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Mapping the Oil & Gas Potential of Canada’s North
US-Canada Northern Oil & Gas Research Forum
November 13-15, 2012Anchorage, Alaska
Peter HanniganNatural Resources Canada
Geological Survey of Canada – Calgary3303-33 Street N.W., Calgary
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Geo-Mapping for Energy & Minerals (GEM) GEM Program was announced in 2008 Federal Budget GEM is aimed at improving geological mapping for
resource development, with a major focus on northern Canada
“The development of energy and mineral resources is the primary source of economic growth in Canada’s North. Exploration for new mineral resources is an inherently risky but potentially rewarding economic activity… Publicly available geoscience maps help companies target new exploration activity to the areas of highest mineral potential.”
Present GSC Program (1)
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GEM Implementation GEM-Energy: Main focus on better knowledge
of conventional resources in sedimentary basins. Will include unconventional resources if
development is likely Will include research on areas of greatest
Uranium potential May include small or shallow (“stranded”) gas
fields with potential as a local energy supply GEM-Minerals: Focused on areas of greatest
mineral potential
Present GSC Program (2)
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GEM-Energy Objectives
Provide a detailed resource assessment for the North for oil, gas, and uranium, supported by maps that indicate major geological factors controlling the distribution of these resources.
Compile results into publicly available databases that are released in a timely fashion.
Present GSC Program (3)
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GEM-Energy Projects
Yukon (includes Liard) Mackenzie Delta & Corridor Western Arctic Islands Eastern Arctic Islands (includes Saglek Basin) Hudson Bay & Foxe Basin Uranium
Present GSC Program (4)
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Yukon-Liard
Mac
k. D
elta
&
Co
rrid
or
Western Arctic Islands
Hudson Bay-Foxe Basin
Athabasca Basin
Thelon-Nunavut
GEM Project Areas
Eastern Arctic
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What’s next?
The GEM program ends on March 31, 2013 GEM-II or Son of GEM? GNES program
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New Energy Supply Program- GNESProgram Focus Geoscientific analyses & assessments of energy resources in Canada’s frontier
basins Characterization of sedimentary basins & their geological parameters
Petroleum basin analysis (priority frontier basins; DFAIT-UNCLOS) Target Outcome?
Geoscience research on frontier basin energy plays attracts exploration interest Activities
Petroleum basin data synthesis and assessment; knowledge gaps; data acquisition Shale-hosted petroleum Target Outcome?
Increased effectiveness in exploration/ development of shale petroleum projects Activities
Best-practice, standardized methodology for resource assessment
Thematic studies to characterize shales as petroleum reservoirs & to develop geoscience proxies for commercial success in shale reservoir
Strengthening energy geoscience-policy interface Canadian Energy Geoscience Innovation Cluster
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Canad
a Bas
in
Hudson Bay Basin
Baffin B
ay
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New Energy Supply Program- GNESProgram Focus Geoscientific analyses & assessments of energy resources in Canada’s frontier
basins Characterization of sedimentary basins & their geological parameters
Petroleum basin analysis (priority frontier basins; DFAIT-UNCLOS) Target Outcome?
Geoscience research on frontier basin energy plays attracts exploration interest Activities
Petroleum basin data synthesis and assessment; knowledge gaps; data acquisition Shale-hosted petroleum Target Outcome?
Increased effectiveness in exploration/ development of shale petroleum projects Activities
Best-practice, standardized methodology for resource assessment
Thematic studies to characterize shales as petroleum reservoirs & to develop geoscience proxies for commercial success in shale reservoir
Strengthening energy geoscience-policy interface Canadian Energy Geoscience Innovation Cluster
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Mackenzie Corridor
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Major Discoveries
From Lemieux, 2007
, 2003 Nogha
2004 Lac Maunoir
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Petroleum Wells and Pipelines
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37 conventional oil & gas exploration plays have been defined25 in Interior Platform; 12 in Foreland Belt
30 have enough data for quantitative analysis
Interior Platform plays have total mean in-place potential of600 * 109 m3 of gas (21 Tcf)
387 * 106 m3 of oil (2432 MMBO)
Foreland Belt plays have total mean in-place potential of329 * 109 m3 of gas (12 Tcf)
375 * 106 m3 of oil (2359 MMBO)
Unconventional oil & gas have not been quantitatively analyzed.However, multi-Tcf of recoverable resources have
been announced from initial testing and fracturing (Horn River)
Petroleum Potential
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Mackenzie Corridor Undiscovered Pool Sizes (Gas)
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Mackenzie Corridor Undiscovered Pool Sizes (Oil)
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Exploration Plays
From Lemieux, 2007
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Petroleum Prospectivity Map
Very High
High
High to Moderate
Moderate
Low to Moderate
Low
Very Low
GSC Open File 7110 (in press)