March/April 2018 Reservoir

Hydrogeology Highlighting Some of the “Off the Beaten Path” Branches of Geology

In This Issue...

The Quest for Less CO2: The Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Operation Hydrogeology for Sustainable Energy Development in Alberta CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery in Alberta

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ANNUAL CSPG CLASSIC

E lbow S prings Golf Club • T hurs day June 21, 2018

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Tournament Information

would like to thank the following 2017 sponsors: Diamond Sponsors AGAT Laboratories geoLOGIC Systems Little Rock Printing Schlumberger Canada Weatherford Canada

Emerald Sponsors Chinook Consulting Services Typhoon Energy Ltd.

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RBC Dominion Securities Geo-Steering Solutions

Schedule: Thursday June 21, 2018 6:00am Breakfast 8:00am Shotgun Start 12:30pm Lunch Break 4:30pm 19th hole 5:30pm Awards Dinner Where: Elbow Springs Golf Club Format: 2-person teams - Enter with partner of any skill level for three 9-hole matches against other teams of equitable skill level Cost: Member’s Price - $169 +GST Non-member’s Price - $189 +GST

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To register, go to the CSPG website and select the following tabs: “Events,” “Sporting Events,” and “Classic Golf.” or Classic Golf on the home page.

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27 holes of golf with powercart, driving range & awards BBQ, golf shirt, skill prizes door prizes, on-course refreshments Prior to starting registration please have the following information: Name / Company / Phone / Business Email / Personal Email Handicap: HCP/Index/Score

Silver Sponsors PROGEO Consultants Loring Tarcore Labs Ltd Cougar Consultants Cordax Evalution Technologies Keitech Consulting Trimble Engineering Associates Ltd. Rigsat Gas Detection Sponsorship Welcome, Contact Randy Smith (403) 968-9222 or email: drrock@shaw.ca

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For 2018, the charity selected is the CSPG Foundation.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018 CSPG OFFICE #150, 540 - 5th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 0M2 Tel: 403-264-5610 Web: www.cspg.org Please visit our website for all tickets sales and event/course registrations Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm The CSPG Office is Closed the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.

OFFICE CONTACTS

Membership Inquiries Tel: 403-264-5610 Email: membership@cspg.org Advertising Inquiries: Emma MacPherson Tel: 403-513-1230 Email: emma.macpherson@cspg.org Sponsorship Opportunities: Lis Bjeld Tel: 403-513-1235 Email: lis.bjeld@cspg.org Conference Inquiries: Candace Jones Tel: 403-513-1238 Email: , candace.jones@cspg.org Accounting Inquiries: Kasandra Amaro.

Tel: 403-513-1232 Email: kasandra.amaro@cspg.org Education Inquiries: Kristy Casebeer Tel: 403-513-1233 Email: kristy.casebeer@cspg.org Executive Director: Lis Bjeld Tel: 403-513-1235, Email: lis.bjeld@cspg.org

EDITORS/AUTHORS

Please submit RESERVOIR articles to the CSPG office.

Submission deadline is the 23rd day of the month, two months prior to issue date. (e.g. January 23 for the March/April issue) To publish an article, the CSPG requires digital copies of the document. Text should be in Microsoft Word format and illustrations should be in TIFF format at 300 dpi., at final size.

CSPG COORDINATING EDITOR

Emma MacPherson, Programs Coordinator, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Tel: 403-513-1230, emma.macpherson@cspg.org

The RESERVOIR is published 6 times per year by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish.

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are available at the CSPG office.

No official endorsement or sponsorship by the CSPG is implied for any advertisement, insert, or article that appears in the Reservoir unless otherwise noted. All submitted materials are reviewed by the editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions, including letters to the Editor. Submissions must include your name, address, and membership number (if applicable).The material contained in this publication is intended for informational use only.

While reasonable care has been taken, authors and the CSPG make no guarantees that any of the equations, schematics, or devices discussed will perform as expected or that they will give the desired results. Some information contained herein may be inaccurate or may vary from standard measurements. The CSPG expressly disclaims any and all liability for the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user of information contained in this publication. Under no circumstances shall the CSPG and its officers, directors, employees, and agents be liable for any injury, loss, damage, or expense arising in any manner whatsoever from the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user.

PRESIDENT Clint Tippett

PRESIDENT ELECT Marty Hewitt

president@cspg.org

presidentelect@cspg.org

PAST PRESIDENT Mark Cooper

FINANCE DIRECTOR Jim Barclay

Sherwood Geoconsulting Inc. pastpresident@cspg.org

directorfinance@cspg.org

FINANCE DIRECTOR ELECT Ray Geuder

DIRECTOR Laurie Brazzoni membershipdirector@cspg.org

directorfinanceelect@cspg.org

DIRECTOR Mark Caplan

DIRECTOR Alex MacNeil

Cenovus Energy Ltd. conferences@cspg.org

Osum Oil Sands Corp.

AMacNeil@osumcorp.com

DIRECTOR Kevin Parks

DIRECTOR Michael Webb

Alberta Energy Regulator kevin.parks@aer.ca

Suncor Energy mwebb@suncor.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lis Bjeld CSPG lis.bjeld@cspg.org

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 2 • MAR/APR 2018

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THANK-YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS SAMARIUM SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

TITANIUM SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

CORPORATE SUPPORTERS Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. Geovariances Cabra Consulting Ltd. Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Earth Signal Processing Ltd. Enersoft Inc. Foothills Resource Services RSEG Saguaro Resources Secure Energy Services Trican Laboratories Sproule Associates Limited Pulse Seismic Inc

*As of February 1st

Canacol Energy Ltd. CAPL Clear Directional Drilling Solutions Ltd. Crescent Point Energy DHVI Ember Resources McDaniel & Associates Consultants Ltd. MEG Energy Corp.

Petrocraft Products Ltd. SeisWare Tangle Creek Energy Velvet Energy Ltd. PERM Inc.

Sensor Geophysical Ltd. CoreSearch NAL REsources TAQA North Ltd. Baker Hughes Calgary Enlighten Geoscience Ltd. Midwest Surveys Signature Seismic Processing Inc. XRF Solutions Ltd Kalahari Energy Corp.

Shale Petroleum

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MARCH/APRIL 2018 – VOLUME 45, ISSUE 2

MONTHLY SPONSORS............................................................................................4 MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD.............................................................................6 MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS.........................................................................8 TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS ...........................................................................9 TECHNICAL ARTICLES The Quest for Less CO2: The Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Operation...13 FRONT COVER Carbonate weathering – Kananaskis.

Flat-lying Mississippian carbonates outcrop downstream of Elbow Falls on the braided Elbow River, Kananaskis Country, Alberta.

Cherty layers have resisted erosion and form a sculpted relief on the upper surface with a colour distinction between this white resistant caprock and the blue-gray soft and channeled limestone beneath.

These carbonates were likely subjected to subsurface karstification prior to their exposure at the surface. Erosional topography is approx. 3-5 m.

Photo: John Andersen

Hydrogeology for Sustainable Energy Development in Alberta..........................16 CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery in Alberta..................................................................18

UPCOMING EVENTS Technical Luncheons..............................................................................................20 Division Talks...........................................................................................................22

SOCIETY NEWS 2017 CSPG Awards...................................................................................................32 Graduate Student Thesis Award – Best Ph.D.........................................................34 AGAT & the CSPG....................................................................................................36 CSPG at the Western Inter-university Geosciences Conference..........................38

RESERVOIR ISSUE 2 • MARCH/APRIL 2018

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

By Mark Caplan, Education Director

INTRODUCTION Spring has arrived (at least in some parts of Canada). Spring heralds the arrival of new growth after the dormancy of winter. It occurs as new buds on trees and seedlings in grassy lawns. Similarly, the petroleum Patch is showing some signs of turnaround, fuelled by an increase in the price for petroleum products. In the same vein, I am delighted to report that the CSPG Education Program is starting to flourish again after the initial and careful planting of seedlings in 2017 and prior years.

It has been communicated time and again just how important knowledge acquisition is to our members. We are determined to continue developing an education program that serves the wants and needs of the membership. As is customary, we strive to improve our programs and methods of knowledge dissemination. In this update I will share some of the initiatives and activities that took place in 2017 on the Education front, and then provide some of the plans that we have in mind for 2018.

The annual Education Program is divided into three batches of course delivery to allow members multiple opportunities throughout the year to benefit from these high-quality and pertinent courses. Each year, courses are offered during the first and second weeks of May, during the first week in October and lastly, at other times of the year whenever new courses are ready for dissemination. The consistent biannual education offerings in May and October will allow for companies and staff to budget and plan their training needs for the year.

2017 LOOK BACK In 2017, we focused on awareness and design of a sustainable Education program.

We wanted to develop a program that

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covered a number of goals that are listed below:

instructors for their hard work in making these events a huge success.

• Address the training knowledge gap that has been recently developing in companies;

Spring Forward to Education Week 2017 ran 13 classroom courses and 2 field trips in subjects ranging from core analysis and geomechanics to climate change and waste disposal. Five courses were run over the Fall Back to Education Week 2017, and covered the extremely popular core-based clastic exploration course, tight rock core analysis, geosteering, geomodelling and reserve estimates of unconventional resources.

Courses ran from ½ day to as many as 5 days.

Both education weeks were a resounding success. Several additional courses were offered outside of these education weeks, which included geostatistics courses and the recurring and ever-popular Geology of Wine course. We offered the opportunity at the end of each education week for attendees to provide feedback and we acted upon it to help improve the experience for future groups.

• Listen and research new technologies and key “hot topics” that are in demand in the energy industry; • Provide high-quality technical instruction with appropriate and relevant content; • Listen to participant feedback resulting in continual key modifications to the Education Program.; and • Offer courses at a reasonable price point to enable any prospective attendee the ability to benefit from these opportunities.

These goals could not have been achieved without the support of two dedicated committees of volunteers which focused independently on the Spring and Fall Education weeks. The Spring Education committee consisted of the following individuals: Amy Fox (chair), Ryan Brenner, George Pinckney, and Jennifer Scott. The Fall committee was co-chaired by Michelle Hawke and Jeanine Vany and included Omid Haeri Ardakani, Kent Barrett, Ricardo Castellanos, Shawna Christensen, Lindsay Dunn, Shadi Fattahi, Chad Glemser, Ben McKenzie, Jenna Phillips and Richard Wong. These volunteers chose topics that they considered would be of interest to fellow geoscientists, searched for suitable instructors and vetted both the instructors and the course material. Kristy Casebeer from the CSPG office worked tirelessly on the huge task of logistics, marketing and registration. I would like to thank all the volunteers, the office staff and the talented

2018 LOOK FORWARD What does the education program look like for 2018? What is remaining the same and what are we going to do differently?

Similar to the format and timing of course deliver in 2017, we will continue to offer courses in two concentrated weeks in 2018 (April 30th to May 4th, 2018 and October 15th to October 19th, 2018). We are well on the way to generating another exciting Spring Education week, packed full of excellent short courses and field trips. The committee is chaired again by the tireless and committed Amy Fox, with a committee comprising Paula Jennings, Francois Marechal, George Pinckney and Neil Watson. At the time of writing this article, a Fall committee was being assembled by the amazing co-chairs Michelle Hawke and Jeanine Vany. Over a dozen courses for Spring Education are open for registration, and those for the Fall will be advertised at GeoConvention 2018. So please do go the CSPG website, search for the Education

RESERVOIR ISSUE 2 • MARCH/APRIL 2018

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

page, browse the available courses and register for a relevant one today. In addition, these courses are recognised

by APEGA, and course attendees will earn CPD credits. Lastly, I am initiating a committee dedicated to organising local, short geological field trips for our members.

These efforts will continue to mature into 2019.

I am always looking for volunteers to help with Education Week. If you are passionate about education and wish to give back to the geological community, then this is a rewarding way of doing so. If you wish to learn more about these opportunities, please contact Kristy Casebeer at the CSPG office who would be happy to answer your questions. Moreover if you have ideas for future short courses, field seminars or general suggestions for improvements to our education program, please send your ideas to Kristy (kristy.casebeer@cspg.org), who will pass them on to me. I will respond

to all e-mails. My job as Education Director is to serve you, the members of the Society, and to enhance your access to pertinent and key knowledge. The efforts of planting seeds will be rewarded by harvesting their growth.

The future of Education at the CSPG holds much promise, so please be part of it and contribute in some way. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming CSPG events and hearing from you with your creative suggestions for improvements.

Have a very happy Spring.

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RESERVOIR ISSUE 2 • MARCH/APRIL 2018

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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS

HYDROGEOLOGY. HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE “OFF THE BEATEN PATH” BRANCHES OF GEOLOGY Jason Frank

Technical Editor for the CSPG Reservoir Sr. Geologist at Athabasca Oil Corporation Jason Frank is a Professional Geologist who holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Alberta.

He has over 16 years of experience in oil and gas including technical and leadership positions in exploration and development both on and offshore. Past experience includes Shell Canada Ltd., Burlington Resources Ltd., ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd., and Talisman Energy Inc. Jason has volunteered for the Society in the past, most recently chairing the Duvernay session at the Society’s annual convention (2014) and the Honourary Address Committee.

Travis Hobbs

Technical Editor for the Reservoir Professional Geologist at Encana Travis Hobbs is an undergraduate from University of Calgary with a graduates degree from Simon Fraser University in Geology. Professionally has worked both domestically and internationally for 19 years in the Oil & Gas industry, and is currently celebrating 15 years with Encana.

Industry roles have included development, exploration, management and business development. Prior to the Reservoir, Travis has held previous roles on convention committees and six years as the Chair of Continuing Education. As free time permits Travis enjoys cycling, cross-country skiing and teaching his two daughters violin.

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T

he petroleum Geologist is often stereotyped by certain qualities: loves to make maps, finds it exciting to look at downhole logs, accused of occasionally tasting rocks, plaid shirts Birkenstock sandals and hiking boots are formal work attire, and are generally found exploring the wonderful world around them on weekends and in their spare time. While this may be the ‘normal,’ we wanted to highlight some of the ‘offshoot’ disciplines of Geology in this edition of the Reservoir. The papers collected in this edition shed some light on these lesser known topics that fall under the general terms Hydrogeology; the geology of enhanced oil recovery projects utilizing CO2 and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) projects in the province.

The province of Alberta has earmarked $1.24 billion to two commercial scale CCS projects: Quest and Carbon Trunk Line (CTL) projects. In an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from largescale industrial facilities, these projects are designed to: 1) capture emissions that would normally be vented into the atmosphere, 2) transport the emissions to a well site, and 3) inject the CO2 into deep underground rock formations for permanent storage. We have two papers that illustrate the geology and creativity in harnessing this potential for future enhanced oil recovery.

The Quest project became operational in August of 2015, and the paper presented

by Anne Halladay sheds light on the magnitude of the project. To put things into perspective, the Quest project has safely injected and permanently stored over 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 since start up. This is the equivalent of storing greenhouse gas emissions from ~560,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year (Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator – www.epa. gov).

will carry CO2 captured from the Sturgeon Refinery and the Agrium fertilizer plant to enhanced oil recovery projects in central Alberta. David Hills presents a paper outlining an innovative use of C02 as Alberta’s first CO2 flood, and the potential of producing half of the remaining oil in place in the Devonian reef complex within the Clive field.

Kevin Parks and Dan Palombi highlight excellent work of the Alberta Energy Regulator and the Alberta Geological Survey under the vast umbrella of “Hydrogeology.”

As they point out in their paper, the science encompasses three main branches; water resource, containment, and petroleum.

They have been part of some excellent mapping initiatives and highlight this work in their paper.

This month’s interview is rather special in that we highlight two contributors to the Hydrogeology branch of science: Richard Bartlett and Wayne Cox. With over 85 years of combined experience, their wealth of knowledge and history of DST collection and analysis is astounding. We take for granted that we can pull up raster or digital images of DST’s in programs like Accumap and Geoscout. These pioneers in data collection and analysis made quick interpretations of DSTs possible, Richard and Wayne’s contributions to the knowledge base of the industry is invaluable. We hope that you enjoy reading the combined interview.

We also hope that 2018 is shaping up to be an excellent year for all our readers. As with every edition, we thank-you for your time and continued support for the Reservoir and the CSPG. Jason and Travis

The 240 km long CTL project will carry

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TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS

TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS The Evolution of DST storage and Interpretation

By Travis Hobbs Richard Bartlett, president of HydroFax, has over 40 years of DST application and hydrodynamic experience, having established Hydro-Fax in 1987. He has extensive hydrogeologic experience in the N.W.T. and Western Canadian sedimentary basin. Richard has given talks at the CSPG on a couple of hydrodynamic topics and case studies. Richard has also taught DST interpretation and the application of hydrodynamics in the industry.

Wayne Cox, Retired Hydrodynamic Specialist, is a graduate of the Petroleum Technology program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He began his career at Canadian Stratigraphic and worked for several major oil companies for over 45 years, retiring from Encana in 2014. He has worked with DST’s and hydrodynamics since 1973 and developed the concept of a digital DST database which eventually became the CIFE DST data file while at Amoco. Wayne developed DST and hydrodynamic courses which were delivered to the industry through both public and in-house, and has authored papers on hydrodynamics and cochaired sessions on abnormal pressures for the AAPG. Richard and Wayne jointly worked on the Digital DST Database that a substantial portion of industry relies on for cataloguing and interpretation the vast number of DSTs collected in western Canada.

Evolution of Digital DST Databases 1974 – Wayne Cox convinced Amoco management of the value of a digital DST database to enable rapid regional hydrodynamic studies and monitor with access bottom hole reservoir pressures regionally.  Lynes United Drill Stem testing won the contract to digitize the Canadian Hydrodynamics’ microfilm charts and input DST data into a database for later mass retrieval and mapping

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known as DST80. ~1983 - Lynes shut down the DST database project and Hydrodynamic Consulting  Assets acquired by McAllister and Associates Copies of the digital file acquired by major oil companies during that time  McAllister digital file becomes CIFE in 1984 ~1987 - Hydro-Fax begins to build their own digital DST database (similar to CIFE data set)

Richard Bartlett

1991 - International Petrodata become partners for distribution 1993 - as CIFE folds, Hydro-Fax is asked by library members of CIFE to continue updating. CIFE folds Canadian arm, Hydro-Fax then takes on full development of digital DST file. ~1994 - A consortium of petroleum companies funds a project to scan the microfilm into raster images to enable DST viewing online. ~1996 - This raster file is added to Accumap.

Hydro-Fax develops its own proprietary computer based PE plots and digital images of tests ~2004 - geoLOGIC licence’s Hydro-Fax data and begins development of its own PE plot software.

Wayne Cox

By 2011 - the use of Downhole Drill Stem testing fades as drilling approaches have changed  geoLOGIC builds it’s own DST raster image dataset.

(Continued on page 10...)

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TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS (Continued from page 9...)

Technical Background 1) Who were the influences on your work during your early education/training?

Richard: I started my career as a mud logger with Continental Lab in the fall of 1977. In 1978 I was hired on at Lynes United testers by Wayne Cox in the hydrodynamic group where I learned the technical analyses of Drill Stem Test. My first regional hydrodynamic evaluation was on the Belloy Formation in Alberta and British Columbia. I learned the science of hydrodynamics through geology courses at SAIT, working with peers and the hydrodynamic course put on by Dr. Eric Dalhburg.

Wayne: After I left Canadian Stratigraphic and went to Amoco as a geological technologist I met Alan Whyte who was the in-house Hydrodynamic Specialist. I eventually applied for an opening to work with Alan, and through him, learned the little known black art of DST evaluation and hydrodynamic studies. His commitment to quality work and integration of geology with the DST interpretation and hydrodynamics in general opened a whole new world to me. Later I met Park Dickie and H King Hubbert (the father of hydrodynamics), both of whom I found inspiring. I was also fortunate enough to work with some outstanding geologists and engineers who taught me much about their specialties which allowed for a better understanding of how to integrate my work with theirs.

Wayne: The vast majority of my work in hydrodynamics was done in western Canada, though I did work on a few international projects over the years.

Western Canada is somewhat unique in that the clastic sections tend toward the lower end of the porosity and permeability scale compared to the Darcy scale permeability of other places in the world.

This leads to many more conventional trapping opportunities, though they may not be as large as some places in the world.

This effects the migration of reservoir fluids over geologic time and how one interprets changes in potentiometric surface maps versus other locations in the world. It requires us to be more detailed in our work. We are also lucky here that we have much better access to data than in many other places which requires us to be more efficient in data management.

3) What attracted you to the Oil & Gas Industry, and when did you realize you wanted to focus on the field of Hydrodynamics?

2) How much have you worked in western Canada vs. other geographic areas?

And how has this influenced you as a Scientist?

Richard: After I finished my education in environmental studies, my familiarity with water led me towards aquifer association in western Canada. I almost ended up in the Okanagan doing water evaluations.

Hence by shear default I ended up at Lynes United after mud logging, learning the technicality and application of petroleum hydrodynamics. After several months with Continental mud logging, my wife saw an ad by Lynes looking for a Hydrodynamicist.

She put water and hydro together alerted me and I applied for the position. Mr. Cox interviewed me and hired me for the position. That is how I ended up in the position I am today.

Richard: The majority of regional hydrodynamic has been done in western Canada. In 1991 Dr. Dalhburg and I did a hydrodynamic evaluation on the east coast of Canada in Newfoundland and before that I was hired by a company to do an exclusive project on the Scotian Shelf.

My greatest accomplishment was teaming up with Dr. Jim Undershultz to map the hydrodynamics of the foothills of western Alberta. We started off evaluating the oil at Moose Mountain and continued mapping the Mississippian and Devonian of the foothills.

Wayne: While in high school I attended a career night where SAIT had a number of oil and gas industry disciplines represented. I looked at the Petroleum Technology department and got a vision of being able to work in the field out of a trailer, having the rig guys coming and reporting to me on progress and thought that would be a great job. While I did do wellsite geology for Amoco for a few years, my head was rapidly turned by internal meetings with the resident hydrodynamic specialist; and my career was changed forever.

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4) When you were building the HydroFax database how did you deal with the huge amount of data? What were some of the challenges and how did you mitigate them? How was the Hydro-Fax QC code implemented and applied to such a large data set?

Richard: When I started up Hydro-Fax in 1987 the first things I did was purchase the Board’s microfiche files of DST reports and fluid files for water oil and gas analyses. As I entered the drill stem test data from the pre-existing studies done at CIFE. I had 25,000 tests entered into my program known as NHF. The program was a huge step forward in the ability to re-enter data and interactively access it at the time of entry. As the data was entered the incremental breakdown for flow and shut-ins would allow for the technician to see the accuracy if data entry reflected by the Horner plot coming up as the data was entered. As for QC control of the data I utilized the pre-existing code structure developed for the DIGITAL DST 80 file: The A-G CODE SYSTEM. A few modifications were made to keep consistent with what the industry was familiar with, as I did not want to re invent the wheel. The interpretation of the field records and volume of data to manually assess and enter was very time consuming. At the peak of development Hydro-Fax had eight technicians analyzing and entering data.

Wayne: At Amoco we used an informal coding system very similar to what you see today. When I went to Lynes United from Amoco to help build this data set, we set up a much more rigid set of criteria so the analysis would be consistent. Data sets were managed by a senior analyst who reviewed a large part of the data to ensured consistency. The group I headed up provided hydrodynamic studies to the industry and as the data base began to cover areas we were working in, we could “test” it out and make changes as necessary.

5) Were you ever involved in any waterflood programs?

What was your approach to understand the complexities in subsurface reservoir management? What were some of the challenges and how did you handle them?

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TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS

Wayne: Early on we found working in areas with production; with or without waterfloods; is challenging. One has to deal with figuring out whether a “low” pressure near a field is due to production, or indicates a “new” system and is separate from the pool. Waterfloods further complicate this as pressures near a pool may decline initially but then increase due to the waterflood. In some cases we find pressures well above the initial pool pressures. One has to work chronologically with the data to define what the undisturbed conditions are and then work forward to see the influence of production or injection.

It adds uncertainty to the work in many cases, but can also add clarity in determining continuity. We found cases where we could clearly demonstrate much of the water injected was moving out of the pool and not very effective.

Career Development 1) Running a consulting practice can be challenging. If any of our readers have similar aspirations, do you have any advice? What qualities / abilities would you suggest honing / mastering?

Or if you’d like to share some pearls of wisdom on how you have achieved success in the oil and gas industry (i.e. what skill-sets would you recommend having).

Richard: As a consultant I was directly involved in saving a well that was about to be abandoned. I used that example in the school I give at geoLOGIC. Without the real time testing date, which came late in the evolution of the well, this data allowed us to test beyond the normal time structure of a DST. Four flows and four shut-ins later, the damage to the well was recognized. Hence the well was cased and has produced over a BCF of gas and condensate. Consulting is not easy, long hours and many days, but with consulting comes a different kind of freedom.

2) Is there a particular study / working relationship that you are most proud of throughout your career? What was it about the project that made it ‘the one,’ (people, rocks, impacts, etc.).

Richard: For me it was working beside

Stoakes and Campbell on the Kiskatinaw project. The first real understanding and insight of how hydro and geology can be tied together. It was the first time working side by side two well known geological specialist. The other project was unraveling Moose Mountain with Jim Undershultz.

Wayne: I was fortunate to work on so many projects with so many excellent professionals it would be tough to pick one.

I was able to work with noted experts in sedimentology, geochemistry, engineers, university researchers and professors who all taught me so much along the way. But for a few years I was asked to work on pore pressure prediction for offshore drilling.

One case in particular my worked showed the existing predictions were understating the risks and we were able to change the well design in time to prevent a serious problem. Because this work impacted the safety of people and environment directly, it was probably the most satisfying. But I would not have been asked to take it on if it wasn’t for my understanding of formation pressures in general.

Hydrodynamics 1) What are some key messages you would like to share with the industry professional just starting their careers? (Starting to collect, analyze and apply hydrodynamic data)?

Richard: Once your data is collected for your project my first approach is understanding what the water in the system is telling me. Is it truly formation water and what are the influencing factors at play? How many aquifer(s) might I be dealing with in my project area, which depends heavily on whether it is a carbonate or clastic setting.

Wayne: I think the most important thing is to get a solid mental model of how the system works, how did the various formation fluids get where they are, how do they migrate, what are the driving forces; and never forget the impact of geologic time. Which processes are dynamic on a human scale or only on a geologic scale.

Remember that sequences, formations and members are only artificial constructs to aid in understanding deposition and architecture; fluids only care whether or

not there is permeability and differential energy between points. If you can get that straight, then you can make exploration models and incorporate whatever data is at hand to figure out the most likely model.

Learn from all disciplines. Economics rules. You only get paid for what comes out the wellhead.

2) This edition is focusing on Hydrodynamics. Can you comment on the importance of some of the industry resources that are available to the working geoscientist who are currently working for small or larger companies? Benefits? Cost savings?

Learning?

Wayne: This is a tough one for me. I’ve been out of the industry for close to four years now and have not kept informed technically. I do know that today they have the best ever tools for understanding regional pictures to enable them to put their play, large or small, into context.

They can use the Hydro-Fax module in GeoScout to quickly create regional maps and plots and then quickly identify the critical data elements that need additional scrutiny. Scoping maps of DST recoveries along with quick pressure elevation plots help narrow down where hydrocarbon charged zones are present or rule out areas for prospecting. This data is still valuable for the remaining conventional exploration as it always has been.

3) As industry moves from conventional to an unconventional exploration/ exploitation what are some key hydrogeological applications you have noticed of critical importance?

What are some triumphs and pitfalls you have observed?

Richard: The industry changed with the advent of the horizontal wellbore. Data has become scarce and to further complicate things, the act of comingling adds to the problem of getting a handle on reservoir pressure. In my observation we did a poor job in monitoring pool pressures especially oil pools and consequent to the loss of the DST - WE NO LONGER GET GOOD INITIAL UNDISTURBED PRESSURE DATA. (Continued on page 12...)

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TALKING WITH ARCHITECTS (Continued from page 11...)

Wayne: To further Richard’s point, working unconventional exploration is difficult because there is little pressure or water data, and what exists tends to be of poor quality. While we have always used production pressure data, now it is even more important. Unfortunately, the quality tends to be poor and therefore one needs to develop a range of models and test the data against what the models would predict to narrow down which interpretations that are most likely.

The Personal Side of Richard and Wayne: 1) What are your interests outside of work?

Richard: I have recently been involved in raising horses with my wife on our hobby farm. I live on an acreage so very nature inclined. Golf with my friends when I can or just read a good book, eyes allowing.

Wayne: Just to keep healthy and keep learning new things.

Wayne: Now that I am retired, I spend time on what is important to me; and that has changed over time. After working for over 40 years in various offices, I find I like to be outside; at least when the weather is decent, working in the yard, golfing with friends, reading on the deck in the sun.

It may sound boring but the time flies by and I’m happiest when I’m learning something.

2) What are your plans/goals for the next 3 to 5 years outside of work?

Richard: Now that I am 65 and HydroFax is 30 years in the making, I have not decided on when to actually retire. I enjoy the various aspects of mentoring young geologists on what I do. Trying to find oil and gas using my database and knowledge gained. Socially I am a passionate sailor and just like the outdoors. Golf with my friends and just enjoy life. NEVER STOP OBSERVING AND LEARNING.

A Geoscience Outreach Exhibition  

March 18-20, 2018 Big Four Building Stampede Park, Calgary Sunday, March 18 11:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday, March 19 8:45 am – 2:45 pm 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm (tentative)

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC HANDS ON EXPERIENCE

 

FAMILY FRIENDLY FREE ADMISSION

Come Join Us!

Earth Science for Society (ESfS) is a fun, educational, and dynamic geoscience outreach event where visitors explore Earth Science fundamentals while enjoying many varied interactive activities, including gold panning and a fossil hunt.

On Sunday, ESfS presents the following Geo-Theatre topics and speakers: Everyday Astronaut

Tuesday, March 20 8:45 am – 2:45 pm

Dr. Ross Lockwood

For more information or to volunteer, visit esfscanada.com

How and Where to Find Fossils in Alberta

Dr. Jon Noad

Hosted by:

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

THE QUEST FOR LESS CO2: THE QUEST CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE OPERATION

By Anne Halladay, Shell Canada Ltd. Overview The Quest Project is an integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) operation.

Using an amine-based process, CO2 is captured at the Scotford Upgrader and then compressed and transported via pipeline to the injection wells near Thorhild, Alberta. The super-critical phase CO2 is injected for permanent storage in a saline sandstone formation called the Basal Cambrian Sands (BCS). Up to 1.2 million tonnes a year of CO2 is currently being captured and safely stored, representing more than 35% of the CO2 produced from the Scotford Upgrader.

Carbon Capture and Storage in Alberta CCS in Alberta is largely covered by existing oil and gas regulations, although in 2010 there were several policy, legislative and regulatory hurdles to overcome for largescale CCS development in Alberta. The Carbon Sequestration Tenure Regulation (of the Mines and Minerals Act) was established in 2011 to define pore space tenure (vs PNG or mineral tenure) for a carbon sequestration lease. This legislation includes the requirement to submit a Measurement, Monitoring and Verification (MMV) Plan and a Closure Plan, which together address the shortterm and long-term risks associated with CCS disposal operations, abandonment, and explicit liability transfer of the stored and credited CO2 back to the government.

There is currently one operating CCS project in Alberta – Quest; however, there are many examples of geological storage of CO2 occurring through acid gas injection and EOR (enhanced oil recovery) activities. There are numerous acid gas injection schemes operating in Alberta that dispose of associated CO2 and H2S. In terms of CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage), there were several CO2 -EOR pilot projects initiated in the 2000’s, and a few commercial CO2 -EOR operations near petrochemical plants, such as near

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Figure 1: Stratigraphy and Hydrostratigraphy of Southern and Central Alberta Basin. Stratigraphic nomenclature applied to the Quest Project is represented on the right side Joffre, AB. In Saskatchewan, the WeyburnMidale CO2 -EOR operation is the world’s largest CO2 storage site, having safely injected and stored over 30 million tonnes of CO2 as of 2017. It is well understood that the one of the key barriers to commercialscale deployment of CO2-EOR is the price of CO2 - driven by high capture and transport costs.

Storage Site Selection The Quest storage site location was selected to minimize risks related to the short and long-term storage of CO2 in a saline aquifer. The selection criteria included storage capacity, injectivity, containment,

MMV, pore space access, cost and growth potential. The Thorhild-Radway area, to the NW of both Scotford and the Redwater Leduc Reef, proved to be exceptional through its lack of BCS penetrations by legacy exploration wells, the number of seals and barriers present above the BCS, and the lack of potential conflicts with oil and gas or salt cavern storage operations.

The site is relatively far from Scotford (65 km long pipeline), when compared to most acid gas injection facilities, so the choice to minimize geological storage risk resulted in higher pipeline costs.

(Continued on page 14...)

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE (Continued from page 13...)

Figure 2: Possible modern analog for Quest sedimentary environment: west coast of Korea, Yellow Sea.

Figure 3: Quest sedimentary environment – Tide-dominated bay margin

Simply through this through site selection process, and with extensive added risk mitigations in place, the Quest CCS project is understood to be one of the safest places in the world to safely and permanently store CO2.

The Storage Complex In CCS, the term “storage complex” refers to the geological injection zone, and the surrounding geological formations that act as barriers to migration - the top, base, and lateral seals, and all flow barriers or baffles within the defined stratigraphy.

The Quest storage complex includes the PreCambrian basement, all Cambrian stratigraphy and the lower Devonian (Figure 1). The site was selected to maximize the thickness of the top primary seals - the Lower Devonian Lotsberg Salts, of which there are two extensive salt layers.

The Basal Cambrian sands unconformably overlie the PreCambrian crystalline basement, deposited in a shallow marine, tide-dominated bay margin setting (Figures 2 and 3). This basal sandstone is the result of a major global transgression, and is overlain by progressively distal siliciclastic sediments. The stratigraphic equivalent of basal sheet sands overlying the North American craton include the Mt. Simon (Central USA), Flathead (Wyoming and Montana), and the Riley (Texas) formations. At Quest, within the BCS,

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Figure 4: A reminder of what 17% porosity and 1 Darcy of permeability look like in core.Tide-dominated bay margin sedimentary environment, lithofacies: Tidal dunes, compound cross-stratified sandstone showing bed-load deposition, mud-drapes and reactivation surfaces.

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

several facies have been defined from core and logs and integrated into the reservoir model – tide-dominated bay margin, proximal bay and distal bay sedimentary environments of deposition. These facies divisions, descriptions and associated properties were used pre-injection to model and understand the potential CO2 plume geometries and behaviours, which had a significant impact on the design of the injection scheme and the MMV program.

Overall, the BCS has proven to be an excellent reservoir for injection hydrostatically pressured, 30- 50m thick with a high net-to-gross, 17% porosity, and permeability of ~ 1 Darcy (Figure 4).

Operations Injection operations commenced in August 2015, and as of January 2018 Quest has safely injected and permanently stored over 2.6 million tonnes of CO2. Overall, the integrated operation has performed better than expected - capture facilities are very reliable and reservoir injectivity at wells has been good enough that only 2 of the 3 injection wells are required. The variations in the CO2 injection rates are related primarily to capture operations and hydrogen demand at the upgrader, and averages 120 tonnes of CO2/day (Figure 5).

Conclusion CCS has a critical role to play in addressing climate change while we transition to a low-carbon energy future - this is particularly important for Albertans as our power and petrochemical industries are significant contributors to Canada’s GHG emissions. Wider uptake of CCS is needed for any of the global targets are to be met, and the IEA has recently renewed a push for CCUS projects, like CO2 -EOR, that could be important stepping stones on the way to building more carbon capture facilities. The Alberta government has been leading the way in terms of eliminating many barriers to the large-scale deployment of carbon capture through the implementation of a price on carbon, key legislation, regulations and funding.

As the first CCS operation in Alberta, Quest is committed to the safe and

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Figure 5: Quest injection rate (blue) and cumulative injection volumes (red).The green lines represent the yearly injection totals associated with averaged injection rates.

permanent storage of CO2. Through careful risk mitigation and site selection, and a comprehensive MMV Program, Quest today is demonstrating that many of the risks associated with permanent CO2 storage, both technical and nontechnical, can be mitigated and sometimes eliminated. Quest is showing that CCS can be safe, technically and commercially feasible and is making significant contributions to reducing Alberta’s GHG emissions.

Acknowledgements Quest is operated by Shell and is part of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project, a JV of Canadian Natural Resources, Chevron and Shell. Quest was made possible through public funding from the Alberta and Canadian Governments. As a result, much of Quest’s operational information and learnings are publicly available, with the hope of bringing down the future costs and encouraging the deployment of CCS around the world.

References Alberta's CCS Knowledge Sharing Program contains the Quest Project Knowledge Sharing Reports from 2011 to present. http://www.energy.alberta.ca/CCS/3848. asp

Reservoirs http://www.aer.ca/rules-andregulations/directives/directive-065 Quest Storage Development Plan (2011). http://www.energy.alber ta.ca/CC S/ StorageDevelopmentPlan.pdf Quest Generation 4 Integrated Reservoir Modelling Report (2011). http://www. energy.alberta.ca/CCS/Generation-4Integ ratedReservoirModelingReport.pdf Alberta Energy Oil CO2 Royalty Program. http://www.energy.alberta.ca/Oil/766.asp Wilson M, Monea M, Whittaker S, White D, Law D, Chalaturnyk R (2004) IEA GHG Weyburn CO2 Monitoring & Storage Project Summary Report 2000–2004.

PTRC. Tucker, O., Gray, L., Maas, W., & O’Brien, S. (2016, November 12). Quest Commercial Scale CCS – The First Year. International Petroleum Technology Conference.

Desjardins P., & Smith, M. (2013) The Basal Cambrian in the Subsurface of Alberta: Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Injection Target. CSPG/CSEG/CWLS GeoConvention 2013, 6-12 May 2013, Calgary, AB, Canada

Alberta Energy Regulator: Directive 065: Resources Applications for Oil and Gas

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

HYDROGEOLOGY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN ALBERTA

by Kevin Parks and Dan Palombi, Alberta Energy Regulator, Alberta Geological Survey

H

ydrogeology is the science of fluid movement and chemical change beneath the earth’s surface. As a discipline it covers all geological domains, from shield rocks to regolith, and spans all spatial scales, from nanopores to crustal plates. Hydrogeology is a quantitative, mathematical, and experimental science. This makes it different than other geological disciplines applied in energy development like stratigraphy and paleontology, which rely more on creative synthesis of field observations to advance and test hypotheses about undiscovered locations of resources below ground. But by combining knowledge of fluid movement with a petroleumgeology framework, hydrogeologists have become indispensable to solving the environmental, economic and social challenges of energy development. Three streams of hydrogeology have become essential in this work: • Water-resources hydrogeology: the application of hydrogeological techniques to develop reliable water supplies from groundwater wells considering aquifer geology, flow systems, and links to surface water and groundwater-dependent ecosystems; • Contaminant hydrogeology: the application of hydrogeological techniques to stop, mitigate and remediate pollution in aquifers from spills, leaks, or buried waste before it can cause harm to human health, property, or aquatic ecosystems. Contaminant hydrogeologists also work proactively on the design of safe and permanent sites for subsurface disposal of wastes and regulations that protect groundwater from future contamination.

• Petroleum application

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hydrogeology: the of hydrogeological

techniques to understanding and predicting petroleum migration, groundwater chemistry, and pore pressures that evolve in response to geological change by regional cross-formational groundwater flow over geological time.

The Alberta Energy Regulator’s Alberta Geological Survey (AER|AGS) provides data, information, and knowledge about the hydrogeology of Alberta needed by government, industry, and the public for the sustainable exploration, development and conservation of Alberta’s resources.

AER|AGS shares a common history with the CSPG. Both organizations were founded by Dr. John Allan in the 1920s: AGS in 1921 and the CSPG in 1927. In keeping with these three essential streams, AER|AGS’ program is focused on delivery of hydrogeological data and knowledge that informs development of reliable groundwater supply for economic development and population growth in Alberta, protection of Alberta’s groundwater supplies from pollution hazards, and documents the hydrogeology of Alberta’s hydrocarbon and geothermal energy resources for regulation and policy development.

Figure 1: Net-to-gross sandstone mapping of the uppermost bedrock succession in the CalgaryLethbridge Corridor. Areas denoted within the red polygon provide indication of potential continuous aquifer geology and groundwater supply targets (Atkinson et al., 2017 AGS Report 91).

Reliable Water Supply In the past two decades, the AGS has generated data, maps and reports on Alberta’s groundwater inventory in areas of intense energy development and densely populated regions reliant upon groundwater.

This work has included documenting the groundwater quantity and quality of the Cold Lake-Beaver River Drainage Basin, mapping the hydrostratigraphy of the Paskapoo Formation, and documenting the geological framework and groundwater conditions in the Edmonton-Calgary Corridor (ECC), the Calgary-Lethbridge Corridor (CLC), and West Central Alberta (WCAB). In pursuit of the best information, AGS deploys sophisticated field methods for regional groundwater investigations including: working with provincial,

federal, and international partners to assess groundwater recharge in the prairies; conduct airborne EM surveys of the ECC and CLC for aquifer geology and groundwater quality-mapping (Figure 1); using groundwater modelling to understand groundwater-surface water dynamics in the Sylvan Lake watershed (Figure 2); and employing of GRACE-satellite gravimetry to understand regional groundwater-storage changes in prairie aquifers. At present, the AGS is supporting AER and Government of Alberta efforts to understand groundwater inventory and dynamics in WCAB (Figure 3) and the Upper Peace Region as energy development continues to grow in the Montney, Duvernay, and Deep Basin plays there.

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

Figure 2: Cross-section of simulated hydraulic heads across the Sylvan Lake watershed (Liggett and Singh, 2018 AGS OFR in-prep).

Groundwater Protection AER|AGS is responsible for creating and updating maps for Alberta’s designated Base of Groundwater Protection for the Province, which defines the regulatory boundary between Alberta’s non-saline groundwater resources and its deep, saline groundwater. This work is augmented by area and aquifer-specific reports on groundwater vulnerability and regional recharge/discharge area mapping.

Knowledge of where surface water enters and exits groundwater flow is essential to protect well fields and aquifers from land uses that may impair groundwater quality under the wrong circumstances. AGS has embarked on publishing basin-scale hydrogeological maps of groundwater flow and chemistry to further delineate regional groundwater quality and nonsaline – saline transition zones; in addition, this fundamental knowledge is required to evaluate deep brine aquifers as a resource for water supply and waste disposal.

Figure 3: Hydrogeological cross-section intersecting the Little Smoky River in west-central Alberta. Localized groundwater circulation near the river is evident within a predominantly recharge area (Smerdon et al., 2017 AGS OFR 2016-02).

the Alberta Basin reach into other areas as well, like future forms of geo-energy and leveraging our knowledge of sedimentary basins for environmental sustainability.

The techniques used in petroleum hydrogeology can be used to understand our geothermal energy resources, our geological carbon-capture and storage (CCS) potential, our capacity to store water underground to be resilient to drought and climate change, and maybe even how to store our renewable energy through geological means like underground stores of heat or compressed air.

AER|AGS groundwater data, reports, and maps are free of charge and can be accessed through the links at www.ags.aer.ca.

Petroleum Hydrogeology The AER|AGS has been a center of excellence in petroleum hydrogeology for many decades. An emergent area of focus in petroleum hydrogeology at AER|AGS is predicting long-term natural groundwater flow and petroleum migration in the Alberta Basin after the future permanent closure of Alberta’s subsurface oil and gas fields.

The lessons of petroleum hydrogeology in

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

CO2 ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY IN ALBERTA

By Dave Hills, Enhance Energy Overview Geological storage of CO2 is a potentially important component of Alberta’s ongoing carbon management, albeit limited to programs undertaken by the largest of companies and the government.

This waste gas becomes a valuable commodity however, when used for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).

CO2 EOR is not new, it has been a staple method of tertiary oil extraction for over 45 years in the Permian Basin of the USA. Over 600 million metric tons of CO2 has been transported and injected into Texan oil fields to produce 1.4 billion barrels of incremental oil from almost 150 different projects. Rather than from anthropogenic sources, CO2 in these projects is natural.

Vast reserves are found in the Paradox Basin of Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, where elevated geothermal gradients have broken down calcite into CO2. The McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon in Colorado are among the largest reserves and offer some 6 tcf of CO2 reserves that are drilled for and piped 500 miles, at a current rate of 1.1 bcf/d to the Texan oil hubs.

The value of this gas comes as a result of it being miscible with oil at reservoir pressures. Oil becomes less viscous, volume is increased, and surface tension changes.

The net result is that dislocated oil, trapped along pore walls, is once again able to flow, ultimately increasing total (OOIP) recovery by 10, 15, even 20%.

Alberta has one of the most mature oil basins in the world, with most of its vast conventional ‘legacy’ fields producing bare fractions of their peaks in the 1970’s and 80’s. For this reason, Alberta is a prime target for CO2 EOR. A typical Devonian Carbonate field in Alberta is expected to produce 60% of total oil reserves under waterflood or a natural aquifer drive. A CO2 flood can be expected to produce half of the remaining oil, which adds up to impressive volumes very quickly – one estimate by the Alberta Economic Development

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Figure 1: At Clive CO2 is injected into the Dolomitic Leduc reef at a depth of 1,800m. When the field is finally abandoned CO2 is permanently stored in the reservoir.

Authority estimated an additional 1.5 to 2.5 billion incremental barrels of oil could be produced – doubling the provinces conventional reserves.

The biggest barrier to development of these reserves is the capital expenditure needed to bring meaningful volumes of CO2 to legacy fields. This will soon change with the completion of the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line (ACTL). This project will compress and transport CO2 from the Northwest Redwater Refiner and Agrium’s Redwater Fertilizer plant north of Edmonton, 240km south to the Clive field. Clive will then become Alberta’s first full-scale CO2 EOR, rejuvenating the Devonian Leduc and Nisku Pools. Initially, the ACTL will transport 14,000 tonnes/day; however the pipeline is designed for 40,000 tonnes/day in anticipation of progressive adoption of CO2 capture technologies throughout the province.

Storage of CO2 in depleted reservoirs offers a number of advantages over deep aquifer storage. Conventionally trapped reservoirs are inherently suited to store buoyant CO2 for geological timescales, as this is exactly the reason why hydrocarbons accumulated there in the first place. Furthermore, years of data and knowledge of working fields from existing well logs, seismic, and production data enable detailed reservoir characterization. Geological models and flow simulation can then test injectivity and capacity before huge capital investments are made. Also, public acceptance is far more likely where the industry already forms part of the landscape. There are downsides to reservoir storage however.

Legacy wells, sometimes dating back half a century, are possible conduits to leak into shallower formations. Casing and cement integrity can be assessed for each well and then can be remediated where necessary.

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TECHNICAL ARTICLE

So having established that these are big infrastructure projects, what criterion led to Clive being chosen as the site for Alberta’s first CO2 EOR project? Here’s some of the most important considerations: Size matters. Larger pools which can benefit from repeatable drilling and completion methods go a long way in geologically derisking a project. Furthermore, as each EOR program requires expensive infrastructure to separate fluids and recycle CO2 back into the formation, big fields become far more viable. Size is also factored into how far the gas has to be transported – with larger fields, or hubs for fields justifying longer pipelines. Clive was chosen partly because of its inherent characteristics, but is also central to a great many other reservoirs of central Alberta. So too, the 320 km pipeline feeding the Weyburn CO2 project in S.E. Saskatchewan from North Dakota has its value in decades of future development potential in the Midale formation.

Pressure, temperature, and oil quality each correlate to the miscibility of oil and CO2. For this reason shallow pools that exhibit oil degradation score lower than their deeper counterparts. It is worth mentioning that shallow, immiscible pools can still benefit from flooding. For example, ARC’s pilot program at the Redwater Leduc field (approx. 980m deep) recovered 6-8% incremental oil. Unfortunately the net utilization of CO2 was poor and the program proved uneconomic.

Presence of a gas gap in the original reservoir can also be of concern, as trapped gas will mix with CO2 and dilute its effectiveness. ‘Low gas’ fields are ideal as produced gasses cannot be separated from returned CO2 and are recycled back into the formation.

Finally, porosity and permeability distribution is critical in establishing whether a pool is suitable for EOR. To understand how the reservoir will perform under a flood, geological models are constructed that incorporate every piece of information available, including petrophysics, original well logs, core analysis, relative permeability tests, and production data. Those models are then subjected to flow modelling, which simulates fluid flow and interactions in

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Figure 2: Alberta Carbon Trunk Line (ACTL): Strategic connection between CO2 supply and target reservoirs, 240 km - 12” & 16” open transmission pipeline, 15,000 T/d licensed capacity, expandable to 40,000 T/d, regulatory approved, 2600 PSI max operating pressure various development scenarios.

The environmental benefits of CO2 EOR are significant. Once fully operating the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line will reduce 14.6 million tonnes of CO2 emission per year – the equivalent of taking 2.6 million cars off the road. It will access to and enable the storage of 2 billion tonnes of CO2. The pipeline provides a solution to CO2 emissions from all producers in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and Central Alberta, including upgraders and refineries, petrochemical facilities, power plants, natural gas processing and biofuels facilities. So too are the economic benefits

significant. This one project will access central Alberta legacy fields beyond Clive, producing an incremental 1 million barrels oil light oil. As industry adopts more and more carbon capture technology, the ACTL will be in place to revitalize conventional oil in central Alberta for years to come.

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TECHNICAL LUNCHEON

A Tale of Two Basins: Sources and Timing of Petroleum and Natural Gas Generation in the Mature Gulf Coast/ Gulf of Mexico and West Texas (Permian) Basins SPEAKER Thomas E. Ewing, AAPG Distinguished Lecturer, Yegua Energy Associates

March 13, 2018 11:30 am doors open Marriot Hotel, Kensington Ballroom 110 9 Ave SE, Calgary AB T2G 5A6 Please note: CSPG member ticket price: $42.50+gst Non-member ticket price: $55+gst Please note: The cut-off for ticket sales is 1:00pm, five business days before the event. March 6, 2018.

Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA CPD credit. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cspg.org

ABSTRACT Comparison of the hydrocarbon systems and geometries of the complex intracratonic West Texas (Permian) Basin and the complex postrift subsidence basins of the Gulf Coast / Gulf of Mexico yield useful insights for basin evolution and play development. The West Texas basin contains source rocks in the Ordovician and Devonian, but much generation comes from the Late Mississippian, Pennsylvanian and Permian basinal sediments. These were deposited in a poorly ventilated remnant basin during compression and strike-slip of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains orogeny, and subsidence of the intracratonic Permian Basin. Maturation resulted from Permian intracratonic subsidence, with hydrocarbons sealed from later leakage by late Permian salt and a fortunate tectonic setting. By contrast, the major Jurassic source rocks of the Gulf basins are at the base of the postrift subsidence, and are matured by further subsidence. Later Cretaceous source rocks (Eagle Ford) are mature in the main Gulf basin, but again lie near the bottom of the thick sedimentary package in the area. The younger part of the succession yields mostly gas formed during outbuilding of the shelf margin by Cenozoic deltaic progradation. No cap is

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present on the basin (except for subsalt plays), and seepage is widespread.

BIOGRAPHY Tom Ewing, noted geoscientist and author, is owner and operator of Frontera Exploration Consultants in San Antonio.

In his 35-year career, Ewing’s primary research interest has been integration of structural and stratigraphic history in the evolution of major petroleum-producing basins. He also has a long-standing interest in the geology of San Antonio, and Central and South Texas – integrating surface and subsurface data, and applying it to historical development of the area.

Kansas and Oklahoma. He has worked with clients in New Mexico, as well as regional ground-water studies in Texas.

Ewing is currently the AAPG Gulf Coast Section president(2016-2017). He is a past president of Sections for AAPG and previously served as president for both the Energy Minerals Division and the Division of Professional Affairs.

He is a three-time recipient of the AAPG A.I. Levorsen Award and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. He also received Honorary membership from GCAGS and the South Texas Geological Society.

The Bureau of Economic Geology recently released Ewing’s book, “Texas Through Time – a full-color, lavishly illustrated look at the geology of Texas and its relation to human history and human needs,” and “Landscapes, Water and Man: Geology and History in the San Antonio Area of Texas.”

During his tenure with the Bureau of Economic Geology, 1980-84, he worked on the Gulf Coast expansion faults and overpressured reservoirs, and co-authored “Atlas of Texas Oil Reservoirs” and complied the Tectonic Map of Texas. Ewing previously worked with an exploration team for Venus Oil in the expanded Yegua Trend, achieving significant successes at Vidor Ames, Nome and Constitution fields. The team also worked in West Texas,

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TECHNICAL LUNCHEON

Canol Formation Oil Shale, Exhumation Charge, and Regional Geology of the Central Mackenzie, NWT SPEAKER Thomas Hadlari, Geological Survey of Canada

April 17, 2018 11:30 am doors open Marriot Hotel, Kensington Ballroom 110 9 Ave SE, Calgary AB T2G 5A6 Please note: CSPG member ticket price: $42.50+gst Non-member ticket price: $55+gst Please note: The cut-off for ticket sales is 1:00pm, five business days before the event. April 10, 2018.

Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA CPD credit. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cspg.org

ABSTRACT Siliceous “oil shale” of the Canol Formation is the source rock for the Norman Wells oilfield.

Beyond that statement the petroleum geology of the region presents many conundrums: when was oil generated, pre-Cretaceous or Tertiary? When did it migrate? How does the regional structure relate? Where is the counterpart to the Norman Wells oilfield, and why has exploration drilling of other Devonian reefs been unsuccessful? What are the implications for unconventional resources?

Over the past 10 years at the GSC many of these questions have been considered as we have undertaken regional geological studies. A combination of palynology and organic petrology have shown how Cretaceous strata have inherited elevated thermal maturity parameters through recycling of organic matter from Devonian-Mississippian strata. We now recognize that the thermal maturity of Cretaceous strata is consistent with thermochronological data and so peak thermal conditions for Devonian source rocks were achieved prior to the Cretaceous. An exhumation model for oil migration through young fractures in the Canol Formation was developed to reconcile the structural setting and relatively old age of oil generation with the

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nature of the Norman Wells oilfield. The unique rheology of the Canol Formation is attributed to the lithology being very organic- and chertrich.

The exhumation model predicts certain features of the Canol Formation that were tested.

Organic petrology of a Canol Formation surface sample collected adjacent to a fault shows that microfractures are filled with live hydrocarbons.

Mapping of RockFIG 1- Durbano, A.M., Hadlari, T., Fallas, K., and Jiang, C., 2017.

Eval data shows that Combined depth and S1 maps from Rock-Eval 6/TOC data of the Canol there are S1 and Formation, northern Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories; Geological S1/TOC positive Survey of Canada, Open File 8206. anomalies that are spatially associated with faults. This is also shown in cross-plots of S1/TOC vs. a Ph.D. from Carleton University (2005). distance to known faults. We interpret that He works for the Geological Survey of the elevated S1 and S1/TOC measurements Canada studying a variety of sedimentary are due to migrated hydrocarbons hosted basins in northern Canada, from the within microfractures of the Canol northern Cordillera to the High Arctic.

Formation. The resulting conclusion is that The overarching theme of his research fractures and microfractures sympathetic is the integration of tectonics and the to regional faults that were active in sedimentary record. latest Tertiary have formed in the Canol formation and have thereby localized oil migration in the vicinity of major faults.

This explains why exploration drilling of undisturbed Devonian reefs draped and sealed by the Canol and Imperial formations has not yielded a counterpart to Normal Wells in the Central Mackenzie, they lack the charge mechanism, and provides an updated picture of the distribution of hydrocarbons in the Canol Formation.

BIOGRAPHY Thomas Hadlari has a B.Sc. in geology from the University of Saskatchewan (1998) and

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DIVISION TALKS

BASS TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK Early Carboniferous syn-rift sedimentation in the Sverdrup Basin (Northern Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada): A solution to the “Okse Bay” problem SPEAKER Benoit Beauchamp (PhD), Professor Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Thursday, March 29, 2018 Location: geoLOGIC Classroom (2nd Floor), Aquitaine Tower, 540-5th Avenue S.W. ABSTRACT Through multidisciplinary research that includes structural geology, stratigraphy, sedimentology, palynology and detrital zircon geochronology, Benoit shows how the unit previously mapped as the Upper Devonian Okse Bay Formation in the Yelverton Pass area of northern Ellesmere Island, considered indicative of syn-orogenic foreland (Devonian Clastic Wedge) basin deposition along the apex of the Ellesmerian Orogeny, is in fact Early Carboniferous (Serpukhovian) in age and belongs to the Borup Fiord Formation of the successor Sverdrup Basin.

The principal lines of evidence in favour of the original Okse Bay formational assignment were: (1) the presence of Frasnian (early Late Devonian) palynomorphs; (2) a set of lithofacies presumably different from that of the Borup Fiord Formation; and (3) an angular unconformity between the so-called Okse Bay strata an overlying Pennsylvanian carbonates of the Nansen Formation. Here we demonstrate that the Frasnian palynomorphs were eroded from the Devonian Clastic Wedge, transported for some distances, and deposited into the Sverdrup Basin in the Early Carboniferous. We also show that the units mapped as Okse Bay and Borup Fiord formations share the same clastic lithofacies assemblages, albeit in different proportions.

We report the presence of Early Carboniferous palynomorphs in the upper part of the socalled Okse Bay Formation, and show that detrital zircons contained in the middle part of the Okse Bay Formation yield dates as young as 358 Ma, thus demonstrating that

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the rocks that contain them are considerably younger than the assumed Frasnian age. We conclude that the Okse Bay Formation is the same unit as the Borup Fiord Formation and should be remapped as such. Both units are part of the same unconformitybounded syn-rift Serpukhovian sequence which was rotated and eroded prior to the widespread Pennsylvanian transgression.

The Serpukhovian sequence comprises three lithofacies assemblages: Meandering Stream Clastic, Braided Stream/Alluvial Fan Clastic, and Shallow Marine Carbonate. These lithofacies assemblages were deposited as part of a rift-system likely bounded to the south by a master listric fault and associated footwall uplift and to the north by hangingwall ramp uplift. The Serpukhovian sequence comprises three fourth-order sequences each interpreted as corresponding to a rift pulse.

Relatively coarse terrigenous sediments derived from the erosion of the Franklinian Basement (Laurentia Margin) and the Devonian Clastic Wedge entered the rift basin at high angle through broad alluvial fans and braided river systems. These streams fed into a NE-flowing basin axial meandering system, which met a shallow sea to the northeast. An additional source of sediments is Crockerland to the north, including Ellesmerian intrusions that shed detrital zircons of latest Devonian age once sufficient unroofing of these had occurred during the Serpukhovian.

BIOGRAPHY Dr. Benoit Beauchamp is a Professor of Geoscience at the University of Calgary.

He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in geology at the Université de Montréal studying Carboniferous carbonates from Western Canada. Subsequently he moved to Calgary to pursue a Ph.D. in geology at the University of Calgary. For his dissertation, he studied Carboniferous and Permian carbonate rocks in the Canadian Arctic. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1987, Benoit worked for 18 years as a Research Scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada in Calgary, leading major field expeditions to the High Arctic. In 2005, he

became the Executive Director of the Arctic Institute of North America at UofC, where he carried on with his arctic geological research.

In 2011, he returned to the Department of Geoscience as a full-time professor; he currently teaches Carbonate Sedimentology and Basin Analysis, in addition to supervising more than a dozen graduate students. Much of Dr. Beauchamp’s research interests revolve around understanding the Late PaleozoicEarly Triassic sequences and petroleum systems of the Sverdrup Basin in Canada’s High Arctic, arguably one of the world’s most spectacular and lithologically diverse sedimentary basins. Comparative work takes him to exotic places from Svalbard to Oman.

DIVISION INFORMATION BASS technical division talks are free.

Please bring your lunch. For further information about our division, to join our mailing list, receive a list of upcoming talks, or if you wish to present a talk or lead a field trip, please contact either Steve Donaldson (BASS) at 403-808-8641, or Mark Caplan (BASS) at 403-975-7701, or visit our web page on the CSPG website at http://www. cspg.org. We would like to thank geoLOGIC Systems for sponsoring the new classroom and AGAT Laboratories for sponsoring refreshments.

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DIVISION TALKS

BASS TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK Changes in Depositional Style between the Underfilled and Overfilled Western Canada Sedimentary Basin Foreland Basin SPEAKER

OFB is marked by a reorganization of paleodrainage and associated shoreline orientation. The OFB is characterized by clastic dominated fluvial to marginal marine fluvial, deltaic, estuarine, shoreface and shelf deposits sourced from the west.

Paleodrainage associated with the OFB is characterized by fluvial and fluvial deltaic systems oriented from west to east. Shorelines are oriented north-south, parallel to the length of the foreland basin.

Brian A. Zaitlin Zaitlin Geoconsulting Ltd.

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2018 Location: geoLOGIC Classroom (2nd Floor), Aquitaine Tower, 540-5th Avenue S.W. ABSTRACT The Jurassic-Cretaceous foreland basin of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (FB-WCSB) is considered one of the premier hydrocarbon provinces of North America. The FB-WCSB is characterized by multiple conventional and unconventional stacked reservoirs within in a deep basin system (DBS), organized into: • A lower Underfilled foreland basin (UFB), with the main reservoir units associated with the Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Nordegg, Poker Chip, Rock Creek, FernieNikinassin, Mannville (and stratigraphic equivalents); and • An upper Overfilled foreland basin (OFB) consisting of the Joli Fou, Viking, SWS, Cardium and Belly River (and equivalents).

The UFB is characterized by restricted marine and marginal marine mixed carbonate and clastic deposits sourced from the south and east; overlain by clastic dominated fluvial to marginal marine (shoreline, deltaic and estuarine) deposits. Accommodation space increases to the north and northwest.

Paleodrainage is characterized by fluvial and fluvial deltaic systems oriented dominantly from south and southeast towards north and northwest, splitting around paleotopographic highs. Shorelines are oriented east-west. The shorelines are segmented along strike into compartments due to multiple point sources of sediment from the multiple S-N oriented fluvial and fluvial deltaic systems occurring along the length of the shorelines.

The

transition

between

UFB

and

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The organzation of the WCSB-FB reservoirs into UFB vs. OFB, and an understanding of depositional environment and sequence stratigraphic framework, allow for a better understanding of Deep Basin conventional and unconventional targets.

BIOGRAPHY Brian has ~40 years of front-line exploration/ exploitation, R&D and A&D experience in the oil and gas industry. He has worked in a variety as a Geologist, Explorationist, Technical Specialist, Technical and Exploration Advisor and Chief Geologist with a variety of E&P companies and in Corporate Banking/Private Equity.

Brian’s focus is on both conventional and unconventional new play development. His research interests lie in the understanding of fluvial, coastal and shallow-marine depositional systems and their preserved stratigraphy, and in applying this knowledge to reservoir characterization and modeling.

He is the author of more than 100 peerreviewed technical papers and oral presentations, and is the recipient of numerous awards including the CSUR Sproule Innovation and Achievement Award, CSPG Medal of Merit for best published paper, CSPG Tracks Award for Education, CSPG Ph.D. Thesis award, co-authored AAPG, SEPM and CSPG Best Paper/Oral Paper Awards, and was an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer. Brian holds a BSc. (Geology) from Concordia (Loyola) University (1979), a

MSc. (Geology) from University of Ottawa (1981), and a Ph.D. (Geology) from Queen’s (Kingston) University (1987). Brian is a registered Professional Geologist (APEGA), Certified Petroleum Geologist (AAPG-DPA) and a member of the AAPG, CSPG, CSUR, RMAG and SEPM. Brian is currently President and Owner of Zaitlin Geoconsulting Ltd, providing consulting services and applied training seminars to the oil and gas industry.

DIVISION PROFILE The Division's mandate is to provide a CSPG forum for members who are interested in seeing the "wood" when they are looking at the "trees". Most of us deal with small areas in our daily work. A good understanding of the big geologic picture in which our areas are located will facilitate better geological interpretations and predictions, which will translate into higher drilling success rates.

The aim of the Basin Analysis and Sequence Stratigraphy Division is to be innovative, inspiring and practical. We will try to introduce new concepts and methodologies of basin analysis and sequence stratigraphy to our group. We would also like to share inspiring interpretations of historical Canadian data.

In particular, we encourage speakers to offer learnings that we can take home and apply in our daily work. The Division is also interested in running field trips or joint talks with other Divisions in the future.

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DIVISION TALKS

GEOMODELING TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK Integration of Geophysical Data into Multivariate Geostatistical Modeling SPEAKER Maryam Hadavand Center for Computational Geostatistics, University of Alberta

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Thursday, March 29, 2018 Location: Husky Conference Room A, 3rd Floor, +30 level, South Tower, 707 8th Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta ABSTRACT Integration of different source of geological information and developing improved numerical modeling techniques leads to more accurate and precise geostatistical models. Reservoir engineering and management tools use geostatistical models to make better decisions and optimize hydrocarbon recovery. Therefore, these developments and data integration will improve flow forecasting, hydrocarbon recovery and reservoir management.

Among the different source of geological information, seismic data has major contribution in hydrocarbon exploration because it responds to multiscale subsurface features. The conventional stochastic seismic inversion techniques integrates different source of data to obtain high quality geostatistical models.

These techniques initially provide acoustic impedance models that match both well and seismic data. Such acoustic impedance models are related to reservoir physical properties via rock physics models. These techniques aim to reproduce the data within the quality of original data. However, the results are sensitive to the relation between acoustic and physical reservoir properties to drive the final reservoir model. Fidelity with the original seismic data will be reduced due to an element of randomness at each step. To overcome this issue a new approach called "Multivariate Stochastic Seismic Inversion" is proposed.

This approach presents a research toward a fully coupled categorical - multivariate

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Figure 1: Defining the dynamic number of local realization based on the size of space of uncertainty and acceptance - rejection criteria.

continuous reservoir modeling in stochastic inversion context with Petro-Elastic Model (PEM) and convolution. In this approach, the multiple categorical - continuous reservoir properties are simulated via the multivariate Gaussian simulation technique. This technique simulates multiple Gaussian variables to model facies and reservoir physical properties at the same time. The Gaussian variables related to the facies are simulated and turned to indicator vectors of facies by truncated (pluri) Gaussian approach. For each reservoir physical property, a Gaussian variable is simulated by sequential Gaussian simulation per facies categories.

Based on the indicator value of each cell, the corresponded simulated continuous variables retained as simulated value of that cell. The new approach combines a

trace by trace adaptive sampling algorithm with multivariate geostatistical techniques to pick the best physical properties of reservoir that match the actual seismic data. The adaptive sampling method uses the acceptance-rejection approaches to condition geostatistical models to both well and seismic data. This technique samples the data inside the size of space of uncertainty in presence of different parameters and rejects them if they are not in the target zone. This method helps generate reasonable number of realizations dynamically via the multivariate geostatistical algorithm at each location by quantifying the size of space of uncertainty.

The application of multivariate geostatistical techniques with a quantified space of uncertainty would improve

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DIVISION TALKS

Figure 2: Comparison of multivariate and conventional stochastic inversion with actual seismic data.

conventional stochastic inversion approaches. Modeling multiple reservoir properties simultaneously through the close integration of seismic inversion and multivariate geostatistical techniques would lead to high resolution reservoir property models that are suitable for improved reservoir management. A synthetic case study compares the multivariate stochastic inversion with conventional stochastic inversion method.

BIOGRAPHY Maryam currently is a postdoctoral fellow at University of Calgary working on EM modeling in SAGD projects. She has about 10 years of working experience in Oil & Gas industries with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Schlumberger as a geophysicist and geomodeler. Maryam holds a PhD in Geostatistics from University of Alberta, a MSc degree in geophysics from Technical University of Shahrood, Iran,

and a BSC degree in applied physics from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). She is an active member of Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG) and a member of Canadian Society of Petroleum Geology (CSPG). Her research interests are in the area of Geostatistics and Geophysics specifically focuses on Multivariate Geostatistical Modeling, Seismic Inversion, EM Modeling and Reservoir Simulation.

HYDROGEOLOGY TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK A Novel Approach to Solving Water Challenges in Africa SPEAKER Laurra Olmsted, MSc, P.Geol., Executive Director, UniWater Education Limited

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 Location: geoLOGIC Classroom (2nd Floor), Aquitaine Tower, 540-5th Avenue S.W. ABSTRACT The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were signed by 194 countries in September 2015, including Canada. While they set out specific goals that pertain to socio-economic and environmental aspirations, the details of how they will

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be implemented in order that they can be achieved by 2030 are lacking.

With regards to water, a Canadian organization, UniWater Education, is working to enhance the potential for success in many African countries of Africans being able to manage their own water challenges. This initiative is an example of how professionals in Canada can work internationally to share our experience and knowledge to benefit those in developing countries. This talk will outline the current water challenges in subSaharan Africa, the future growth rates and hazards associated with maintaining the status quo, projected impacts of climate change, and identification of opportunities for motivated Canadians.

BIOGRAPHY Laurra Olmsted has a BSc in Earth Science ('85) from the University of Waterloo, and an MSc in Hydrogeology in Developing Countries ('92) from University College London (UK). She has worked in the UK and Canada as an environmental consultant for more than 20 years. In 2007, her career switched gears and she began working in the development sector in Africa. In 2005, she co-founded Hydrogeologists Without Borders, where she worked as Managing Director to bring technical assistance to water projects conducted by charities and NGOs. In 2011, she founded UniWater Education, a Canadian charity, that partners with African universities to get more Africans trained in-country to solve Africa's water problems of the future.

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DIVISION TALKS

HEAVY OIL / OIL SANDS TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK The BioEOR Process for Improving Performance of Mature Heavy Oil Waterfloods SPEAKER Roland DeBruyn, Vice President, Engineering and Operations, Transworld Technologies Inc.

Time: 8:00 am Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Location: Halliburton Training Centre, Room 1830, 645 – 7th Ave, SW, Calgary AB ABSTRACT Communities of microbes live in many mature waterfloods, especially those producing heavy oil. The microbes gain their energy by breaking down portions of the oil to smaller molecules, ultimately to methane. This is a natural process, responsible for transforming lighter oils into basin-scale deposits of very heavy oil (examples: Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, and Orinoco (Venezuela)), and biodegrading the oils present in numerous other oil reservoirs around the world.

The biodegradation process can be made to work in commercial time (“BioEOR”) by providing the microbes with chemical activators in dilute concentrations. Once stimulated, the microbes will produce methane gas. In conventional reservoir rocks, the new methane will serve as an effective and durable flow diversion agent, expanding the waterflood’s swept zone and increasing oil recovery. Important aspects of this technology are its focus on stimulating native microbes where they already live, without inoculating with any new microbes, and without introducing significant chemical changes to the reservoir environment. Field footprint is light and temporary, and deployment costs are low.

Waterfloods of heavy oil reservoirs must contend with oil viscosities significantly higher than those of conventional crude oils. Consequences are increased water production and water handling expense, and reduced oil recovery.

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BioEOR has recently been deployed into a small waterflooded Glauconite pool in the Jenner Field of SE Alberta. This pool produces 19o oil with viscosity of about 70 cp. First BioEOR injections were in June 2017. Early results include production and injection responses that demonstrate flow diversion, and increases in oil production.

This presentation will review the biological foundations of BioEOR, and how microbial activation has worked at Jenner; describe the in situ flow diversion mechanism; and present early field results from the Jenner project.

BIOGRAPHY Roland DeBruyn is Vice President – Engineering and Operations with Transworld Technologies Inc. in Golden, Colorado. He joined TTI in 2013, and has more than 40 years of engineering experience in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. He has spent the past 15 years focused on the development and field implementation of enhanced coal bed methane and microbial enhanced oil recovery. Roland’s expertise includes reservoir engineering, project development, economics, application and regulation of new technologies, groundwater quality, and management of both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. He is the co-author of several technical papers and co-inventor of numerous domestic and international patents.

T.I.H. Consulting Ltd. Geologic Well-Site Supervision

Roland’s prior experience includes work at Luca Technologies, Fidelity Exploration & Production, Preston Reynolds & Co., Hallwood Petroleum and Dome Petroleum.

He earned a BSc in Chemical Engineering from University of Calgary and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.

DIVISION INFORMATION Please confirm your attendance in advance by emailing ostalks@shaw.ca NOTE: most Division events have a waiting list.

1602 – 5th St N.E. Calgary, AB. T2E 7W3 Phone: 403-233-7729 www.tihconsulting.com e-mail: tih@shaw.ca

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DIVISION TALKS

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK Cuba - 26 Years and 225 Million Barrels Later SPEAKER Curtis Evert Sherritt International Corporation

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Location: CNOOC Nexen Annex Theatre, 801-7th Ave SW, Calgary ABSTRACT The presentation will review the history of Sherritt in Cuba and touch upon the complex geology encountered.

Sherritt International Corporation entered Cuba in 1992 shortly after the Former Soviet Union withdrew from the island.

Sherritt's first project was to evaluate existing production and optimize existing wells. Since that time Sherritt has explored and developed

a number of projects and has drilled over 215 wells representing over 750,000m of newly drilled hole. Since 1992 Sherritt has produced over 225 million barrels of oil from a number different oil fields.

Cuba has a very complex geological history with episodes of compression and transtension. This has led to the development of a fold/thrust belt defining the north shore of the island. This thrusting has allowed for the development of structurally trapped oil fields along the leading triangle zone. Sherritt has been able to successfully explore for and produce oil along this trend.

BIOGRAPHY Curtis Evert graduated with a B.Sc.Advanced in Geological Sciences from the University of Saskatchewan in 1984 and began his career

in the oil and gas industry in 1985. He has worked for several companies during the past 33 years, focusing his efforts on petroleum and natural gas exploration and production. His early career was spent working on projects in Canada, including Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. During the past 19 years, Curtis has focused on international ventures including projects in Cuba, Spain, Argentina, West and North Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Brazil, United Kingdom and the South China Sea. Curtis is currently Vice President, Exploration for Sherritt International Oil & Gas and Power. Curtis is also the cofounder and President of the Canadian Global Exploration Forum (www.cgef.org), a not-for-profit society that represents and promotes Canadian petroleum exploration, production and CSR expertise on a worldwide basis

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Sessions include: Reservoir Management and Decision Making

Modeling uncertainty: what is next?

Integrating Geology in Geomodeling

Challenging Properties, Workflows and Case Histories

Multi-scale Data and Multi-variate Modeling in Practice

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DIVISION TALKS

OPERATIONS GEOLOGY TECHNICAL DIVISION TALK Can Geomechanics Improve Your Drilling and Completions? Spoiler Alert – Yes. SPEAKER

recommendations to improve drilling and completion plans as well as understand changes in and around the reservoir due to production and injection.

Amy D. Fox, PhD, PGeo Enlighten Geoscience Ltd.

Time: 12:00 pm Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018 Location: geoLOGIC Classroom (2nd Floor), Aquitaine Tower, 540-5th Avenue S.W. Drilling a well is fraught with ways things can go sideways and lead to lost time, extra cost and/or, in the worst case scenario, danger to human and environmental safety.

Many drilling problems are in fact related to geomechanics, yet too many engineering, geology and drilling professionals working today have never even heard the term.

Geomechanical drilling issues are often called “hidden costs” because they affect the bottom line whether or not they are recognized from a technical perspective.

Western Canada has a rich history of geomechanical research, but in today’s engineering-focused operating environment, geomechanics generally gets brushed aside. It is almost like we are starting all over again trying to get traction.

This is quite unlike many other oil and gas producing regions around the world where geomechanics is an established, integral part of the development program. Wells aren’t drilled until the in situ stresses, formation pressures and rock mechanical properties are understood, with data collection programs put in place to fill critical data gaps. Mud weight programs are developed to minimize geomechanical drilling problems, ensure a “healthy” borehole and optimize casing designs or completion strategies.

The discipline of geomechanics started to see widespread adoption in the oil and gas industry in about the late 1980’s and 1990’s, its evolution corresponding in part with the development of wellbore imaging tools. Images allowed us to clearly identify geomechanical drilling/stressinduced features, which thus enabled us to quantify in situ stresses and make valuable

Why would companies go to such an extent?

Because in some wells a geomechanical study can pay for itself in just a few hours of avoided Non-Productive Time (NPT) or the elimination of a single casing string.

Take the case study shown in Figure 1. In this well, 7.5 days (!) of NPT were associated with influx and wellbore instability. Walnut sized cavings provided clear evidence of

ABSTRACT

failure, and trying to solve the original problems only led to new ones. If the well had been drilled with an appropriate mud weight, determined using knowledge of the in situ stresses, rock mechanical properties and formation pressures, all of these issues could have been avoided.

If you’re still a skeptic, this talk is for you.

BIOGRAPHY Amy earned an undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of New Hampshire and a PhD in Geophysics, specializing in geomechanics, from Stanford University. She has been involved in geomechanical consulting for the oil and gas industry since 1998, starting her career with GeoMechanics International (GMI), then working for Baker Hughes after it acquired GMI in 2008. In 2011, while still with Baker Hughes, Amy moved from the U.S. to Canada and, after a year, joined Canadian Discovery Ltd., where she started a geomechanics consulting group. When that was disbanded in 2015, she co-founded Enlighten Geoscience Ltd., a geological and geomechanical consulting firm based in Calgary. Amy has authored or co-authored many articles, given dozens of talks, volunteers for professional organizations and is dedicated to promoting the understanding and application of the geomechanics discipline.

Call for Proposals!

The CSPG strives to advance the scientific, technical and professional development of its members. Focused workshops and special-theme meetings are some of the best methods for the Society to achieve this goal.

We are seeking proposals from individual members to act as technical chairs for 1-3 day petroleumgeoscience workshops and special-theme meetings. Topics related to the oil sands, unconventional resources, and integrated/cross-disciplinary themes, in particular, are of strong interest to the membership.

Interested? For more information, and to submit your proposal, please contact Candace Jones at the CSPG. | candace.jones@cspg.org

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DIVISION TALKS

PALEO 2018 Presented in conjunction with the CSPG Palaeontological Division and Mount Royal University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Mount Royal University, 4825 Mount Royal Gate, SW, Calgary, Alberta

Lectures and poster displays– Saturday March 17, 2018, 9:00am-5:00pm Workshop— Sunday, March 18, 2018, 9:00am to 12:00 noon or 1:00pm-4:00pm Saturday lecture events and poster viewings are free and require no registration.

There will be fossil displays and activities of interest to a wide audience including families on Saturday.

The Sunday workshop requires pre-registration and a fee.

SPEAKER SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 17 All talks to be held in Jenkins Theatre, lower level Mount Royal University

9:00 am Opening statements by APS President Cory Gross and Symposium instructions by APS Program Coordinator Harold Whittaker

Saturday schedule continued…

3:30 pm Soft tissues in the geological record: The next generation of palaeontology Aaron van der Reest | Master of Science student, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta His studies are centered in the Dr. Philip Currie Lab

9:10 am Mount Royal University’s Cretaceous Land Exhibit Dr. Wayne Haglund, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mount Royal University

4:00 pm Depth charges, dinosaurs, and lost love found: Amateur fossil col-

9:15 am On the Trail of Dinosaurs from Western Canada

5:00pm Harold Whittaker, APS Program Coordinator, closing remarks for

Dr. Richard McCrea | Museum Director and Curator of Palaeontology at the Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia 10:15 am Coffee Break 10:30 am Where the sharks and centrosaurs play: the northeasternmost exposures of the Dinosaur Park Formation in Western Saskatchewan Dr. Emily Bamforth | Assistant Curator of Palaeontology, Royal Saskatchewan Museum at the T. Rex Discovery Centre, Estend, Saskatchewan 11:00 am British Columbia’s first dinosaur skull: From discovery to preparation Tammy Pigeon | Technical Assistant, Museum Proparator, Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia 11:30 am The Bighill Creek Formation (Late Pleistocene) of Alberta and its vertebrate palaeofauna: Endangered resources Dr. Michael Wilson | Paleontological and Geoarchaeological consultant 12:00 Noon Lunch Break and Poster Display 1:00 pm Faunal and climate change at the end of the Cretaceous: the Alberta perspective Dr. Francois Therrien |Curator of Dinosaur Palaeoecology, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology 1:30 pm Birding by foot: Variation in the preservation of modern bird tracks and identifying fossil bird tracks Dr. Lisa Buckley | Curator and Collections Manager at the Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia 2:00 pm Poster Session *Poster presenters are requested to be with their posters.

3:00 pm Almost like being there: New approaches to deciphering animal behavior from trace fossils Dr. Jon Noad | Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta

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lector Maurice Stefanuk (1924-2016) Darren Tanke | Senior Technician II, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology Paleo 2018

WORKSHOP

Sunday, March 18 Mount Royal University, Room B213 9:00am to 12:00 noon OR 1:00 pm– 4:00 pm

Brachiopod Basics The Sunday workshops will feature Dr. Keith Dewing who is a research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada. His Ph.D. (University of Western Ontario) was on brachiopods spanning the OrdovicianSilurian extinction event on Anticosti Island, Quebec.

The workshop is titled Brachiopod Basics. Brachiopods are a diverse group of bivalve shells that are common in Paleozoic rocks. Brachiopods are different from clams and can be distinguished by their shape and internal structures. This workshop will introduce brachiopod shell shape, mineralogy, and preservation; how the shells opened and closed; their feeding apparatus, as well as the geological history of this fascinating fossil group.

The workshops will be held in Lab B213 at Mount Royal University.

Two sessions will be offered, one in the morning from 9:00-12:00 and one in the afternoon from 1:00-4:00.

Cost: $5 per person To register, email Harold Whittaker at hgwhittaker@shaw.ca

Registration deadline is March 10, 2018 Please specify your preference for morning, afternoon or either session.

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DIVISION TALKS

ALBERTA PALAEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY DIVISION TALK Adventures in the Waterways Formation: Bagging brachiopods along the Athabasca River In addition to the main presentation by Guy Santucci, Georgia Hoffman will provide a brief presentation.

SPEAKER Georgia Hoffman is a geologist in the oil and gas industry. She is an active member in the Alberta Palaeontological Society.

Time: 7:30 pm Date: April 20, 2018 Location: Mount Royal University, Room B108 ABSTRACT The Devonian (Givetian-Frasnian) Waterways Formation contains a rich brachiopod fauna, as well as remains of stromatoporoids, cephalopods, gastropods,

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bivalves, corals, crinoids, and ichnofossils (but no trilobites!). During the Fall of 2017, Georgia Hoffman was part of a field party that visited more than 50 Waterways outcrops in the Fort McMurray region.

Their primary objective was to document geologic structures, but of course they couldn’t resist the fossils. This short talk will describe the fossils and their geologic setting.

BIOGRAPHY: Georgia Hoffman received her Bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, and then came to western Canada where she has worked in exploration for coal and oil sand, as well as base and precious metals, and even industrial minerals. She became interested in plant fossils while working in the coal industry and she earned an M.Sc. from

the University of Alberta in 1995 for her work on a late Paleocene fossil flora from the Paskapoo Formation. She continues to work on paleontology projects as time permits.

DIVISION INFORMATION: This event is presented jointly by the Alberta Palaeontological Society, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Mount Royal University, and the Palaeontology Division of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. For details or to present a talk in the future, please contact CSPG Palaeontology Division Chair Jon Noad at jonnoad@hotmail.com or APS Coordinator Harold Whittaker at 403-2860349 or contact programs1@albertapaleo. org. Visit the APS website for confirmation of event times and upcoming speakers: http://www.albertapaleo.org/.

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DIVISION TALKS

ALBERTA PALAEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY DIVISION TALK Fossils of the East Kootenays and Recent Research SPEAKER

work and study will be required. The plethora of species now identified from the Middle Cambrian McKay Group show a diversity as great or greater than any other site on Earth including Chinese and Moroccan beds. To date, fifteen McKay sites have been found just on the Bull River alone, including a possible Eager Formation site not previously catalogued.

Guy Santucci, BA (Notre Dame, Nelson) ULE, (University of B.C.)

Time: 7:30 pm Date: April 20, 2018 Location: Mount Royal University, Room B108 ABSTRACT The unique sedimentary geology of the East Kootenays on the western slopes of the Rockies presents a cross section of life on Earth through most of the geological time scale from the late Proterozoic to Recent.

Fossils have been recovered from virtually all the Periods with only a few minor gaps.

Recent finds by amateurs and professionals all point to the fact that as more research takes place, these gaps are most likely going to be filled and more new species discovered.

As well, work on the Early and Middle Cambrian have revealed a number of new species of trilobites, and some yet to be identified enigmatic species. Much more

Along with these discoveries comes the growing pains of government protections of the sites and future study and access by collectors.

BIOGRAPHY Guy completed his BA in Psychology in 1974, and a Degree in Urban Land Economics in 1984 and also has 3 years of an unfinished Bachelor of Science. Law school was originally in the works, however a good government job derailed future educational and vocational plans. Guy became interested in fossils when he moved to Cranbrook, B.C, in 1975 and started digging at the Rifle Range site. He has since explored numerous sites in the Kootenays,

has been included in articles and has also written numerous non-scientific articles on fossils. Other interests included writing, photography and natural history. He is also an artist and has even appeared in a Hollywood production. Currently, he serves on the Board of the Cranbrook History Centre as the Paleontology co-ordinator and advisor. He conducts fossil talks and displays at area schools and this past summer ran a kids’ fossil program through the museum.

DIVISION INFORMATION This event is presented jointly by the Alberta Palaeontological Society, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Mount Royal University, and the Palaeontology Division of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. For details or to present a talk in the future, please contact CSPG Palaeontology Division Chair Jon Noad at jonnoad@hotmail.com or APS Coordinator Harold Whittaker at 403-2860349 or contact programs1@albertapaleo. org. Visit the APS website for confirmation of event times and upcoming speakers: http://www.albertapaleo.org/.

CSPG at GeoConvention - Luncheon Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists is excited to present Deborah Yedlin, Business Columnist, Calgary Herald and her talk on:

The Energy Sector of Tomorrow Date: Monday May 7, 2018 Time: Doors open 11:45am Lunch starts at 12:00 noon and talk starts at 12:15pm 133- 9 Avenue SW, Calgary AB T2P 2M3 Ticket price: $55+gst Table of 8: $440+gst REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.CSPG.ORG RESERVOIR ISSUE 2 • MARCH/APRIL 2018

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SOCIETY NEWS

2017 CSPG Awards CAREER AWARDS

TECHNICAL

Stanley Slipper Gold Medal

R.J.W Douglas Medal

for outstanding Career Contributions to Oil and Gas Exploration in Canada

for Outstanding Contributions to the Understanding of Sedimentary Geology in Canada

for Outstanding Service by a CSPG Member

David Morrow

H.M. Hunter Award

Medal of Merit

for Distinguished Service to the Society

Alison Essery Honorary Membership for Distinguished Service to the Society

James Dixon

STUDENT AWARDS Graduate Thesis Award Ph.D Winner

Yuefeng Shen “Bioiosedimentary systems and diagenesis of an Ordovician carbonate ramp, Tarim Basin, China”

Graduate Thesis Award M.Sc. Winner

Heather Bain

“Deep-water stratigraphic evolution of the Nanaimo Group, Hornby and Denman Islands, British Columbia”

Service Awards for Members who have Served the Society for over Five Years Norbert Alwast George Ardies Peter Aukes Ryan Axani Bill Ayrton Olena Babak Philip Benham Tim Bird Jeff Boissonneault Mary Luz Borrero Darin Brazel Carson Brown Chuck Buckley

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Gary Bugden Jean-Yves Chatellier Andre Chow Andrew Cook Thomas Cox Barrie Dargie Tim De Freitas Foon Der Noel Devere-Bennett Steve Donaldson Tina Donkers Eva Drivet Dave Drover

for Best Paper Related to Canadian Petroleum Geology

Mark Barton “The architecture and variability of valley-fill deposits within the Cretaceous McMurray Formation, Shell Albian Sands Lease, northeast Alberta”

VOLUNTEER AWARDS President’s Award Tony Cadrin

Colin Yeo Travis Hobbs Tracks Award

for Members Who have Set New Standards of Excellence

David Morrow Nawras Akkad

Link Award

for Best Presentation– Technical Luncheon Series

Paul Durkin

“Revisiting fluvial meander-belt deposits with implications for interpretations of the McMurray Formation” James Duggan Kyle Durocher Markus Ebner Nanna Eliuk Marc Enter Richard Evoy Peter Fermor Pat Fothergill Jocelyn Frankow Lloyd Freeman Milovan Fustic David Garner Sasan Ghanbari Chad Glemser Darcie Greggs Tony Hamblin Dale Hardcastle Tim Hartel Peter Hay Brian Hester

Norman Hopkins Kristy Howe Wim Jalink Samantha Jones Melanie Klucker Ross Kukulski Shawn Lafleur Sid Leggett Leena Markatchev Ryan Martin Jane Marzetti Darin McCollum Heidi McDonald Ian McIlreath Ben McKenzie Margot McMechan Les McMillan David Middleton Steve Minions Kevin Morrison

Jacey Neumann Eric Niven Jon Noad Jennifer Noade Rob North Darcy Novak Brenda Pearson Frank Pogubila Brian Pratt Weishan Ren Claude Ribordy Cindy Robinson Kristin Rohr Kevin Root Terry Sami Jesse Schoengut Megan Simons Randy Smith Geoffrey Speers Vern Stasiuk

Glen Stockmal Martin Teitz Scott Thain Damien Thenin Gerald Wendland Jay Williams Andrew Willis

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SOCIETY NEWS

Volunteer Awards for Members who have Served the Society for up to Five Years Lindsey Abbott Leye Adeboye Nawras Akkad Kurt Armbruster Astrid Arts Ryan Baker Kent Barrett Nadine Beaudoin Victoria Biersteker Carey Boucher Sonia Brar Ryan Brenner Harrison Brown Robin Buckley Whitney Bysterveld Mark Caplan Ricardo Castellanos Maria Castillo Toro Shawna Christensen

David Chunn Lindsay Dunn Mona Enachescu Phil Esslinger Colin Etienne Shadi Fattahi Martin Fowler Andrew Fox Amy Fox Jason Frank Adam Fraser Milovan Fustic Ray Geuder Mark Gierus Stephen Grasby Meriem Grifi Dennis Omid Haeri-Ardakani Michelle Hawke Brad Hayes Caterina Heikkinen David Hills Travis Hobbs Greg Hu Vanessa Huey Kirby Huey Nicole Hunter

Ian Hutcheon David James Brad Johnston Brittan Jones Jürgen Kraus Melissa Kuechler Brent Kuntz Kelty Latos Jason Lavigne Carmen Lee Stacia Leonard Jason Levesque David Lipinski Rochelle Longval Adam MacDonald Lynne Maillet Heather Makowecki Jennifer Martin Glen McCrimmon Adrienne McDougall Ryan McKay Megan Miller Ben Montgomery Andy Mort Alexandra Nagy Rachel Newrick

Scott Norlin Natalia Noskova Taylor Olson Ada Opene Kirk Osadetz Kelsea Pedersen Russ Phillips Jenna Phillips George Pinckney Simon Poirier Sharlene Pollock Andrei Popescu Ken Potma Mary-Ellen Price Hairuo Qing Mark Radomski Kamal Rae Indy Raychaudhuri Melanie Regehr Aaron Reimchen Gerry Reinson Cynthia Sawatzky Armin Schafer Tyler Schmidt Jennifer Scott Anne Sherman

Brant Skibsted Catherine Skilliter Kelly Skuce Heather Slavinski Laurie Slezak Randy Smith Meghan Speers Tony Stadnyk Larry Strong Steve Sturrock Natalie Sweet Brian Tuffs Jeanine Vany Michael Wamsteeker Jack Wendte Gordon Williams Melissa Williams Jamie Wills Richard Wong Denise Yee Colin Yeo Tanya Yeomans

GeoConvention 2018 is a must-attend event for access to latest innovations, discoveries and insights within the Geosciences, market and business analysis with international perspectives and research

Early Bird Registration NOW OPEN Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities Available

geoconvention.com

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SOCIETY NEWS

GRADUATE STUDENT THESIS AWARD – BEST PH.D. Yuefeng Shen

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he recipient of the 2017 Ph.D. thesis award is Yuefeng Shen, whose thesis, titled The biosedimentary systems and diagenesis of an Ordovician carbonate ramp, Tarim Basin, NW China, was supervised

by Dr. Fritz Neuweiler (Université Laval, Québec) and Dr. Bingsong Yu (China University of Geosciences Beijing, China) at Université Laval. Financial support for Yuefeng’s research was provided by the NSERC, the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC), the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS), the 5th IGCP 591 Annual Meeting Committee, the 1st International Carbonate Mound Conference (ICMC) Committee, the Bourse Québec and the Faculty of Science and Engineering of Université Laval. Most of the lab work of Yuefeng’s PhD thesis was processed both at the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering of Université Laval (Québec, Canada) and at the Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Bochum, Germany). Yuefeng has obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at China University of Geosciences Beijing. Yuefeng is currently a Lecturer (assistant professor) at Hefei University of Technology in the School of Resources and Environmental Engineering (Hefei, China).

Yuefeng’s thesis examined the Ordovician carbonate succession exposed in the northwestern Tarim Basin of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, NW China.

His thesis tackles four major issues related to the Great Ordovician Biodiversification event: i) the phylogenesis of organisms incertae sedis, ii) the paleodiversity of benthic primary producers (calcareous algae, calcimicrobes), iii) the nature of authigenic sea-floor precipitates (automicrite), and iv) diagenesis in terms of porosity evolution and the geochemical record of environmental perturbations causing major biosedimentary turnovers (sponges, crinoids versus benthic algae).

The typological, morphometric and microstructural analysis of the moundforming microproblematicum Halysis

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Høeg, 1932 concludes for a siphonous green alga with an affinity to Bryopsidales, Udoteaceae, morphotype Flabellia petiolata (Turra) Nizamuddin 1987. Early Katian Halysis mounds of the Tarim Basin form part of a shallow-subtidal carbonate ramp dominated by algal-pellet sand sheets. Their accretion was controlled by autocyclic drivers such as increments of sediment flux and burial followed by episodes of omission and algal growth.

In Yuefeng’s thesis, regional and global paleobiodiversity curves for Ordovician primary producers (calcimicrobes pro parte, calcareous algae) are established for the very first time (Shen and Neuweiler, 2016). In the Tarim Basin, the diversity of benthic primary producers increases substantially during the Upper Ordovician (Katian) Belodina confluens Zone.

Compared to diversity curves derived from other regions (Laurentia, Baltoscandia), in the Tarim Basin there is a protraction of diversification by about 4 Ma (Figure 1). This offset might be due to the peculiar lithology of the Sandbian Tumuxiuke Formation (condensed section of red nodular limestones bounded by disconformities).

However, a similar temporal offset is recorded for calathid sponge mounds, and therefore, the Tarim tectonic microplate (Tarim Block) might display an endemic-anachronistic character. The global diversity curve of benthic primary producers is similar to those derived from some herbivorous and suspension-feeding fossil groups (eleutherozoan echinoderms, gastropods).

The origin of automicrite in Middle Ordovician calathid-demosponge carbonate mounds is newly assessed (Shen and Neuweiler, 2018). Five kinds of authigenic sea-floor precipitates (automicrite) are present in Darriwilian calathid-demosponge carbonate mounds, altogether formerly interpreted as ‘microbial carbonate’ (Figure 2). A good correlation of fluorescence and cathodoluminescence of automicrites indicates that induced and supported organomineralization

Figure 1: Regional and global diversity curves of calcimicrobes and calcareous algae along the Middle to Late Ordovician boundary interval.

Litho-biostratigraphic section (Fig. 3-2) and Ordovician time slices (TS,Webby 2004) rescaled to the absolute time scale of Gradstein et al.

(2012). Global diversity curves of calcimicrobes and calcareous algae are derived from the compilation of Nitecki et al. (2004).The potential temporal offset of diversification of about 4 Ma is based on the correlation of the inflection point (normalized diversity) and the onset of high total diversity. Diversity curves of selected herbivorous and suspension-feeding fossil groups based on Sprinkle and Guensburg (2004), Frýda and Rohr (2004) and Cope (2004). For herbivores, a good correlation is present for eleutherozoan echinoderms (Guensburg 2004), less clear for gastropods (Frýda and Rohr 2004) and absent for ostracods (not shown). For suspension feeders, there is a correlation with bivalves (Cope 2004) and brachiopods (not shown, Harper et al. 2004).

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SOCIETY NEWS

(sponges, attachment structures of stalked invertebrates, Figure 3). One automicrite is microbial in origin but is post-mound in age succeeding a disconformity. The described automicritic fabrics are a common element of Ordovician calathid-demosponge carbonate mounds in general and are also present in other Phanerozoic carbonate buildups. The massive calcification of metazoan soft tissue characterises episodes and conditions of enhanced marine calcification and might be of value to refine secular trends of pCO2, Ca-concentration and Mg/Ca ratio at the scale of individual sedimentary basins.

Figure 2: Compilation of organisation and succession of automicritic fabrics present in calathid-demosponge carbonate mounds (thinsections, schematic drawings). (A, B) Complex assemblage dominated by calathid sponges (Cs) and calcified siliceous sponges (AM-1). Locally there is AM-2, AM-4 and AM-5; note remnant caracter of AM-4. D = erosive disconformity, IS-1 = first generation of infiltrated sediment, Bry = bryozoan, Cr = crinoid ossicle. (C, D) Complex assemblage dominated by calathid sponges (Cs) and calcified siliceous sponges (AM-1). Locally there is AM-2, AM-4 and AM-5; note the non-skeletal framework made of AM-4.

D = erosive discontinuity, IS-1, IS-2 = first and second generation of infiltrated sediment, Bry = bryozoan, Ca = calcite-cemented residual cavity.

(E, F) Assemblage dominated by calcified siliceous sponges (AM-1). Locally there is AM-2,AM-3,AM-4 and AM-5; note the very local occurrence of AM-3.

Cs = calathid sponge, IS-1 = first generation of infiltrated sediment. (G, H) Assemblage dominated by calcified siliceous sponges (AM-1) and AM-5.

Locally there is AM-2 and AM-4. Ce = cephalopod, IS-1 = first generation of infiltrated sediment. produced automicrite, probably via the permineralization of non-living organic substrates adsorbing dissolved metalhumate complexes. Using six parameters and seventeen characters, four automicrites turn out to be non-microbial instead likely represent relics of calcified metazoan tissue

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In Yuefeng’s thesis, an effort was made to illustrate biosedimentary (n = 4), diagenetic (n = 4) and geochemical (n = 3) compartmentalization in the Middle to Late Ordovician carbonate succession of the northwestern Tarim Basin (Shen and Neuweiler, in preparation). Using a set of paragenetic sequences, componentspecific geochemical sampling was performed to determine the variation of carbon and oxygen stable isotopic composition (Figure 4). There are two distinct stratigraphic levels separated by Δδ13C ≈ +2.5‰ (PDB). Both levels display a subparallel trend of decreasing δ18O typical for increasing temperature during burial. Least altered δ18O values are equally separated along the two stratigraphic levels (Δδ18O ≈ +2.0‰). This coupled positive δ13Cδ18O excursion is considered the result of an increasing burial rate of organic carbon (formation of hydrocarbon source rocks) and subsequent climatic cooling causing a biosedimentary turnover (sponges, crinoids versus benthic algae) along the Sandbian-Katian boundary interval.

Compartmentalization in combination with the position of source rocks and cap rocks indicates that algal mounds of the lower Lianglitag Formation hold the best reservoir potential followed by sponge carbonate mounds and sponge biostromes of the Yijianfang Formation.

Overall, the PhD thesis of Yuefeng Shen has made some contributions to our understanding on the phylogenetic affinity of some Ordovician problematic fossils. For the first time, Yuefeng’s thesis established both global and regional biodiversity curves of Ordovician primary producers and systematically summarized various automicrites in the Ordovician calathid-

Figure 3: Conceptual illustration of the formation of calathid-demosponge carbonate mounds from a primary, level-bottom community (A) to an ecological bioherm draped by crinoid-rich sediment (E). There are multiple increments of automicrite formation (B-C) related to metazoan (sponge) tissue calcification. Stage (D) represents a disconformity succeeded by post-mound microbialite formation (AM-5) and early sediment infiltration (IS-1 or MF-2, respectively).

Figure 4: Carbon and oxygen stable isotope data of specific carbonate components from the Middle to Late Ordovician of the northwestern part of the Tarim Basin, China. demosponge carbonate mounds and discussed their non-microbial origins.

His thesis provided a first construction of biosedimentary, diagenetic and geochemical compartmentalization for the Ordovician carbonate successions of the Tarim Basin therefore predicting preferred exploration areas.

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SOCIETY NEWS

AGAT & THE CSPG

N

early 40 years ago, AGAT Laboratories started off as a Canadian geological service provider and wanted to differentiate itself by providing “Service Beyond Analysis” to the industry. Its success was built over the years upon a strong foundation that took roots in the Energy sector, and more specifically in the fields of Geology and Rock Properties. Having been a member of the CSPG since the beginning of its conception, AGAT developed a rich history with the association and its members who strongly contributed to the company’s growth. That’s why AGAT has always felt it was important to acknowledge this contribution and to celebrate their shared Canadian roots by giving back through continued support of the events produced by the association. Having a wide array of scientific background in common ranging from Chemists, Biologists, Engineers and of course Geologists, AGAT and the CSPG have been successfully collaborating for decades and were always able to learn from one another’s experiences.

The Evolution of AGAT Since its beginnings, AGAT has expanded its operations from Energy Services into many different industries, including Environmental, Air Monitoring, Mining, Industrial, Transportation, Agri-Food and they also have been supplying scientists for onsite services at remote facilities. AGAT provides an integrated geological and engineering approach to conventional core, special core analysis and unconsolidated core. Within the Rock Properties divisions, AGAT produces a unique combined source of geological and engineering data that is used in the development and management of petroleum reservoirs. AGAT’s geologists, engineers and technicians offer comprehensive reservoir quality analysis and are trained to assist in resolving or preventing potential reservoir quality and fluid sensitivity problems.

AGAT’s Rock Properties’ divisions: • •

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Routine Core Geology and Petrology

Reservoir Characterization Laboratory Building, 3700 21 Street NE, Calgary,T2E 6V6

• •

Oilsands Analysis Reservoir Characterization

Geology and Petrology Services • • • • • • • • • •

QEMSCAN Technology Fracture Analysis Thin Section Petrology X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Scanning Electron Microscopy Cathodoluminescent Analysis Scale and Corrosion Services Field Consulting Services Physical Compatibility Tests

AGAT’s New “Petroleum Biomarkers” Services AGAT is proud to present its newest analytical service that identifies “Petroleum Biomarkers”, also known as fingerprints of reservoir fluids. Those naturally occurring complex organic compounds also called “molecular fossils” are very useful in the

characterization of oils, such as in an environmental release or for identification of geochemical processes or phenomena.

AGAT can identify and characterize a variety of different biomarkers, including specific diagnostic ratio by GC-MS, each with different advantages depending on the purpose of the project. This new service along with routine parameters such as permeability and viscosity has also proven to be an invaluable tool in assisting our clients to understand the heterogeneity and identifying barriers and baffles within their reservoirs. AGAT aims to continually evolve and innovate by working alongside clients to develop tailor-made analytical packages like this one.

About AGAT Established in 1982, AGAT is a highly specialized Canadian-based company that provides analytical laboratory services worldwide. With coast-to-coast locations

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SOCIETY NEWS

and over 1,200 employees Canadawide, AGAT Laboratories is the most geographically and technically diversified laboratory in Canada. AGAT’s network of laboratory locations provides clients with cost-effective and timely analysis wherein the highest technical standards are met.

Our skilled scientists specialize in the fields of geology, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology and specialty analysis. AGAT’s operations encompass many scientific divisions to offer fullservice solutions to multiple industry types within the Environmental, Agri-Food, Life Sciences, Energy, Mining, Industrial and Transportation sectors.

AGAT Laboratories is proud to set the standard for the laboratory industry, ensuring validity and accuracy of methodologies through our extensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control programs. With world-class facilities and state-of–the-art instrumentation, our qualified personnel adhere to AGAT Laboratories’ mission statement, delivering “Service Beyond Analysis”.

In pursuit of excellence, AGAT remains committed to the following initiatives to provide its clients with unique methods to optimize their business.

Quality: AGAT’s Quality Management System is certified to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) IEC 17025:2005 for specific testing, including Dean Stark and particle size for oil sands core. We also maintain memberships in the Canadian Society for Petroleum Geologists (CSPG), the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists

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of Alberta (APEGA) and the American Petroleum Institute Subcommittee for Core Analysis (SCA).

Health, Safety and the Environment: AGAT is committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our employees and clients and our safety systems have been rewarded by the Alberta Government.

We take a “Green” approach to all of our operations to minimize our environmental footprint while still providing optimal services.

Client Project Managers: Our Client Project Managers (CPMs) are highly qualified and experienced in managing both domestic and international largescale core programs. These personnel are available to provide you with technical advice and interpretation for the evaluation of reservoirs and oil recovery. They actively participate in the planning and coordination of client projects throughout all stages of laboratory analysis.

Technical Innovations: AGAT has an active Research and Development Program that has contributed significantly to keeping us at the forefront of technology and innovation. We are committed to investing in new developments to continue to advance science.

Imaging Department: AGAT Laboratories' Imaging Department specializes in multiple types of core imaging that include the following: • Ultra-violet and flash photography images of whole and slabbed conventional and unconventional core.

• Rotating movies and virtual objects.

• Close-up photography where images captured are individual samples or a section of core in a greater than one-to-one ratio.

• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images.

• Thin Section Photography.

Along with specialized software programs for you to access and manipulate core images, we have an FTP server that has 100% up-time for secure client access to their images through our WebOILSANDS program.

Facilities: We have over 350,000 square feet of laboratory space dedicated to serving the Energy Sector. Our diversity of services allows us to offer a full scope of analyses from the divisions of Rock Properties, Petroleum Testing Services, Environmental Chemistry, Air Quality Monitoring and Lubricants Testing Services.

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SOCIETY NEWS

CSPG AT THE WESTERN INTER-UNIVERSITY GEOSCIENCES CONFERENCE By: Colin Etienne (Canbriam Energy - University Outreach Committee)

T

his January the University of Regina hosted the 54th Annual Western Inter-University Geosciences Conference. The conference brought together students from seven universities across the prairies for three days of learning. The Thursday started with a student mentorship panel before a keynote lecture from Kathryn Pollack.

Kathryn is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Minerals, Lands and Resource Policy with the Government of Saskatchewan. Her talk discussed the value of resilience and how students can work to develop it. The technical program for Thursday featured six presentations by students about their research that addressed topics ranging from structural control of volcanoes in the Ampefy region of Madagascar to Arin Kitchen’s award winning talk titled “Structural study of deformation bands and their application to paleostress analysis in the Athabasca Sandstone at Fox Lake, northern Saskatchewan.” The day concluded with a student social at the Broken Rack.

Friday saw the students braving the cold for field trips around the Regina area. The trips had students touring K+S Potash’s Bethune mine just outside of Regina; completing workshops at the Government of Saskatchewan’s Geological Laboratory looking at core logging and mudrocks; or looking at the fossil collection of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. That evening saw Elizabeth Ramsey, the CSEG Distinguished Lecturer, present on the value of integrated geophysics. The day was capped off by the CSEG Challenge Bowl, which saw the team from Mount Royal University claim a narrow victory over the University of Alberta.

Saturday was centered around industry talks in the morning and afternoon. The industry presentations covered a wide array of topics and professional backgrounds.

Students saw talks that ranged from Pamela Cook Ellemers talking about her career, moving up within DeBeers from field

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exploration to become the Manager of Technical Services. Mike Blair of Crescent Point spoke about his career in the oil and gas industry and the types of work he does.

Even I got in on the excitement, presenting on my experiences as a junior geologist working in the unconventional sector.

Following the industry talks, there were eight posters presented displaying more of the student’s research. The posters talked about topics ranging from the applicability of different geostatistical methods for the interpolation of copper grades in the K2 iron oxide copper gold deposit in the Northwest Territories, to mineralization and alteration along the Yalowega Trend in the Athabasca Basin of the northern Saskatchewan. The award for best poster presentation was won

by Kirsten Cunningham from the University of Regina for her poster on “Petrography and geochemistry of late to post-collisional felsic suites in the Laird and White Lake areas of Northern Glennie Domain, Saskatchewan.” The evenings banquet had Glen McCrimmon, chief geologist of Husky, give the keynote address where he spoke about his career and what he sees for the future of geosciences. He told stories from his experience exploring the Caspian Sea while based in Baku to engagement with northern communities along the Beaufort Sea. He ended by focusing on the things the young geologists need to think about, like how they will be integral in data analytics, and the implementation of machine

Challenge Bowl Panel Photo Credit:WIUGC Planning Committee

learning in the resource industries.

The conference ended with the traditional passing of the rock to the next hosts with the 55th WIUGC being hosted by Brandon University in January 2019.

Jamie Schmidt Photo Credit:WIUGC Planning Committee

Dallas Dixon Photo Credit:WIUGC Planning Committee

Kathryn Pollack Photo Credit:WIUGC Planning Committee

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General Delegate Registration: $190.00 Core Presenter Registration: $115.00 In-Transition Registration: $150.00 **You must be a CSPG In-Transition Member to register at this price Group Registration

3 x General Registration 5 x General Registration

$ 420.00 $ 600.00

Core Meltdown Ticket*: $ 25.00 *One Core Meltdown Ticket is included with general and presenter registrations All general registrations include the following: •

Access to all the core displays and presentations for both May 10th and May 11th

•

Coffee and Donuts provided for both May 10th and May 11th

•

BBQ Lunch provided for both May 10th and May 11th

•

Core Meltdown Ticket

Short Courses & Field Seminars — April & May —

TOPICS INCLUDE: Environmental

Geomechanics

Structural

Exploration

Microseismic

Core Analysis

Heavy Oil

Geomodelling

Sedimentology

VISIT WWW.CSPG.ORG/SPRINGFORWARD FOR FULL COURSE

DESCRIPTIONS AND TO REGISTER TODAY!