The rich energy resources in the frontier basins of the Mackenzie Delta region are the focus of targeted exploration by numerous companies, but the area lacks a "big picture" synthesis of information being acquired by individual companies and other researchers.

The Geoscience for sustainable communities and economic development in the Mackenzie Delta region project aims to coordinate the acquisition and synthesis of geoscience data in the Beaufort-Mackenzie basin in order to develop a regional geologic framework for hydrocarbon generation, expulsion, migration and entrapment. The high cost of operations in this environmentally sensitive, geologically complex region requires that relevant geological data be optimized to promote new investment, maximize exploration success and minimize environmental impact. Multi-purpose digital geoscience information will be compiled into databases and used to characterize the geological factors controlling hydrocarbon accumulation and to prepare maps illustrating resource potential and drilling hazards.

Planned activities during the life of the project include refinement of the Tertiary/pre-Tertiary biostratigraphy using microfossils and palynomorphs which will help to revise well and seismic stratigraphic correlations. Organic petrology and foraminiferal diagenetic changes will be used to study sedimentary diagenesis and thermal maturity of organic matter. Potential petroleum source rocks will be identified and characterized using bulk organic matter analyses and detailed biomarker analyses of oils and kerogen extracts. Apatite fission track analyses will provide thermochronological constraints for time-temperature models of hydrocarbon generation. Petrological, petrophysical and well log data will be used to characterize sandstone reservoirs and constrain sediment compaction and thermophysical properties. Well log and drilling parameters will be used to map the distribution of overpressure for comparison with hydrocarbon occurrences and to identify drilling hazards. The above geoscience data and results will be incorporated into a non-specialist hydrocarbon potential map for use by community decision-makers.

Project Priorities:

• Acquire, compile, and interpret extensive, multi-parameter geoscience data for the Beaufort-Mackenzie region.
• Make information available to industry, government and other community stakeholders through web-accessible databases, technical reports, maps, presentations and publications.
• Provide a firm geoscience basis for evaluating resource potential which will factor into community-based decisions on land use and attract global investment dollars for exploration, development and related job creation.

Project Partners:

• GNWT - C.S. Lord Geoscience Centre
• Yukon - Oil and Gas Management Branch
• Dalhousie University
• University of New Mexico
• University of Toronto
• Shell Canada Ltd.
• Encana Corp.
• Devon Canada Energy Corp.
• ConocoPhilips Canada Ltd.
• Anadarko Canada Corp.
• ChevronTexaco Corp.
• BP Canada Energy Co.

Key References

For More Information: Dr. Dale Issler