Energy fields
A ‘field’ in Alberta’s energy sector refers to a geographical area with distinct subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs. This term is crucial for identifying extraction sites and understanding the unique geological characteristics of each location.
The role of fields in energy licenses
Assigning a field to a license helps delineate extraction sites and ensure compliance with environmental and safety standards. It’s a key factor in resource management and exploration strategies.
Geology and petrophysics: a combined approach
Understanding a field requires a synergy of geology and petrophysics. These disciplines together help unravel the properties of underground reservoirs, guiding extraction strategies.
Exploring diverse fields in Alberta
Alberta’s fields range from complex structural traps in the Northwestern Foothills to the high-pressured zones of the Deep Basin. Each field, with its unique geological make-up, contributes significantly to the province’s energy production.
- 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.
Conclusion
Field classifications on licenses represent not just geographical locations but also the geological and operational narratives of Alberta’s energy sector. They serve as guideposts for safe, efficient, and sustainable resource development.