitized strata and outcrop.The vast majority will focus Jeff Packard in B.C. and Alberta alone. New on subsurface dolomitization and [email protected] discoveries of dolomite-hosted or reservoir creation in the WCSB. 403-260-8041 dolomite-associated pools continue to Formations represented include be made in our basin, and many of these, Cathedral (Cambrian), Red River, Graham Davies even in recent years, are truly significant Interlake (Silurian), Keg River, Manetoe, [email protected] (e.g. Ladyfern, Saddle Hills).As a result of Presquile, Slave Point, Swan Hills, Leduc, 403-289-9156 the economic importance of dolomite in Nisku, Grosmont, Wabamun, Banff, the WCSB, many geoscientists from Pekisko, Midale, Debolt, and Baldonnel. Conference Technical Co-chairs universities, governments, and industry Field studies from the Canadian Arctic, have been encouraged to take advantage Cayman Islands, and Australia will also be of this great natural laboratory to on display. All presentations will be Stated simply, the world’s oceans surface conduct research on the “dolomite available for the full two days of the core waters are supersaturated with respect to dilemma”.The end result of this has been conference, with the doors opening at the mineral dolomite, yet calcite and a very significant contribution, from 9:00 a.m.Wednesday. aragonite, not dolomite, are the common individual case studies to more carbonate precipitates and skeletal expansive syntheses, to the global The dolomite problem has confronted literature on dolomite. Of these many earth scientists for a very long time. As mineralogies.The problem therefore, is why geoscientists, perhaps none is as Francis Van Tuyl wrote in his classic paper is dolomite relatively uncommon in the inextricably associated with dolomite “The Origin of Dolomite” in 1914, “the earth’s crust, and under what special than Dr. Eric Mountjoy of McGill mode of formation of the rock has conditions does it occur? To this may be University. Professor Mountjoy and his remained from the first a disputed added, from a petroleum geology students have made an immeasurable question and in spite of the fact that a perspective, where can we predict the contribution to our understanding of voluminous literature has grown up on occurrence of dolomite and to what dolomites in the WCSB and we are the subject, the last word has not yet degree does it enhance or degrade especially pleased that Eric has kindly been spoken”. Our intent is not to reservoir quality? agreed to be our honorary chairman. provide the “last” word, but over the

34 Announcing the First Ever CSPG Fall / Winter Conference

The Spectrum: Mechanisms, Models, Reservoir Development CSPG Seminar and Core Conference January 13 - 15, 2004 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Honourary Chair: Eric Mountjoy Invited Technical Chairs: Graham Davies and Jeff Packard International Speakers

26 Dolomite Case Histories In Core

Presenters From Industry And Academia Online Registration Opens Monday, November 17th, 2003 Register Early! CSPG Members: $375 (plus GST) Non-Members: $450 (plus GST) Maximum Registrants 250 Online Registration Only

For more information visit

or contact the CSPG Office at 264-5610 Continued from Page 23 . . .

The character of the formation changes structure that separates the Western Husky, Profico, and Cavell over the from mostly shallow marine shoreline Canada Sedimentary Basin from the coming months will bring answers to and coastal deposition in the southwest Williston Basin. many of the questions surrounding this to deeper marine shelf deposits in the new development. At the top of the list northeast.The shallow marine sediments With similar enthusiasm for their is whether the extended production outcrop along the Milk River Valley in respective developments at Abbey, rates will live up to expectations, and southern Alberta and are comprised of Husky and Profico are expanding this whether similar opportunity does three members: the Telegraph Creek play. Geological constraints have indeed exist further west. For certain, Member (interbedded marine mudstones, determined a westerly advance, as the their investment in infrastructure siltstones and sandstones), the Virgelle reservoir deepens in other directions indicates the confidence that the existing Member (thickly bedded, shoreline- and increases in shale content to the players have in their ability to make this related sandstones), and the Deadhorse north and east. Exploratory drilling will newest area of Milk River development Coulee Member (interbedded fluvial most certainly continue for some time at succeed economically. sandstones, mudstones and minor coals). Abbey and the surrounding Milk River These shallow marine sediments grade fields. A lack of pipelines and INFORMATION into the distal marine sediments of the infrastructure was a major factor in this This article is condensed from a more in- Alderson Member to the north and east. prospect area not being developed at an depth review by Canadian Discovery Ltd. The Alderson Member, which passes earlier date, although there are gas For the full report or information on basinwards into the laminated mudstones transmission lines and processing related products offered by CDL, please of the Lea Park Formation in central facilities currently under construction. visit www.canadiandiscovery.com or call Alberta and western Saskatchewan, is the Drilling and development activity by 269-3644. most interesting of the four Milk River members, as it is the primary gas- producer in the formation.

Throughout much of the Milk River producing area, the Alderson Member reservoir is comprised of two units. On well logs, the lower unit appears sandier and consists of vaguely coarsening- upward successions that are between 4m and 10m thick. The lower unit is generally the thinner of the two and is the first to pinch-out to the south. The upper unit is shalier and its coarsening upward successions are less pronounced. A problem in finding gas- producing zones in this section is that they are typically thinner than what a logging tool can detect. For this reason, operators will perforate large intervals, rather than miss production from multiple <1m-thick zones.

Figure 3. Structural Contour Map of the Milk River Formation,Abbey and Surrounding Areas. Abbey is separated from the main Milk River producing region at Hatton by a structural low. A drop of almost 50m is recorded between the two fields; an area with only a few potential Milk River gas wells. Figure 3 is a Milk River structural contour map, which illustrates the regional deepening to the east through the Abbey area. Abbey is located on the edge of the Bow Island Arch, a saddle

36 © 2003 Baker Hughes Incorporated. All rights reserved. ATL-03-4722 making. Lowertotalcostof operations. Lesstimeon thewell.Fasterdecision- datadelivery. state-of-the-art tools.Fasterloggingspeed.Thehighestdataaccuracy and Shorter Every Well, EveryTime Accuracy andEfficiencyon Experience FOCUS. RECALL viaBakerAtlas' Totaldata with24-hourviewingwhenever andwherever cost ofoperations.FOCUSiscustomer-friendly—youcan accessyour timeatthewellsiteandtotal tools. Fasterrigupanddownreduces whileloggingatspeedsuptotwiceasfastconventional precision accuracy and lighter toolstrings.Theresult—data technology intoshorter, sensor incorporateimproved designed forWestern Canada.Instruments openholeloggingsystem premium FOCUS isthelatesthigh-efficiency Baker AtlasproudlyintroducesFOCUS www.bakeratlasdirect.com Every Well, EveryTime Accuracy andEfficiencyon SM leading you to more efficient decisions. efficient leading youtomore www.bakerhughes.com Baker Atlas Grande Prairie(780)539-3505 Red Deer(403)347-1152 Calgary (403)537-3400 Brooks (403)632-2736 Nisku (780)955-3033 Continued from Page 26 . . .

material. A small quantity of pitch is annually the North West Company in 1786 or 1787. the Coppermine River. He had hoped that taken from these springs and used for boat Its location was on the north side of Great this could be accomplished by organizing building purposes, while a much larger supply Slave Lake where the Yellowknife River local native hunting parties to assure a supply could be obtained if needed.” and further, in discharges into Yellowknife Bay. Whereas the of food for Franklin and his men and to describing the host reservoir, he discerns modern Yellowknife city is positioned on the accommodate the British expedition with that:“The rock through which the petroleum northwest side, old Fort Providence was built voyageurs and guides. As well, Wentzel ascends here is a heavily bedded greyish, some 16 miles across the bay on its southeast supervised the construction of Fort rather coarsely crystalline cavernous side. It was abandoned by Hudson’s Bay Enterprise, located on Winter Lake beyond dolomite (Presqu’ile formation), and is company in 1823 following its union with the the upper reaches of the Yellowknife River as entirely unlike the bituminous beds south of North West Company two years earlier. a refuge for their anticipated 1820/21 winter the lake and down the Mackenzie, which in Probably one of the highlights in the fort’s stopover. most cases consists of calcareous shales. The history occurred when the clerk, dolomite is everywhere permeated with Nor’Wester William Ferdinand Wentzel, Franklin’s first overland journey to the Arctic bituminous matter, which collects in received, on July 29, 1820, John Franklin and coastline, during the period 1819-1822, was a numerous cavities, and oozing up through his party. Franklin had been appointed by the dichotomous episode. Scientifically, it was a cracks, often forms small pools on the surface British Admiralty in 1819 to conduct an success, although the North West Passage of the rock.” and in respect to the trapping overland expedition by descending the remained elusive. However, it had its human mechanism, McConnell concludes that: “The Coppermine River and surveying the Arctic costs. During their return from the Arctic presence of bitumen in such abundance here coastline eastward from the river’s mouth in coast, it became an horrific experience of also suggests an anticlinal which would bring search of the elusive North West Passage. excruciating hardships, starvation, up lower beds.” (Ibid., pp. 75D, 76D). This was the first of the two overland cannibalism, and murder. (To the Arctic by expeditions by Franklin, the third, by sea in canoe 1819 - 1821,The Journal and Paintings McConnell, with his two assistants, left the 1845, resulted in his tragic death as well as of Robert Hood, Midshipman with Franklin; “tar springs” on the 20th of September and those of his entire crew. ed. C. Stuart Houston,The Arctic Institute of returned to the fishery depot on Big Island North America, pub, 1974, McGill - Queen’s on the 22nd, having been delayed by heavy Wentzel had been loaned by the North West University Press, fn. 21, pp. 131, 132). winds and a choppy lake. The following day Company to assist Franklin on his planned they left for Fort Providence, where they route from Fort Providence to his descent of To be continued . . . arrived on the 24th of September. The 50- mile canoe trip to Fort Providence was uneventful. After travelling 20 miles, they entered the island free main channel of the Mackenzie and continued for another 30 miles where they arrived at a large island fronting the fort. This island diverts the river into two channels. The north channel is broader and accommodates most of the Mackenzie’s flow. The navigable, but turbulent water, of this channel is referred to as “the rapids” and it is here, on the northeast bank that Fort Providence is located. This was to be the domicile of Richard McConnell for the winter of 1887 - 1888 as a guest of Mr. Reid, the Hudson’s Bay officer in charge and his colleague, Mr.Scott, also of the same company.

Fort Providence was erected by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1855. An adjoining Roman Catholic mission was also established some time later. Because of the post’s strategic location on the upper reaches of the MacKenzie River, it continues to serve as a distribution portal for supplies to the settlements along the Mackenzie River during the river’s ice-free periods.

The construction of the original Fort Providence was overseen by Peter Pond of Figure 1. Drainage Basins of the Mackenzie and Yukon Rivers.

38 200, 635 - 6 Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, CANADA T2P 0T5 Tel 403 262-1992 Fax 403 262-1987 [email protected] www.geologic.com Don't take our word, take theirs!

90% of our clients believe that geoLOGIC is a company that you can trust. 90% of our clients believe that geoLOGIC's staff is knowledgeable about the company's products and services.

93% of our clients believe that geoLOGIC stands behind the agreements we make. Do you feel this way about your current data & software provider?

Let us show you why 92% of decision makers feel geoSCOUT provides good value for money. Find out why everyone's talking about ! Market Research Survey carried out by Environics West. Results based on responses of 7 or higher on a 10-point scale 40