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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

Peter.Hannigan@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca

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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)

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Thank you!

For further information:Peter.Hannigan@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca