March Reservoir 2016

14 Understanding Fracture Stimulation Complexity and

Performance at in-situ Conditions using DFITs

18 CSPG 2015 Award Citation: Medal of Merit Winning Paper “Paleokarst in the Grosmont Formation and reservoir implications, Saleski, Alberta, Canada”

22 CSPG 2015 Award Citation: RJW Douglas Medal

CSPG OFFICE

#110, 333 – 5th Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3B6

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, 8:00am to 4:30pm

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: Kristy Casebeer

Tel: 403-513-1233

Email: kristy.casebeer@cspg.org

Sponsorship Opportunities: Lis Bjeld

Tel: 403-513-1235

Email: lis.bjeld@cspg.org

Conference Inquiries: Candace Jones

Tel: 403-513-1227

Email: candace.jones@cspg.org

CSPG Foundation: Kasandra Amaro

Tel: 403-513-1234

Email: kasandra.amaro@cspg.org

Accounting Inquiries: Eric Tang

Tel: 403-513-1232

Email: eric.tang@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 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

Kristy Casebeer, Programs Coordinator, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Tel: 403-513-1233, kristy.casebeer@cspg.org

The RESERVOIR is published 11 times per year by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists. This includes a combined issue for the months of July and August. The purpose of the RESERVOIR is to publicize the Society’s many activities and to promote the geosciences. We look for both technical and non-technical material to publish. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the publisher. Additional copies of the RESERVOIR are available at the CSPG office.

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

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

arising in any manner whatsoever from the acts, omissions, or conduct of any third-party user.

Printed

WITHOUT

At

Abu

CSPG BOARD

PRESIDENT

Greg Lynch • Shell Canada Ltd. president@cspg.org Tel: 403.384.7704

PRESIDENT ELECT

Mark Cooper • Sherwood Geoconsulting Ltd. presidentelect@cspg.org

PAST PRESIDENT

Tony Cadrin pastpresident@cspg.org

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Scott Leroux • Long Run Exploration directorfinance@cspg.org Tel: 403.766.5862

FINANCE DIRECTOR ELECT

Shelley Leggitt • NAL Resources Ltd. directorfinanceelect@cspg.org

DIRECTOR

Mark Caplan conferences@cspg.org

DIRECTOR

Jen Russel-Houston • Osum Oil Sands Corp. Jrussel-houston@osumcorp.com Tel: 403.270.4768

DIRECTOR

Eric Street • Jupiter Resources estreet@jupiterresources.com Tel: 587.747.2631

DIRECTOR

John Cody • Statoil Canada Ltd. industryrelations@cspg.org

DIRECTOR

Ryan Lemiski • Nexen ULC ypg@cspg.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lis Bjeld • CSPG lis.bjeld@cspg.org Tel: 403.513.1235

Message from the Board

A message from Eric Street, CSPG Director

Fellow petroleum geologists,

Education Update: Looking Forward

It has been a full year since I assumed the role as the CSPG’s Education Director. To say that the position has been a roller coaster ride, against a backdrop of poor commodity prices, is an understatement. Strict cost cutting measures have inevitably found their way into continuing education budgets which has limited the individual’s ability to attend short courses and field seminars. Irrespective of market conditions I am extremely proud of what the CSPG staff and its dedicated volunteer pool have accomplished over the last year. I’d like to use this article to review 2015, bring you up to speed with the CSPG’s continuing education opportunities, and set the stage for what we hope to accomplish over the next twelve months.

The CSPG strives to offer continuing education opportunities that advance your geoscientific understanding, deliver hands on experience, and arm you with the skills necessary to tackle industry specific problems in the workplace. To accomplish these lofty goals it falls on the shoulders of our volunteer committees to recognize industry trends, seek out qualified instructors, and provide content in a convenient manner. Our volunteer’s efforts paid off and we successfully offered a combined ten short courses and three field seminars in the spring and fall of 2015. In addition, the long standing CSPG Student Industry Field Trip (SIFT) was run and received rave reviews from those students who were fortunate enough to attend.

The CSPG’s 2016 education schedule is shaping up nicely. The first major event we’re closing in on is the Spring Education Week which will run from May 2nd-6th. We open with an Icebreaker, featuring our Volunteer and Service Awards. This year we focus

on RISKs and how it is managed. Richard Wall, CSPG 2015 Stanley Slipper Medal will address the Technical Awards Luncheon. For those new to the industry, in conjunction with SPE Canada, we are running boot camp – Introductory Engineering and Geoscience in the Energy Industry. We also are offering a one day course for those ‘In Transition’ on Petrophysics (8 hrs PDH). Register at www.cspg.org.

Running concurrently with the Spring Education week is SIFT 2016. SIFT committee members are working hard to ensure their program is up-to-date and provides a thorough introductory to the petroleum industry.

Kicking off summer this year will be the AAPG’s joint SEPM-CSPG Annual Convention and Exhibition (ACE) which runs at the BMO Centre in Calgary from June 19th-22nd. In conjunction with the conference the CSPG is proud to offer its International Core Conference along with six short courses and eight field trips. Short course subject matter includes carbonate reservoirs, reservoir characterization, fractured reservoirs, stratigraphy, oil sands, and interpretation in complex structural settings. Field trips will focus on the Exshaw/Banff unconventional petroleum system, the McMurray Formation oil sands deposits, sequence stratigraphy and facies architecture of the Upper Devonian, structural geology and hydrocarbon setting in the southern foothills, dinosaur palaeobiology and preservation, the Mt Stephen fossil beds, TurnerValley, and the structure of the Canadian Rockies. For a full list and descriptions of ACE short courses and field trips make sure to visit http://ace.aapg.org/2016.

In the fall the CSPG will have a themed education week with the possibility of a one (... Continued on page 7)

Submit your hike to be featured in the “GO TAKE A HIKE” SERIES

Before writing an article please contact the series coordinator via email at Philip.Benham@shell.com. He can provide a template document and confirm that a particular hike has not been submitted before.

Submission guidelines:

Preferred format is powerpoint, 2-3 pages in length, include map, hike directions, annotated photos, Geological description and references. While hikes focus on western Canada, hikes in other parts of the world are welcome.

Strengthen Your Geoscience Career by Joining ‘GeoMatch”

More and more professionals are actively pursuing mentoring to advance their careers. Whether you are participating as the mentee or mentor, these types of partnerships can benefit your career and develop your skills. Once CSPG has enough interest, we will contact applicants for further information, make matches and email details to participants.

There are four different categories as outlined below.

MENTEES:

 Young Geoscience Professionals (35 years old and younger) – who wish for a mentor to accelerate their career

 Women in Geosciences – for career networking and support

 In-Transition (unemployed) - seeking skills clarification and networking opportunities

 Recent Immigrants – professionals who have arrived in Canada within the last 12 months

MENTORS:

 Retirees and experienced geoscientists who wish to mentor as a consultant to mentees in the categories above

To sign up for the program please visit www.cspg.org/geomatch and make your selection (please ensure you are signed in to the website), or send an email to membership@cspg.org This program is only open to CSPG members in good standing.

CORPORATE SPONSORS

SAMARIUM

CSPG Foundation

geoLOGIC systems ltd.

DIAMOND

AGAT Laboratories

TITANIUM

Tourmaline Oil Corp.

Alberta Energy Regulator

PLATINUM

Weatherford Canada Partnership

APEGA

Loring Tarcore Labs Ltd.

GOLD Imperial Oil Resources

MEG Energy Corp.

Progress Energy Ltd.

SILVER

Nexen ULC

Seitel Canada Ltd.

Chinook Consulting

BRONZE

Belloy Petroleum Consulting

Long Run Exploration

Crescent Point Energy Trust

IHS Global Canada Limited

Exxonmobil Exploration Co. Ltd.

Husky Energy Inc.

Paradigm Geosciences Ltd.

Pro Geo Consultants

CSEG Foundation

Repsol Oil and Gas Canada Inc.

MJ Systems

Core Laboratories

GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd.

As of January 27, 2016

A Special Thanks to geoLOGIC systems ltd.

day core conference. Plans are still in their incipient stages, but we hope that this event will become a staple at the CSPG.

If in-house introductory geoscience education is required by your employer, the CSPG has developed and is equipped to come in with its instructors to run boot camp –Introductory Engineering and Geoscience in the Energy Industry. This newly developed course provides employees with a basic understanding of engineering and geologic concepts, their underlying principles, and how they are applied in the petroleum industry. It has been coordinated with SPE Canada to jointly offer the material so both the fundamental engineering and geoscience perspectives are recognized. Full details on the course offering and CSPG office contacts can be found under the education tab at www.cspg.org.

The CSPG will continue to offer less formal educational opportunities such as GeoCafe Sessions and the ‘Go Take a Hike’ series that is slated to kick off during the summer months. For those unfamiliar with GeoCafe Sessions the basic premise is to provide free, informal technical content on a variety of geoscience topics. Subject matter is dictated by the volunteer presenter and sessions are held at the CSPG office. The ‘Go Take a Hike’ series will be a great opportunity to bring family and friends on weekend field trips to learn about

geoscience in the province of Alberta. Topics will be based on volunteer availability and interest level garnered from CSPG members and the community. Check back at www.cspg. org for full details.

Before closing I’d like to highlight some simple ways to get involved and stay informed with the CSPG’s education programs:

1. If you are interested in becoming an instructor for the CSPG, please go online to the www.CSPG.org education tab and complete the online application form.

2. If you would like to attend a course or have subject matter suggestions, please submit your request to Education@cspg.org

3. If you would like the CSPG to run an in-house course, please send a request to Education@cspg.org

4. Look for the monthly e-newsletter for upcoming courses and events

I look forward to another great year in geoscience education through the CSPG and thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Eric Street

TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS

Mechanical

Stratigraphic Controls on Fracturing (Jointing) and Normal Faulting in

the Eagle Ford Formation, South-Central Texas, U.S.A.

SPEAKER

David A. Ferrill

AAPG Distinguished Lecturer

11:40 am

Wednesday, April 06, 2016

Calgary, TELUS Convention Centre

Calgary, Alberta

Please note: The cut-off date for ticket sales is 1:00 pm, four business days before event [Thursday, March 31, 2016].

CSPG Member Ticket Price: $39.75 + GST.

Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST.

Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.cspg.org

ABSTRACT

Production from self-sourced reservoirs relies on natural and induced fracturing to enhance permeability and produce connected pathways for hydrocarbons to flow back to producing wellbores; thus, natural or induced fracturing is key to the success of unconventional reservoir plays. In addition to enhancing production, large or wellconnected fractures or faults may cause undesirable complications for production. Natural and induced fractures are influenced by: (i) mechanical stratigraphy, (ii) preexisting natural deformation such as faults, fractures, and folds, and (iii) in situ stress conditions, which includes both natural stresses and stresses modified by stimulation and pressure depletion (Ferrill et al. 2014b). Understanding the occurrence and controls on natural and induced faulting and fracturing in selfsourced reservoirs is a key component for

developing effective approaches for exploiting hydrocarbons within self-sourced reservoirs.

Outcrop investigation of the Eagle Ford Formation in south-central Texas reveals a distinctive influence of bed-scale mechanical layering on fracture system development (Ferrill et al. 2014a). Welldeveloped joint networks are present in subhorizontal competent carbonate (chalk) beds. Joint systems are less well-developed in interlayered incompetent calcareous mudrock beds. All observed joints terminate vertically in incompetent mudrock beds (Figure 1). Abutting relationships between joint networks allow determination of the relative timing sequence between joint sets and between joints and faults. Normal faults are common but less abundant than joints (Figure 2). The faults dominantly dip north, northwest, or southeast and joint sets abut against the faults, indicating that the faults formed prior to the joint networks. In addition, the faults cut multiple competent and incompetent beds, providing vertical connectivity across mechanical layering. These faults are products of both hybrid and shear failure. Consequently, the fault dips are steep through competent beds and moderate through incompetent beds, resulting in refracted fault profiles with dilation and calcite precipitation into dilational cavities along steep segments. Fluid inclusions in calcite from the fault zone commonly contain liquid hydrocarbons or in rare two-phase fluid inclusions homogenization temperatures suggest trapping of aqueous fluids at elevated temperatures (40-100° C) and depths on the order of 2 km (6562 ft). Fluid inclusions and stable isotope geochemistry analyses suggest that faults transmitted externally derived fluids. These faults likely formed at depths equivalent to portions of the present-day oil and gas production from the Eagle Ford play in

south Texas. Faults connect across layering and provide pathways for vertical fluid movement within the Eagle Ford Formation, in contrast to vertically restricted joints which produce bed-parallel fracture permeability but have limited vertical connectivity.

Natural fracture systems, along with mechanical stratigraphy and in situ stress conditions, are the context within which hydraulic stimulation programs are performed. The natural faults and joints are preexisting weaknesses that are likely to reactivate before stress conditions required for failure of intact rock are reached. Open or mineralfilled faults and fractures have contrasting porosity and permeability with respect to the host rock layers and will potentially dilate, slip, or compartmentalize fluid pressure increase during induced hydraulic fracturing.

BIOGRAPHY

David A. Ferrill is director of the Department of Earth Material and Planetary Sciences at Southwest Research Institute. He received his B.S. degree in geology from Georgia State University in 1984, his M.S. degree in geology from West Virginia University in 1987, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Alabama in 1991, and he is a licensed professional geoscientist (geology) in the state of Texas. Dr. Ferrill is a structural geologist with international research experience in contractional, extensional, and strike-slip tectonic regimes, and international oil and gas exploration and production experience. He has analyzed geometric and kinematic folding and faulting processes, curvature of mountain belts, regional tectonics, hydrocarbon trap integrity, and induced hydraulic fracturing in unconventional reservoirs. He has characterized reservoirs and aquifers, and interpreted tectonic stress fields, rock deformation, and fracture mechanisms and has published extensively on these topics.

Study areas have included the French Alps, the Appalachians, the Basin and Range Province and Colorado Plateau of the western United States, the Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad, Iceland, offshore Vietnam, offshore Turkey, the Persian Gulf, plus other planetary bodies including Mars and Ganymede. Dr. Ferrill works with staff to develop execute projects for a wide range of clients related to oil and gas exploration and production, groundwater resource analysis, natural hazard assessment, and planetary research. He leads SwRI’s Eagle Ford structural geology and geomechanics joint industry project, and performs contract consulting and structural geology training for the oil industry that includes regularly teaching structural geology and geomechanics field seminars. Dr. Ferrill led development of the

award winning 3DStress® computer program for interactive analyses of the effects of stresses on faults and fractures, which received an R&D 100 award from R&D Magazine, designating it as one of the world’s 100 most significant technical accomplishments. Before joining Southwest Research Institute in 1993, he was an exploration geologist at Shell Offshore Incorporated, and prior to that an assistant professor at Georgia Southern University. He is editorial board member and former editor of Journal of Structural Geology, and current Chairman of Petroleum Structure and Geomechanics Division of American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

TECHNICAL LUNCHEONS MAY LUNCHEON

Cognitive Bias, The Elephant in the Living Room of Science and Professionalism

SPEAKER

Peter R. Rose

AAPG Distinguished Lecturer

11:40 am

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Calgary, TELUS Convention Centre Calgary, Alberta

Please note: The cut-off date for ticket sales is 1:00 pm, four business days before event [Wednesday, April 27, 2016].

CSPG Member Ticket Price: $39.75 + GST. Non-Member Ticket Price: $47.50 + GST.

Each CSPG Technical Luncheon is 1 APEGA PDH credit. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.cspg.org

ABSTRACT

Cognitive bias, in its many manifestations, is the major cause of geotechnical overestimation and faulty probability forecasts in petroleum geoscience. The five most prevalent cognitive biases in petroleum E&P are: Confirmation Bias; Overconfidence; False Analogs; Anchoring; and Motivational Bias. They are caused by premature selection of theory, personal hubris, lack of perspective, lack of imagination, laziness, and excessive self-interest. Important influences include the existing organizational reward system, economic pressure for objective geotechnical results, and the anticipated consequences of project reviews and evaluations. In fact, the field of E&P Risk Analysis emerged during the 1980s to help identify and reduce bias in assessing the value of new plays and prospects. Companies that routinely utilize disciplined methods of Risk Analysis tend to deliver on their E&P promises.

Pioneering work by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, his late colleague Amos Tversky, and others since the 1970s has made scientists much more aware of the dangers that Cognitive Bias pose for the practice of

objective, reliable science. Even so, increasing awareness of obvious agenda-serving scientific publications, slanted peer review (“palreview”), withholding of codes and formulae, unreproducible experimental results, and scientific fraud indicate that procedures to identify and limit Cognitive Bias are not being appropriately utilized throughout the scientific community. This is probably because many of the organizational and economic pressures routinely experienced by E&P geoscientists are not as intensely or widely operative within academic and governmental organizations.

The late physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman recognized (1974) the danger of Cognitive Bias: “the first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.” Feynman knew that dedicated practice of the Scientific Method is the key to elimination of Cognitive Bias, recommending “a kind of scientific integrity, a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to a kind of utter honesty – a kind of leaning over backwards.” A practical research approach familiar to many geoscientists is T. C. Chamberlain’s “Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses”, introduced in 1890. Also important is the separation of E&P activity into two essential and complementary components – 1) play and prospect generation; and 2) play and prospect risk assessment. Professionalism constitutes the conscious honoring of such principles.

Sound and objective science is essential to the continued progress of Society. Is it possible that methods widely applied by Petroleum Geoscience to identify and counter Cognitive Bias might also be useful to other branches of Science?

BIOGRAPHY

Pete Rose (Ph. D., Geology, University of Texas, Austin) has been a professional geologist for 56 years, specializing in Carbonate Stratigraphy, Petroleum Geology, Basin Analysis, E&P Risk Assessment, and Mineral Economics. In 1998, he founded Rose & Associates, LLP. Pete retired in 2005; the Firm continues as the global standard among consulting companies in the field of E&P Risk Analysis.

His 2001 AAPG book, Risk Analysis and Management of Petroleum Exploration Ventures, now in its 7th printing, is widely considered

to be the “Bible” in its field, and has been translated into Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 published articles and over 300 presented papers on an extremely wide variety of topics (Micropaleontology to Petroleum Economics!). From 2001 to 2004 Pete wrote a regular column, “The Business Side of Geology”, for The Explorer, AAPG’s monthly news magazine.

Pete received the coveted Parker Memorial Medal from the American Institute of Professional Geologists in 1998. In 2005 he became the 89th President of AAPG. He was co-chair of the 2007 Interdisciplinary Conference on Oil and Gas Reserves Definitions, held in Washington, D.C., which was instrumental in encouraging the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission to modernize its rules on oil and gas reserves reporting, as occurred the following year. This facilitated the investment component of the “shale revolution” in the U. S. during the 20082015 development period. In 2013 he became the first American recipient of the prestigious Petroleum Group Medal of the Geological Society of London, and in 2014 AAPG honored him with its Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award.

His many years of experience, helping thousands of geoscientists to improve their geotechnical performance by detecting and reducing bias in their prospect and play evaluations, have prepared Pete Rose well to address the broader effects of cognitive bias in science and professional matters, the subject of his distinguished lecture, “Cognitive Bias, the Elephant in the Living Room of Science and Professionalism”.

Guidelines for the Handling of Natural Fractures and Faults in Hydraulically Stimulated Resource Plays

SPEAKER

Ben Stephenson & Kevin Coflin

Shell Canada Energy

Presented at CSUR, Oct. 2015 (SPE 175910-MS)

12:00 noon

Thursday March 3, 2016

Schlumberger 125 9th Ave, Calgary, AB

ABSTRACT

The impact of structural geology on unconventional resource plays has long been a source of uncertainty and debate. Even after many years of drilling, extensive data collection, trials and research, the unconventionals business retains a strong element of empiricism, with poor predictive

capability. A classic example of this limitation is our inability to predict the EUR uplift of a hydraulically stimulated well that encounters many natural fractures.

Within Shell, and also widely published, natural fractures were thought to enhance production performance, drawing on well-established relationships in conventional reservoirs. To test this hypothesis, an investigation into production performance across plays in North America was carried out, from Shell and industry data, for the Marcellus, Barnett, Niobrara, Nikanassin, Montney, Duvenay, Haynesville, Bakken and Eagleford formations, all of which exhibit very different structural characteristics.

1. Our results indicate that the variability in small-scale, natural fracture intensity is not sufficient to be detected in well performance metrics, given the other subsurface heterogeneity and the intrinsic range in P10:P90 for EUR within any given set of wells. Furthermore, natural connectivity is low. Natural fractures can however, play a role in an enhanced risk of screen-out. The exception is for folded tight-sand plays, where fracture network connectivity is potentially sufficient to provide a measurable enhanced deliverability.

Understanding the impact of seismically-visible, planar, structural features (faults or lineaments) proved to be more problematic, with plays

DIVISION TALKS HYDROGEOLOGY DIVISION

Past and Current Geothermal Energy in Canada – new opportunities for geologists

SPEAKER

Joan L. Tittemore

Craig Dunn

12:00 noon

Friday March 4, 2016

IHS. Office, Sunlife Plaza, East Tower 8th Floor, 112 4ave SW Calgary, AB, T2P 0H3

Please register for this event by going to www.cspg.org – admission is free but due to limited space you must register online to attend.

ABSTRACT

Craig will be delivering a talk on the existing opportunities for geothermal energy in

the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, geo-modeling for geothermal energy and geopower development. In the thousands of oil and gas wells in the WCSB, increasing water production and deep, abandoned, watered out wells do not spell the end but, rather, the start of a new energy life for these wells.

Joan will discuss some geothermal energy pilot projects in Canada that have been conducted in the past and current geothermal projects in the Williston basin. Projects discussed include the University of Regina demonstration project, the Moosejaw Temple Gardens Spa, the Deep Earth Energy Production project in Saskatchewan.

BIOGRAPHIES

Joan L. Tittemore, P. Geol

Joan Tittemore has worked as a petroleum geologist since 1980 and founded InterpreTerra Consulting Ltd. in 1995, specializing in core and drill cuttings interpretations. Recently, Joan has turned her attention to geothermal energy and believes that any source of energy

experiencing EUR uplift and impairment. This was explained, with a novel concept classifying faults as “contained” or “uncontained”, contingent on being within a closed system, before and after hydraulic stimulation, or not.

To summarize these observations, guidelines are offered with consideration for:

1) An understanding of how natural fractures and faults affect conventional plays.

2) Production data from Shell’s unconventional assets and industry published material.

3) Hypotheses for the physical processes for how faults and natural fractures affect resource plays during a hydraulic stimulation.

4) A discrimination between discrete structural features based upon scale.

BIOGRAPHY

Ben Stephenson is a structural and production geologist currently working in Shell’s Completion Effectiveness Team (CET), which designs completions and stimulations for all of Shell’s unconventional wells in North America. Having 17 years with Shell, Ben has enjoyed many roles in operations, research, technology deployment, technical assurance, reservoir characterization and field development and has been fortunate enough to work on conventional and unconventional assets globally. His current passion is trying to determine what fracs actually look like. He has a PhD from Oxford on Himalayan Tectonics.

that can put geologists to work without depending on global petroleum prices is a good thing. Joan is a member of the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) and is an enthusiastic promoter of this proven renewable energy source.

Craig Dunn P.Geol

In 2003, Mr. Dunn founded a geological consulting firm for the oil and gas industry in both conventional and unconventional oil and gas exploration across the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. He moved on to work multiple geothermal exploration projects in the US and Canada with some of the first public geothermal companies in Canada and was on the board of directors and the Outreach Director for the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA). He has co-authored many geothermal reports including Geothermal Policy Best Practices (2009). He is currently the founder and Chief Geologist with Borealis Geopower and is considered one of the leading experts and pioneers in geothermal energy exploration and development initiatives in Canada.

PALEO 2016

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 19, 2016, 9:00am-4:00pm

Workshop Sunday, March 20, 2016, 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 19

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

9:10 am Mount Royal University’s Cretaceous Land Exhibit

Dr. Wayne Haglund, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mount Royal University

9:15 am Surveying palaeoenvironmental research in Alberta: Pollen records, plant macrofossils and other indicators illuminating the last 13000 years of landscape history

Dr. Alwynne Beaudoin, Head Curator, Earth Sciences, and Curator, Quaternary Environments | Royal Alberta Museum

10:15 am Coffee Break

10:30 am Nests and eggs of giant oviraptorosaurs

Dr. Darla Zelenitsky | University of Calgary

11:00 am Family fossil hunting day trips from Calgary, Alberta

Jon Noad | CSPG Representative & Adjunct Professor University of Alberta

11:30 am Body size evolution in Miocene herbivores

Dr. Jessica Theodore | University of Calgary

12:00 Noon Lunch Break and Poster Display

1:00 pm Paleo flood mitigation project: Effect of flooding in Alberta rivers on paleontology

Ben Borkovic | Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

Joe Sanchez | Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology

1:30 pm Collection of a cf. Albrrrtonectes (Albertonectes) plesiosaur skeleton from an ammonite mine in early winter conditions in southern Alberta

Darren Tanke | Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology

2:00 pm Poster Session

*Poster presenters are requested to be with their posters.

3:00 pm Fragments and footprints: A summary of the record of mammoths and mastodons in Alberta

Dr. Chris Jass, Curator of Quaternary Palaeontology | Royal Alberta Museum

3:30 pm Where the crocodiles roam: The Pasquia Paleontological Site and Saskatchewan’s Turonian Sea

Dr. Emily Bamforth | Royal Saskatchewan Museum Field Research Station

4:00 pm The Burgess Shale redux: New field discoveries and the early evolution of animals revisited

Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron | Royal Ontario Museum

WORKSHOP

Sunday, March 20

Mount Royal University, Room B213

9:00am to 12:00 noon OR 1:00 pm– 4:00 pm

Paleoclimate Reconstruction Using Fossil Leaves

Climate is a major driver of biodiversity and therefore the ability to accurately estimate paleoclimate is critical for studies of ancient ecological dynamics. Paleoclimate estimation can be challenging, with many of the available geochemical methods being expensive, complicated, and/or subject to issues such as contamination.

Climate-leaf analyses, the use of fossil leaf assemblages to estimate climate, are simple, inexpensive and accurate (assuming a large enough sample size) methods that can be used to estimate paleoclimate. These analyses include leaf margin analysis and the Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program (CLAMP).

In this workshop, we will begin by examining fossils leaves from a variety of geologic periods, and explore the different types of information they give us about the paleoenvironment in which they grew. The basics of leaf -climate analysis will be discussed, including the pros and cons of using these types of analyses. We will then go through a step-by-step CLAMP analysis together, with participants being invited to score characters from a leaf assemblage provided, and inputting these characters into a CLAMP spreadsheet and running the analysis. Participants are welcome to bring their own laptops/mobile devices to try running an analysis on their own computer, but this is not necessary.

More information of the CLAMP analysis, including required platforms to run the program, can be found here:

CLAMP Website: http://clamp.ibcas.ac.cn

Cost: $10 per person

To register, email Harold Whittaker at programs1@albertapaleo.org

Make cheques payable to the Alberta Palaeontological Society

P.O. Box 35111, Sarcee Postal Outlet, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3E 7C7

Registration deadline is March 10, 2016

Please specify your preference for morning, afternoon or either session.

DIVISION TALKS INTERNATIONAL DIVISION

Bay du Nord

discovery, Flemish Pass basin, offshore Newfoundland

SPEAKER

Jennifer Young

12:00 noon

Wednesday April 13, 2016

Nexen Annex Theatre

801 7 ave SW, Calgary AB T2P 3P7

ABSTRACT

In 2013 Statoil made global headlines with the Bay du Nord Discovery announcement. Situated in the long overlooked Flemish

CSPG International Division

Wednesday April 13, 2016

Nexen Annex Theatre

Rock Shot Speaker:

Craig Boland

Boland Exploration

Pass Basin of Offshore Newfoundland, the find was described as “an overnight success ten years in the making”. Truth be told the discovery was the result of over 30 years of fluctuating industry research and activity, a Statoil area of focus for the last 17 of those. As interest in the region faded through ambiguous well results, competing global priorities and unpredictable oil prices Statoil continued to pursue its belief in the Flemish Pass transforming decades of concept maturation to “overnight” success.

Statoil’s activities have ramped up since the Bay du Nord discovery, including additional seismic acquisition, an ongoing appraisal and exploration drilling program and the addition of exploration acreage. Our operations continue to remind us as to how remote this area is and how tough mother nature can be. If asked for a quote today one would likely

describe the Bay du Nord area as “a work in progress, 30 years in the making”.

BIOGRAPHY

Jennifer is currently the Manager of Statoil’s East Coast Canada Exploration Access teamliving in Calgary with a strong tie to her home province of Newfoundland. She joined Statoil in 2011 and has worked as both a geoscientist and manager of the team maturing the Bay du Nord discovery through appraisal. The first 8 years of Jennifer’s career were with Petro-Canada/Suncor working a wide range of projects including onshore conventional Exploration in Libya, business development evaluation in North American unconventionals and development of conventional natural gas fields in the Canadian Foothills. Jennifer holds a B.Sc Geology and M.Sc Geophysics, both from Memorial University.

Rock Shot Title:

The Mesozoic Pedra da Mua & Lagosterios Dinosaur Track Sites at Cabo Espichel, Portugal

UNDERSTANDING FRACTURE STIMULATION COMPLEXITY AND RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE AT IN-SITU CONDITIONS USING DFITS

By Dan Potocki, EnCana Corporation.

Abstract:

Diagnostic Fracture Injection Tests (DFITs) considered by many to be an “engineering test” provide valuable geological and geomechanical information. DFITs interrogate rock fabric and measure stimulation complexity and performance-controlling rock stresses at a more representative scale, more realistic stress and strain conditions than is capable by logs, core or seismic. When integrated and up-scaled with other geological and engineering data the complexity and stress information provided by DFITs assists in reservoir characterization, forensic production assessment and frac design.

What is a DFIT?

A DFIT is a small volume fracture injection test that provides ISIP, closure, pore pressure and permeability. The ISIP is the Instantaneous Shut in Pressure, sometimes called the “frac gradient”, and is the pressure recorded at the instant the frac pumps are stopped. Since the pumps are shut-in the ISIP is not tainted by pipe friction and the recorded value captures the pressure that was required to extend the just-created fracture. As the frac fluid leaks off into the formation the induced fracture closes. The pressure recorded at closure provides a measure of the minimum horizontal stress (Shmin). As the pressure in the system continues to diminish after closure various DFIT diagnostic analyses can also determine pore pressure and total system permeability. Details on DFIT analysis are provided by Barree et al., 2007. ISIP, closure and pore pressure is used to determine Net Fracture Pressure, NFP (ISIP – closure) and Net Horizontal Stress, NHS (closure – pore pressure). When used individually and in tandem NFP and NHS provide tremendous insight into induced fracture complexity and reservoir behaviour, which are key components of this paper.

How does Net Fracture Pressure (NFP) Reveal Complexity?

The NFP is the pressure above the closure stress required to extend an induced hydraulic fracture. The series of schematic diagrams in figure 2 help illustrate how NFP, the difference between ISIP and closure, might reveal complexity. In figure 2A a DFIT is pumped from a vertical well and easily creates

a simple hydraulic fracture, that is, relatively little extension pressure was required to create the biwing fracture. In this case the ISIP is low, hence the NFP is low. Consider now a DFIT in which a more complex fracture network is created (figure 2B) in a rock that has the same closure stress. Since the created fractures have opened against minimum stress (orange arrows) as well as maximum horizontal stress (yellow arrows), the required extension pressure and NFP is greater. In figure 2C horizontal bedding planes have now been opened and the fracture extension pressure and NFP is greater since the weight of the earth (vertical stress) was overcome. In summary, when increasingly complex fractures are created for whatever reason in a DFIT, the Net Fracture Pressure provides a measure of that complexity.

Causes of Increased Net Fracture Pressure (NFP) Complexity

Increased NFP can be attributed to three major causes: wellbore effects, interactions between induced hydraulic fractures, and interactions between induced hydraulic fractures with the inherent rock “fabric”. Wellbore orientation is a significant control on DFIT complexity as fracture initiation and growth from horizontal wells is typically more complex than from vertical wells. Since most reservoirs possess fractures it is important to define the term rock “fabric.”

What is Rock “Fabric”?

Rock fabric in this paper refers to the intensity and orientation of natural fractures and planes of weakness regardless of origin. For simplicity rock fabric can be considered as consisting of two basic types: non-tectonic and tectonic (Figure 3).

In the absence of tectonics, the intensity of natural fractures is related to the stiffness and brittleness of the rock; brittle and strong rocks are generally more naturally fractured rocks, figure 3 (Nelson, 1985). Non tectonic natural fractures are typically regionally consistent and predictable. However, in a tectonically complex setting a rock can possess complex fractures not related to rock brittleness but solely due to tectonic faulting and folding. Tectonic fracture complexity is typically regionally inconsistent, unpredictable and

Figure 1. Schematic treating plot showing some key diagnostic parameters derived from a DFIT. Block diagram illustrates that closure provides a measure of minimum horizontal stress (Shmin).

Figure 2. Schematic diagrams showing increasing NFP due to increasingly complex induced fractures from a vertical DFIT.

NFP gradient in an interpretive context of ISIP and closure stress gradients acting on the system. The NHS plot (figure 4B) reveals both changes in Net Horizontal Stress and also shows the degree to which closure stress may be controlled by or coupled with pore pressure, or be uncoupled from pore pressure and influenced to some degree by positive or negative tectonic stress. The third plot of NFP vs. NHS shows how NHS and stress-pore pressure coupling or uncoupling (either tectonic compression or extension) affects complexity.

Controls on Net Fracture Pressure (NFP) Complexity

First Order Control

potentially problematic. Problematic in the sense that pervasive tectonic fractures and associated remnant tectonic stresses make it increasingly difficult to consistently propagate hydraulic fractures to access the reservoir from a horizontal wellbore.

Using NFP and NHS to Quantify Complexity and its Controls

Throughout this paper a series of three diagnostic plots are used that show NFP complexity (closure vs. ISIP), NHS (closure vs. pore pressure) and NFP vs. NHS (figure 4). All stress data are expressed as gradients to make it easier to compare with, and assess the role that the overburden and minimum horizontal stress gradients (i.e. closure) might play in induced complexity. Gradients also facilitate data comparison between different regions.

The NFP plot (figure 4A) is the key frac “complexity” plot as it rapidly conveys the

The NHS plot provides a beneficial reconnaissance tool to quickly assess the degree to which tectonic extension or compression might be influencing a region. The orange line in the NHS plot is calculated using a basic isotropic stress equation and shows the expected closure gradient trend if pore pressure is the sole control for a rock with a constant poisons ratio. If the measured DFIT closure plots on or near the orange line, this implies that closure is controlled by pore pressure without any significant tectonic influence. Where measured closure gradients are notably greater or lower than the calculated closure gradient (orange line) this is interpreted as a potential indication and crude approximation of the presence and magnitude of either a positive (compressional) or negative (extensional) component of tectonic stress. The graphs in figure 5 illustrate the progressive increase in compressional tectonic stress when moving from Gulf Coast setting to a strikeslip/thrust setting.

A study of more than 1000 DFITs from tight sandstones, siltstones and shale from different tectonic settings reveals that the first order control on induced fracture complexity as determined from DFIT NFP is the tectonic setting. DFITs from the Gulf Coast passive margin have the least complexity, those in a strike-slip to thrust setting have the greatest, and those in a foreland basin are variable between these two end members. This is due to increasingly complex tectonic and burial histories, which create an increasing degree of tectonic fractures, higher tectonic stress and a greater decoupling in the degree to which pore pressure controls closure stress. All of these factors promotes increasingly complicated interactions between induced hydraulic fractures and intrinsic rock fabric during a DFIT and during subsequent hydraulic stimulation, figure 6.

Second Order Controls

Within any particular tectonic setting, induced fracture complexity is controlled by a complicated interplay between second order controls that include rock geomechanical properties, wellbore geometry and net horizontal stress. Within any basin the stiffer and more brittle rocks of any particular lithology will likely manifest the greatest NFP complexity. Figure 7 shows an example of a progressive increase in DFIT NFP complexity within the Falher to Gething to Cadomin sandstones interpreted to be due to an increased degree of non-tectonic fracturing which accompanies increasing brittleness and stiffness.

(Continued on page 16...)

Figure 4. Diagnostic plots used to illustrate trends in: A) NFP complexity; B) NHS or confinement and also data where closure stress is coupled with pore pressure, or uncoupled due to either positive or negative tectonic stress; C) NHS vs. NFP showing how confinement (NHS) and differences in coupling impacts induced frac complexity.

Figure 3 (A). Schematic diagram showing three increasingly brittle and stiff rock layers from bottom to top with increasing intensity of non-tectonic natural fractures. (B) The same three rock layers showing complex tectonic fractures (green) created by folding and faulting.

Net horizontal stress, also called effective stress, controls induced fracture complexity in a complex fashion related to the degree to which tectonics has overprinted or decoupled the pore pressure control on closure stress. In the Gulf Coast passive margin setting, where pore pressure strongly controls closure stress, complexity increases as NHS, in response to reduced pore pressure, increases (Figure 8A). At the other end of the spectrum, in a strikeslip/thrust basin an opposite trend is present (Figure 8C). In a strike-slip/thrust basin the pore pressure control on closure stress has largely been overprinted by tectonics and NFP complexity decreases with increasing NHS. In this case the increasing NHS is primarily from increasing tectonic compression. Foreland basins, because they contain elements of both end member tectonic settings, exhibit NFP characteristics of both.The key to determining complexity trends in a foreland basin play is to obtain sufficient DFITs within the playground.

When is Too Much Complexity a Bad Thing?

Some degree of enhanced complexity may be desired when fracturing a reservoir but in various cases high magnitudes of NFP may be unwanted and detrimental. Elevated NFP has been associated with problematic completions including pressure outs, screen outs, inefficient stimulation and reduced production (Ramurthy et al., 2009). Favorable complexity is defined here as consisting of a network of mostly vertical, well connected, induced and non-tectonic fractures with NFP gradients from approximately 0 to 6 kPa/m and associated ISIP gradients below the overburden gradient (figure 9). Experience shows that potential problematic complexity is associated with rocks containing an abundant complicated assemblage of variably oriented, highly stressed tectonic fabric with NFP gradients above approximately 6 kPa/m and/or associated ISIP gradients greater than the overburden gradient, the green area as shown in figure 9.

Case Histories:

Two case histories are reviewed in brief to demonstrate the utility of the NFP and NHS diagnostic plots and illustrate complexity differences between different basins.

Haynesville and Bossier, Gulf Coast Passive Margin Basin

Figure 10 contains the three diagnostic NFP and NHS plots with 40 Haynesville and Bossier shale and tight sandstone DFITs. Although these DFITs possess high closure stress and high ISIP gradients they have both the lowest NFP complexity and lowest NHS of the three basin types studied. Gulf Coast sediments have experienced a relatively simple “once-down” burial history and are comparatively soft and weak relative to rocks in tectonically more complex basins. The low NFP is interpreted to reflect the initiation and growth of relatively simple, biwing fractures during a DFIT.

The presence of high overpressures is not surprising (figure 10B) since Gulf Coast basins have had negligible tectonics and associated pore pressure leakage relative to more faulted foreland and strike slip/thrust basins. DFIT closure stress appears to be well coupled with pore pressure for most DFITs, especially those at the highest overpressures. Several DFITs were obtained near complex growth faults and these exhibit scatter (mostly extensional) about the orange coupled lines in figure 10B indicating a decoupling in the pore pressure control on closure.

The overall strong degree of coupling between pore pressure and closure stress, which is not evident in more complex basins, controls the relationship presented in the figure 10C in which NFP complexity increases with increasing NHS. Because of strong coupling, NHS and complexity increases are linked with regions of naturally depleted

Figure 5. Net Horizontal Stress graphs showing progressive increase in compressional tectonic stress (blue arrow) in DFITs obtained from Gulf Coast, foreland and strike-slip/thrust basins.

Figure 6. Plots showing that stimulation complexity as determined from DFIT Net Fracture Pressure (NFP) increases from Gulf Coast passive margin settings to strike-slip/thrust settings. Tectonic setting is interpreted to be the first order control on DFIT induced fracture complexity.

Figure 7. A) Graph of average log derived Poisson’s ratio vs. Young’s modulus. Each data point represents the average of a minimum of four wells in the vicinity from which the DFITs in the NFP plot are obtained. B) Increasing DFIT NFP complexity paralleling the increase in geomechanical stiffness/brittleness shown in graph A.

pore pressure. The mechanism causing the complexity increase is not fully understood but may be due to a reduction in fracture height associated with changing vertical stress profiles.

Montney, Foreland Basin

DFITs from 90 horizontal and 23 vertical wells were examined from the Montney in and around Bissette and Dawson Creek. The NFP complexity plot (figure 11A) displays that the Montney generally has low to moderate complexity, not surprising since the Montney here doesn’t contain an abundance of natural fractures. Note that the complexity of some DFITs increases as closure gradient increases (green arrow) and that some higher stressed DFITs also have ISIP gradients at or above the overburden gradient (~24 kPa/m).

The NHS diagram (figure 11B) shows moderate to unfavorably high net horizontal stresses (~2 to 8 kPa/m) and also that most closure stresses appear to be uncoupled from a dominant pore pressure control and influenced by compressional tectonic stress. This large range in NHS is interpreted to have

significantly impacted the gas production of wells in this area stimulated with similar sized fracs (figure 12). When unrecognized, large production differences caused by regional stress changes may be wrongly attributed to frac or stimulation designs thereby creating unnecessary confusion in the completions world. The NFP and NHS plots together reveal that problematic complexity may locally occur in higher stressed regions that contain remnant compressional tectonic stresses and/ or tectonic fabric.

The NHS vs. NFP plot (Figure 11C) shows that, unlike rocks in the Gulf Coast setting, frac complexity (NFP) in these Montney rocks decreases with increasing NHS gradient. Portions of the study area may reside in a strike slip setting, and an added element of DFIT NFP complexity likely exists because of fracture initiation issues for DFITs obtained in horizontal wells. Mapping the regional distribution of NFP, NHS and the degree of tectonic compression or extension is of great benefit for recognizing regional sweet and sour spots and may aid in defining previously unrecognized fault bounded stress cells.

Conclusion

Understanding fracture stimulation complexity and in-turn reservoir performance is, not surprisingly, complex! DFITs however provide tremendous insight into the controls on this complexity that tectonic setting, rock geomechanics and fabric, and wellbore orientation plays. The concepts in this review were recently presented at the 2015 CSPG Gussow conference and are discussed in detail in SPE 162814.

(Continued on page 18...)

Figure 9. NFP plot highlighting zones of potential problematic complexity (green region).

Figure 10. Diagnostic DFIT NFP and NHS plots from Haynesville and Bossier DFITs. Figure B) shows two orange coupling lines created using two different values of Poisson’s ratio (0.17, 0.23) in order to capture the variance in rock ductility.

Figure 8. Plots of DFIT Net Horizontal stress (NHS) versus Net Fracture Pressure (NFP) showing how confinement impacts complexity in different tectonic settings.

References

Barree, R.D., Barree V.L. and Craig, D.P. 2007, Holistic Fracture Diagnostics. Paper SPE 107877 presented at the 2007 SPE Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Symposium held in Denver, Colorado, . 16-18 April 2007

Nelson, R. A., 1985, Geological Analysis of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs: Contributions in Petroleum Geology & Engineering, Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, TX, 320 p

Ramurthy, M. Barree, R.D., Broacha, E, et al. 2009. Effects of High Process-Zone Stress in Shale Stimulation Treatments. Paper SPE 123581 was presented at the SPE Rocky Mountain Petroleum Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, 14–16 April.

Figure 11. Diagnostic DFIT NFP and NHS plots from Montney DFITs in and around Bissette and Dawson Creek region

Figure 12. A reduction of more than one order of magnitude in AOF (Absolute Open Flow) gas rates occurs over the range of net horizontal stress obtained from DFITs in the same well.

CSPG 2015 AWARD CITATION MEDAL OF MERIT

Winning Paper “Paleokarst in the Grosmont Formation and reservoir implications, Saleski, Alberta, Canada”

As specified in CSPG bylaws the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Medal of Merit is awarded annually for the “best paper related to Canadian petroleum geology” published during the previous publication year, in this case for peer reviewed papers published in 2014. The medal is important recognition of excellence in Canadian petroleum geoscience research and writing and has been awarded since 1952. The paper chosen this year was written by Jen Russel-Houston and Ken Gray and is entitled “Paleokarst in the Grosmont Formation and reservoir implications, Saleski, Alberta, Canada”. The paper was published in Interpretation, Vol. 2, No. 3, p. SF29-SF50.

This paper describes a detailed study of dolostones, dolomudstones, and breccias of the Upper Devonian Grosmont Formation in northeastern Alberta. The study area is located just to the east of the Saleski pilot, a Grosmont steam-assisted gravity drainage bitumen pilot project located approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Fort McMurray which was recently suspended after producing in excess of 600,000 barrels of bitumen. The objective of the study was to define karst facies and describe their geometries using a data set of a 3D seismic survey supplemented by infill drilling. Better understanding of the paleokarst should allow better resolution of the porosity and permeability networks of the reservoir and optimize future thermal development.

The study area of 34.2 km2 of 3D seismic was shot prior to drilling. Based on features identified in the seismic interpretation 35 delineation wells were drilled and cored. The study utilized multiple seismic processing techniques, well logs, image logs, cores and

368 sinkholes with average diameter of 69 metres were identified, an impressive average of 10.8 sinkholes per square kilometre. The authors were able to determine that the Grosmont C middle unit and the Grosmont D lower unit reservoir intervals are continuous except where interrupted by laterally discontinuous karst facies.

This work is an important contribution as it provides an excellent detailed multidisciplinary data set and interpretation of a paleokarst setting. More specifically it will help optimize current and future development of the substantial bitumen resource contained within the Grosmont Formation. In addition, the paper is very well documented and illustrated, and is a tremendous example of a well-executed multidisciplinary geoscience study.

Jen Russel-Houston is currently Vice President, Geoscience at Osum Oil Sands Corp. where she oversees exploration and development geoscience evaluations. Jen obtained a B.Sc. from Queen’s University in

University in 2001. Prior to joining Osum in 2008, Jen worked for Shell Canada on both onshore and offshore projects where she developed expertise in reservoir evaluation, thermal production geology, and leading technical teams. She is an active member of APEGA and is an Associate Editor of the Canadian Bulletin of Petroleum Geology.

Ken Gray is Geophysical Advisor at Osum Oil Sands Corp. Ken received a B.A.Sc. (Honours) in Electrical Engineering in 1978 from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining Osum in 2010, Ken worked for Shell Canada as a geophysicist where he developed his expertise and passion for highresolution seismic imaging and reservoir characterization working on exploration plays and development projects throughout Canada, including the Plains, Foothills, Mackenzie Delta, and East Coast regions, with additional technical assignments to Shell companies in the Hague and New Orleans. Ken was recently Technical Cochair (CSEG) for GeoConvention 2014.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CORE ANALYSIS WORKSH OP MARCH 16 TH AND 17 TH , 2016

AGAT LABORATORIES LEARNING AUDITORIUM

PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE AT CSPG.ORG

AGAT Laboratories, in collaboration with the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG), is offering a two day Core Analysis Workshop. All proceeds from registration go to the CSPG.

Attend this laboratory workshop to learn about the fundamental concepts behind coring methodologies and latest technologies in routine core, special core and oilsands core analysis. Featured lectures also include chemistry innovations related to reservoir management and natural gas formation origin.

This two day workshop includes a combination of lectures and live laboratory demonstrations. Classes are taught by AGAT Laboratories’ Rock Properties Technical Services Team who have over 100 years of combined experience in oil sands and conventional core analysis.

Geological and engineering teams can attend this workshop to learn how core analysis can add insight into exploration programs, enhance recovery and reduce risk. This workshop includes breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks. Transportation from the Learning Auditorium to the laboratory is required. Maximum attendance per workshop is 27 people.

Please email info@agatlabs.com for more information.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

▪ Coring methods, recoveries and preservation techniques are reviewed for optimizing sample handling.

▪ Petrophysical measurements for both conventional and unconventional are taught and related to laboratory methodology for a deeper understanding of how the data is calculated.

▪ Learn about advanced innovations in mineralogy and petrography and the benefits of XRD, XRF, QemScan and SEM studies.

▪ Reservoir quality and formation damage issues are explored and how Special Core Analysis (SCAL) studies can offer vital information for decision making.

▪ Featured lectures also include chemistry topics on isotopic finger printing for natural gas formation origin identification, asphaltene chemistry and scaling and water chemistry as it relates to reservoir management.

PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE AT CSPG.ORG

Registration Deadline March 1st, 2016

Member Fee: $300

Non-member Fee: $415

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

OF

CORE ANALYSIS WORKSH OP

MARCH 16TH, 2016 - DAY 1

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM REGISTRATION AND INTRODUCTIONS

8:30 AM– 9:00 AM Coring Methods, Recoveries and Preservation

9:00AM - 9:15 AM BREAK

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM Routine Rock Properties

MARCH 16TH - 17TH, 2016

AGAT LABORATORIES LEARNING AUDITORIUM

2420 42 AVE NE ▪ CALGARY, T2E 7T6 REGISTER ONLINE AT CSPG.ORG

Coring options such as standard barrels, plastic sleeves, pressure or sponge coring. The role of drilling fluids, preservation and core transportation. When to freeze, when not to freeze. Cuttings and side wall samples.

Conventional Petrophysical measurements. Principles of measurements, factors that influence measurements and theoretical considerations on Full Diameter and Small Plug samples. Calculations of mean permeability and derivation of the linear flow equation.

10 :15 AM - 10:30 AM BREAK/TRAVEL TO LABORATORIES

GROUP A TOURS

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Routine Core and Oilsands Laboratory demonstrations on sampling, gamma logging, core photography, sample preparation.

12:00 PM– 1:00 PM LUNCH SERVED AND NETWORKING BREAK

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

AGAT Core Enhanced Software (ACES) core depth correction live demonstration.

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM BREAK/TRAVEL TO LEARNING AUDITORIUM

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Isotopic Finger Printing

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Asphaltene Chemistry

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Scaling and Water Chemistry

MARCH 17TH, 2016 - DAY 2

GROUP B TOURS

AGAT Core Enhanced Software (ACES) core depth correction live demonstration.

Routine Core and Oilsands Laboratory demonstrations on sampling, gamma logging, core photography, sample preparation.

Often when attempting to determine the source and formation that natural gas is originating from it is difficult, if not impossible to do so simply by the composition of the gas alone. In these cases, in-depth interpretation of the carbon isotope abundances of the hydrocarbon compounds within the natural gas can be used to correctly identify and fingerprint the formation of origin.

Asphaltenes are a problematic group of hydrocarbons that, when not managed, can plug off production. We’ll discuss the properties that make them so problematic and how E&P companies manage these potential issues.

Downhole water chemistry and incompatible water mixtures can result in the precipitation of inorganic scale which can plug up a reservoir or surface equipment. We’ll discuss analytical methods to predict scaling tendency, and how this damage mechanism can be controlled.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Mineralogy & Petrography Sample Considerations and Preparation. Petrography will include Thinsection, X-ray Diffraction, XRF, SEM and QemScan. The benefits of these tools, when and how to apply them.

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM BREAK

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Special Core Analysis Laboratory (SCAL)

Electrical properties, Capillary pressures, Mercury Injection, Wettability. Factors that influence the measurements and Theoretical considerations. Relative Permeability, Effective Permeability, Elementary Waterflood Predictions, Steamfloods and using laboratory data in Numerical Simulations.

10 :15 AM - 10:30 AM BREAK/TRAVEL TO LABORATORIES

GROUP A TOURS

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

GROUP B TOURS

Reservoir Engineering Laboratory demonstrations. Geology Laboratory demonstrations including XRD, SEM, QEMSCAN

12:00 PM– 1:00 PM LUNCH SERVED AND NETWORKING BREAK

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Geology Laboratory demonstrations including XRD, SEM, QEMSCAN Reservoir Engineering Laboratory demonstrations.

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM BREAK/TRAVEL TO LEARNING AUDITORIUM

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Formation Damage Reservoir Quality Issues, Influence of Swelling Clays, Application to Formation Evaluation.

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Closing Remarks and Delegate Review Survey

CSPG 2015 AWARD CITATION

By Gerry Reinson

The R.J.W. Douglas Medal is awarded annually by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG) for outstanding contributions to the understanding of sedimentary geology in Canada, commending major contributions to regional tectonics, petroleum and structural geology. The award is open to all geologists who follow the example of Bob Douglas in contributing to the development of Canadian sedimentary, petroleum, and structural geology.

Donald Kent was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and during his formative years, developed a keen interest in the surrounding geological landscape as well as the subsurface, since he lived atop the large Medicine Hat natural gas field. His interest carried over to become his passion, and he entered the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon in 1953, graduating with a B.Sc. degree in geological engineering. In 1958 Don joined the Saskatchewan Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) as Junior Research

Geologist and in his early years with the Department obtained his M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan. His formal education culminated with a Ph.D. degree from the University of Alberta in 1968. His dissertation was published in 1974 as the ground-breaking DMR Report No. 99, on the Upper Devonian Duperow Formation. Dr. Kent remained with DMR fashioning an outstanding career as a Senior Research Geologist until 1971 when he joined the Department of Geology, University of Regina as Associate Professor and subsequently full Professor in 1978. He became Emeritus and Adjunct Professor in 1996 and still maintains that position to this day. From 1976 to the present, Don consulted to the petroleum industry and government agencies, all the while fashioning an enviable research and mentoring career spanning several decades.

It is difficult to quantify the impact of Don Kent’s voluminous contributions to our understanding of the sedimentary, structural, and petroleum geology of Canada, particularly Western Canada and the Williston Basin. The landmark DMR report No. 141 on the Madison Formation published in 1974 established Don as the recognized expert on the petroleum-bearing Mississippian strata of Southern Saskatchewan and the contiguous United States. His numerous subsequent short papers and presentations at symposia, short courses and core workshops attest to this recognition. His ability to integrate sedimentology, stratigraphy and tectonic controls into regional studies on subsurface strata throughout the Paleozoic succession is evident not only in Report No. 141, but also in DMR Report No. 46 on the Upper Ordovician of the Northern Williston Basin, and Report No. 68 on the Upper Devonian of Western Saskatchewan and adjacent areas.

All of these reports provided the groundwork upon which much of the petroleum exploration in Saskatchewan was based, as witnessed by Don’s co-authoring of the 1971 DMR report (No. 157) entitled “Hydrocarbon Potential of Saskatchewan”.

Throughout his tenure at DMR and University of Regina, Dr. Kent published numerous short papers, summaries of investigation and conducted over 25 field trips, both for students and industry. Don also served as a formal supervisor, as well as informal mentor, for numerous geology graduates who are successfully contributing to industry and society today. In short, he becomes a friend and sage to all who come in contact with him.

Dr. Kent has earned both national and international recognition and respect for his outstanding career. In 2004 he became one of the first inductees, along with his esteemed colleague Dr. James Christopher, to the Honor Roll of the Saskatchewan Geological Society (SGS). Don is a four-time President of SGS (1965, 1969, 1979, 2001), an emeritus member of SGS, a 51-year member of CSPG, and long-standing member of several professional societies including Geological Association of Canada, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists. Don has been active on various committees in all of these societies. Last but not least, Don is a long-standing member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geologists of Saskatchewan (APEGS), and in 2000 received the Distinguished Service award for professional contributions to that organization.

Dr. Donald M. Kent is most worthy to be honored as recipient of the R.J.W. Douglas medal.

Rock Shop

Most –read Bulletin Articles during December 2015 on GeoScience World

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The Neoproterozoic succession of the central Rocky Mountains, Canada Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, September 2015, v. 63, p. 243-273, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.63.3.243

M.E. McMechan , John Waldron

Cretaceous forensic podiatry: big game tracking with a microresistivity image log on a McMurray Formation scroll bar Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, September 2015, v. 63, p. 225-242, doi:10.2113/ gscpgbull.63.3.225

Howard Brekke , Jen Russel-Houston

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Lower Cretaceous gas shales in northeastern British Columbia, Part II: evaluation of regional potential gas resources Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, March 2008, v. 56, p. 22-61, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.56.1.22

Gareth R.L. Chalmers, R. Marc Bustin

Petroleum geology of Carboniferous volcanic weathered crust in northern Xinjiang, China Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, June 2015, v. 63, p. 171-191, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.63.2.171

Lianhua Hou, Chun Yang,, Fan Yang,, Xia Lou,, Yanzhao Wei,, Kelley Batten-Hende

Lower Cretaceous gas shales in northeastern British Columbia, Part I: geological controls on methane sorption capacity Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, March 2008, v. 56, p. 1-21, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.56.1.1

Gareth R.L. Chalmers, R. Marc Bustin

Allostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous Cardium Formation in subsurface and outcrop in southern Alberta, and correlation to equivalent strata in northwestern Montana Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, March 2013, v. 61, p. 1-40, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.61.1.1

Joel A. Shank, A. Guy Plint

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Stratigraphy and sedimentology of shoreface and fluvial conglomerates: insights from the Cardium Formation in NW Alberta and adjacent British Columbia Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, December 2003, v. 51, p. 437-464, doi:10.2113/51.4.437

Bruce S. Hart, A. Guy Plint

The Devonian of Western Canada aspects of a petroleum system: Introduction Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, March 2001, v. 49, p. 1-6, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.49.1.1

John A.W. Weissenberger, Ken Potma

Stratigraphic style of coal and non-marine strata in a tectonically influenced intermediate accommodation setting: the Mannville Group of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, south-central Alberta Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, December 2002, v. 50, p. 507-541, doi:10.2113/50.4.507 Jennifer Wadsworth, Claus Diessel, Ron Boyd, Dale Leckie, Brian A. Zaitlin

Comparison of biogenic gas fields in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin and Qaidam Basin: implications for essential geological controls on large microbial gas accumulations Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, March 2015, v. 63, p. 33-52, doi:10.2113/gscpgbull.63.1.33

Z. Chen, Y. Shuai, K. Osadetz, T. Hamblin, S. Grasby

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