16 Go Take A Hike: Grassi Lakes, Kananaskis Country, Alberta 21 Shale Gas: Part 2 – History of Shale Gas Production in North America 31 Tight Gas Sandstone: Is it Truly an Unconventional Reservoir? OCTOBER 2010 VOLUME 37, ISSUE 9 Canadian Publication Mail Contract – 40070050 RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 1 Since 1927... The difference between raw data and refined information? Focus, quality and value. We don’t build our reputation on volumes—instead, we earn it on the quality of the information we extract from that data. For more than 75 years, IHS has processed and analyzed vast amounts of raw data, concentrating it into the in-depth, actionable information that is used today to advance energy-critical business decisions. Energy information, refined. ihs.com/refined-information/cspg ©2010 IHS Inc. All rights reserved. Since 1927... OCTOBER 2010 – VOLUME 37, ISSUE 9 ARTICLES Go Take a Hike: Grassi Lakes, Kananaskis Country, Alberta .................................... 16 Shale Gas: Part 2 – History of Shale Gas Production in North America ................... 21 CSPG OFFICE #600, 640 - 8th Avenue SW Summer Student Field Trip ........................................................................................................ 29 Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 1G7 Tel: 403-264-5610 Fax: 403-264-5898 Web: www.cspg.org Tight Gas Sandstone: Is it Truly an Unconventional Reservoir? .................................... 31 Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm 2010 CSPG Honorary Address ................................................................................................ 37 Executive Director: Lis Bjeld Email: [email protected] Advertising & Sponsorship Coordinator: Alyssa Middleton James Hutton, the Man who Found Time (A biography by Jack Repcheck) .............. 38 Email: [email protected] Publications Coordinator: Caitlin Young Email: [email protected] Member Services Coordinator: Kasandra Klein DEPARTMENTS Email: [email protected] Registration Coordinator: Dayna Rhoads Executive Comment ................................................................................................................ 5 Email: [email protected] Convention Contacts Convention Manager: Aileen Lozie Technical Luncheons ............................................................................................................... 8 Email: [email protected] Division Talks .......................................................................................................................... 14 EDITORS/AUTHORS Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG office. Submission deadline is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior Inside the CSPG ..................................................................................................................... 18 to issue date. (e.g., January 23 for the March issue). Executive Committee Summary ....................................................................................... 34 To publish an article, the CSPG requires digital copies of the document. Text should be in Microsoft Word format and illustrations should be in TIFF format at 300 dpi., at final size. For additional information on manuscript Rock Shop ........................................................................................................................ 31, 34 preparation, refer to the Guidelines for Authors published in the CSPG Bulletin or contact the editor. Technical Editors Ben McKenzie Colin Yeo (Assistant Tech. Editor) Tarheel Exploration EnCana Corporation Tel: 403-277-4496 Tel: 403-645-7724 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Coordinating Editor Caitlin Young, Publications Coordinator, CSPG Tel: 403-513-1227, Email: [email protected] ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries should be directed to Alyssa Middleton, Tel: 403-513-1233, email: [email protected]. The deadline to reserve advertising space is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to issue date. The RESERVOIR is published 11 times per year by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. This includes a combined issue for the months of July and August. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish. Additional information on the RESERVOIR’s submission guidelines can be found at http://www.cspg. org/publications/pubs-reservoir-submissions.cfm. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are available at the CSPG office for $6.50 each. No official endorsement or sponsorship by the CSPG is implied for any advertisement, insert, or article that appears in the Reservoir unless otherwise noted. All submitted materials are reviewed by the editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions, including letters to the Editor. Submissions must include your name, address, and membership number (if applicable). The material contained in this publication is intended for informational use only. While reasonable care has been taken, authors and the CSPG make no guarantees that any of the equations, schematics, or devices discussed will perform as expected or that they will give the desired results. Some information contained herein may be inaccurate or may vary from standard measurements. The CSPG expressly disclaims any and all liability for the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user of information contained in this publication. Under no circumstances shall the CSPG and its officers, directors, FRONT COVER employees, and agents be liable for any injury, loss, damage, or expense arising in any manner whatsoever Zion National Park, Utah. Classic aeolian bedsets are deformed by from the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user. wet interdune periods in the Navajo sandstone at Zion National Park. Design and Layout by Sundog Printing. Printed in Canada by Sundog Printing. Photo by Dave Robinson. RESERVOIR ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2010 3 Since 1927... conocophillips GlEn RUBY mEmoRial scholaRship ConocoPhillips Canada is proud to continue the ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Memorial Scholarships in Geosciences. These scholarships are presented each year to second, third, and fourth years students to promote excellence in petroleum GEOLOGY and GEOPHYSICS. $2,000 $3,000 $5,000 2nd year geoscience student 3rd year geoscience student 4th year geoscience student Glenbow Archives nd_3_4155a (detail). ConocoPhillips Canada is pleased to recognize and honour a pioneer who has had a lasting influence on the Canadian Oil and Gas industry. From 1926 to 1929, Glen Ruby was Vice President and General Manager of Marland Oil’s Canadian partnership, Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas. While in Alberta he was For more information a driving force behind the inaugural meeting and formation of the Alberta Society of Petroleum or to apply for a Geologists (renamed Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists in 1972). ConocoPhillips Glen Ruby Glen Ruby dedicated his life to exploration and has been recognized as one of the great pioneers in the Memorial Scholarship, global search for oil and gas. In addition to Canada, he successfully explored for oil in Chile, Alaska, and visit: www.cspg.org or the US Rocky Mountain basins. At one time he was credited with having made the most northerly and www.conocophillips.ca southerly oil discoveries in the world. Application Deadline is Since inception, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists has been a forum for sharing ideas and October 31st, 2010 knowledge about the geology of Western Canada and the Canadian frontiers. This knowledge exchange has played a fundamental role in the successful development of the Canadian oil industry. Glen Ruby’s legacy thrives three-quarters of a century later. ConocoPhillips has been active in Canada since 1880 through the activities of heritage companies including Continental Oil Company, Marland Oil/ Hudson’s Bay Oil and Gas, British American, Royalite, Asamera, Pennzoil, Stampeder, Mannville, Crestar, Gulf Canada Resources, Poco, Canadian Hunter, Burlington Resources, Conoco Canada, and Phillips Petroleum. We proudly honour Glen Ruby as a pioneer and industry leader and we are pleased that the memorial scholarships will assist in the development of future geoscientists. CSPG Trust Geoscientists for our future Since 1927... EXECUTIVE COMMENT A message from the CSPG Past President, Graeme Bloy CSPG Looking Forward EXECUTIVE Over the past two and one-half years, the the compensation and benefits committee PRESIDENT CSPG has undergone significant change and (C.B.C.) and the Executive. John Varsek • Cenovus Energy [email protected] Tel: (403) 645-5417 reorganization on its business-side under the guidance of the past three executives. So why so much change? Why not let the VICE PRESIDENT The significant business changes that took Society run as it has done for the past Kirk Osadetz • Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary place are as follows: two decades? Believe me, it would have [email protected] Tel: (403) 292-7022 been so much easier to do so. Past and Financial accountability: present Executives have had a difficult time PAST PRESIDENT From book-keeping and accounts payable/ implementing strategic plans (initially set Graeme Bloy • Canada Capital Energy Corporation [email protected] Tel: (403) 975-5784 receivable to budgeting, the Society and out in 2005) that were necessary to keep Executive