Energy fields

A field is a geographic area containing one or more hydrocarbon reservoirs. Each field has a unique code assigned by the AER—when you see a field name on a well license, it tells you the general area and geological context of that well.

Example fields in Alberta

Alberta has hundreds of named fields, from the Deep Basin tight gas plays to the oil sands regions. Here are some examples showing the geological diversity across the province:

• Manning: Nestled in the Northwestern Alberta Foothills, Manning features Cretaceous-age sediments. Its complex structural traps offer significant challenges but promise rewarding gas extraction opportunities.
• Entwistle: Located in Central Alberta‘s Deep Basin, Entwistle boasts a tight gas play within Cretaceous sands. Its high-pressure zones are key to substantial gas recoveries.
• Wild River: Part of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, Wild River is renowned for its Devonian reef structures and rich natural gas reserves in formations like Muskeg and Keg River.
• Rivercourse: Offering a blend of geological features, Rivercourse combines Cretaceous sands with deeper Devonian carbonates, providing diverse opportunities for both oil and unconventional gas extraction.
• Buffalo Lake: Renowned for the Belly River Formation, Buffalo Lake‘s geological makeup of sandstone and shale makes it a prime site for natural gas exploration.
• High River: Characterized by a sequence of stacked fluvial channels, High River‘s reservoirs from the Mannville Group are known for oil-bearing sands, offering potential for lucrative oil extraction.
• Neerlandia: Defined by the Viking Formation, Neerlandia‘s series of sandstone channels, strategically trapped, make it an ideal location for natural gas extraction.
• Crossfield: Crossfield‘s subsurface features extensive carbonate platforms, including the Basal Quartz Formation, a historically significant gas-producing stratum.
• Expanse: Covering a vast area, Expanse‘s varied geology includes clastic deposits with differing reservoir qualities, offering potential for both oil and gas production.
• Brazeau: Situated in the Foothills Front, Brazeau is known for its complex geological structures like faulted anticlines, conducive to natural gas trapping.
• Harper: Harper‘s geology features a mix of younger glacial deposits and older sedimentary rocks, offering potential oil pockets, especially in pre-glacial fluvial channels.