Petroleum Resource Potential of Sedimentary Basins on the Pacific Margin of Canada
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA BULLETIN 564 PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS ON THE PACIFIC MARGIN OF CANADA P.K. Hannigan, J.R. Dietrich, P.J. Lee, and K.G. Osadetz 2001 Natural Resources Ressources naturelles Canada Canada GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA BULLETIN 564 PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS ON THE PACIFIC MARGIN OF CANADA P.K. Hannigan, J.R. Dietrich, P.J. Lee, and K.G. Osadetz 2001 ©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2001 Catalogue No. M42-564E ISBN 0-660-18288-2 Available in Canada from Geological Survey of Canada offices: 601 Booth Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8 3303-33rd Street N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7 101-605 Robson Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5J3 A deposit copy of this publication is available for reference in public libraries across Canada Cette publication est aussi disponible en français Price subject to change without notice Cover Illustration Tian Bay, on the west coast of Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, site of the first well drilled in the area (1913). Indications of dispersed bitumen, oil, gas, and tar found in Masset Formation basalts were the main incentive for drilling the Tian Bay well. Natural gas flows were encountered in the subsurface. GSC C 4609-1 Critical readers L. Currie K. Rohr Authors’ address P.K. Hannigan, J.R. Dietrich, K.G. Osadetz Geological Survey of Canada 3303-33rd Street N.W. Calgary, AB T2L 2A7 P.J. Lee (deceased) Manuscript submitted: 1998-05 Approved for publication: 2000-12 CONTENTS 1 Abstract 1 Résumé 1 Summary 3 Sommaire 5 Introduction 5 Scope 5 Purpose 5 Terminology 9 Method and content 9 Previous assessments 9 Tectonic setting 11 Resource assessment procedure 11 Geological play definition 11 Compilation of play data 13 Conceptual play analysis 13 Queen Charlotte assessment region 13 Exploration history and regional studies 15 Regional geology 15 Geological setting and tectonic evolution 16 Stratigraphy and structure 17 Petroleum geology 17 Reservoirs 17 Mesozoic 19 Paleogene 19 Neogene 20 Seals 20 Traps 20 Source rocks 21 Source rock maturation 21 Timing of hydrocarbon generation 22 Hydrocarbon shows 24 Petroleum assessment 24 Petroleum plays 24 Queen Charlotte Cretaceous oil and gas play 24 Queen Charlotte Miocene oil and gas play 27 Queen Charlotte Pliocene oil and gas play 29 Discussion of assessment results 32 Georgia assessment region 32 Exploration history and regional studies 34 Regional geology 34 Geological setting and tectonic evolution 34 Stratigraphy and structure 35 Petroleum geology 35 Reservoirs 35 Mesozoic 36 Tertiary 37 Pleistocene 37 Seals 37 Traps 37 Source rocks 38 Source rock maturation 38 Timing of hydrocarbon generation 40 Hydrocarbon shows 41 Petroleum assessment 41 Petroleum plays 41 Georgia Cretaceous structural gas play 41 Georgia Tertiary structural gas play 41 Georgia Pleistocene stratigraphic gas play 45 Discussion of assessment results 45 Tofino assessment region 45 Exploration history and regional studies 47 Regional geology 47 Geological setting and tectonic evolution 47 Stratigraphy and structure 49 Petroleum geology 49 Reservoirs 49 Tertiary 49 Pleistocene 50 Seals 50 Traps 50 Source rocks 50 Source rock maturation 51 Timing of hydrocarbon generation 51 Hydrocarbon shows 51 Petroleum assessment 51 Petroleum play 51 Tofino Tertiary structural gas play 51 Discussion of assessment results 53 Basin comparisons 54 Conclusions 55 References 63 Appendix A Figures 6 1. Geographic setting of the west coast region of Canada 7 2. Regional setting and basin outlines of the west coast region of Canada 8 3. Detail map of Georgia Basin in Vancouver area, the Fraser River lowlands and delta, southeastern Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands of British Columbia and northwestern Washington 12 4. Tertiary and Cretaceous onshore sedimentary basins, west coast region of Canada 14 5. Seismic reflection profile, Dixon Entrance, northern Queen Charlotte Basin 14 6. Seismic reflection profile, Hecate Strait, central Queen Charlotte Basin 15 7. Seismic reflection profile, Queen Charlotte Sound, southern Queen Charlotte Basin 16 8. Simplified stratigraphic column for Queen Charlotte, Georgia, Tofino and Juan de Fuca sub-basin regions 18 9. Geological cross-sections across Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound 21 10. Maturation–depth profile of strata in the Sockeye B-10 location, Queen Charlotte Basin 22 11. Maturation–depth profile of strata in the Sockeye E-66 location, Queen Charlotte Basin 23 12. Subsidence and hydrocarbon generation model for the area of Sockeye B-10 well, central Hecate Strait, Queen Charlotte Basin 23 13. Subsidence and hydrocarbon generation model for the area of Sockeye E-66 well, central Hecate Strait, Queen Charlotte Basin 23 14. Heat-flow model for central Hecate Strait, Queen Charlotte Basin 25 15. Queen Charlotte Cretaceous oil and gas play area 26 16. Estimate of in-place oil potential of the Cretaceous play in Queen Charlotte Basin 26 17. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Cretaceous play in Queen Charlotte Basin 28 18. Queen Charlotte Miocene oil and gas play area 29 19. Estimate of in-place oil potential of the Miocene play in Queen Charlotte Basin 29 20. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Miocene play in Queen Charlotte Basin 30 21. Queen Charlotte Pliocene oil and gas play area 31 22. Estimate of in-place oil potential of the Pliocene play in Queen Charlotte Basin 31 23. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Pliocene play in Queen Charlotte Basin 31 24. Estimate of total oil potential for the Queen Charlotte Basin region 31 25. Estimate of total gas potential for the Queen Charlotte Basin region 33 26. Geological cross-sections across the Strait of Georgia, and running parallel to the mainland coast from Burrard Inlet to Bellingham 39 27. Maturation–depth profile of strata in the Yellow Point d-84-C location, Georgia Basin 39 28. Maturation–depth profile of strata in the Richfield Pure Point Roberts 6-3-5 location, Georgia Basin 40 29. Subsidence and hydrocarbon generation model for the Point Roberts area, Tertiary Georgia Basin 40 30. Subsidence and hydrocarbon generation model for Yellow Point area, Cretaceous Georgia Basin 42 31. Georgia Cretaceous structural gas play area 43 32. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Cretaceous structural play in Georgia Basin 44 33. Georgia Tertiary structural gas play area 45 34. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Tertiary structural play in Georgia Basin 46 35. Georgia Pleistocene stratigraphic gas play area 47 36. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Pleistocene stratigraphic play in Georgia Basin 47 37. Estimate of total gas potential for the Georgia Basin region 48 38. Geological cross-section in Tofino Basin 48 39. Seismic reflection profile, Pacific Ocean offshore, southern Vancouver Island 49 40. Seismic reflection profile, Pacific Ocean offshore, northern Vancouver Island 50 41. Maturation–depth profile of strata in the Shell Anglo Pluto I-87 well location, Tofino Basin 51 42. Subsidence and hydrocarbon generation model for area of Pluto I-87 well, Tofino Basin 52 43. Tofino Basin Tertiary structural gas play area 53 44. Estimate of in-place gas potential of the Tertiary structural play in Tofino Basin region 55 45. Estimate of total gas potential for west coast basins Tables 9 1. Well reference numbers in Queen Charlotte, Tofino, and Juan de Fuca basins 10 2. Well reference numbers in Georgia Basin 26 3. Petroleum trap types in west coast basins 27 4. Oil and gas potential in Queen Charlotte, Georgia, and Tofino regions PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS ON THE PACIFIC MARGIN OF CANADA Abstract There are three major sedimentary basins on the Pacific margin of Canada: the Tofino Basin, which overlies the present convergent plate margin west of Vancouver Island; the Queen Charlotte Basin, a transtensional basin lying adjacent to the transform boundary between the North American and Pacific plates; and the Georgia Basin, a sedimentary basin with foreland affinities in Late Cretaceous to Eocene time, which in the southeast is overlain by the Fraser River delta. The location of these sedimentary basins at complex plate margins has resulted in a variety of depositional settings that have affected source rock potential and reservoir development. The plate interactions have resulted in a highly variable and complicated tectonic history, which has influenced trap formation, maturation history and petroleum migration. Limited gas production from Pleistocene sediments in the Fraser delta, a good gas show in a well on the Olympic Peninsula and numerous seepages and other indications of hydrocarbons at surface, in wells and on seismic sections throughout the area, all point to an unrealized hydrocarbon potential. The probabilistic assessment of oil and gas potential for the sedimentary basins on the Pacific margin indicates that the total median estimate of in-place hydrocarbon volumes for all west coast basins is in the order of 1560 x 106m3 (9.8 x 109 bbl) of oil and 1228 x 109m3 (43.4 TCF) of gas. There are no discovered reserves in these west coast plays, but some 97 gas pools larger than 3 x 109m3, and two oil pools larger than 160 x 106m3, are expected to be present. Several of the conceptual plays have significant potential with respect to undiscovered gas volume, particularly the Pliocene and Miocene gas plays in Queen Charlotte Basin and the Tertiary structural play in the Tofino region. Estimates for oil potential are less optimistic. Résumé Au Canada, la marge continentale du Pacifique renferme trois importants bassins sédimentaires : le bassin de Tofino, qui s’étend sur l’actuelle marge continentale active à l’ouest de l’île de Vancouver; le bassin de Reine-Charlotte, un bassin de transtension attenant à la marge transformante entre la plaque nord-américaine et la plaque pacifique; et le bassin sédimentaire de Georgia, étroitement apparenté à un avant-pays au Crétacé tardif-Éocène, qui comprend au sud-est le delta du fleuve Fraser.