CSPG15FT Analogues for Foothills Oil and Gas Drilling in Low Permeability Carbonates, Moose Mountain
Note: All the walking on this trip is above tree line in an alpine environment. Part of the walk traverses a rocky ridge. Please be prepared with proper footwear and clothing (see below).
Early exploration in the foothills discovered 10 Tcf of gas in the first generation of exploration targets up until the 1960’s. These were simple prospects consisting of a single thrust sheet (e.g. Jumping Pound West). Subsequently, the second generation of play types contributed 7 Tcf of gas to the reserve base up until the early 1980’s. These were more complex, and consisted of multiple thrust sheets (e.g. Moose Mountain).
Since the early nineteen-eighties, exploration has focused on the search for the third generation exploration targets largely consisting of detachment folds on multiple or single thrust sheets. An example would be the Husky Benjamin 16-28-28-8W5M well that has produced 20 Bcf at rates of 20+ mmcf/d. Because of the way these detachment folds develop, fractures play a significant role in enhancing primary reservoir characteristics. To date these plays have contributed about 4 Tcf of gas the reserves.
This progression from first to third generation exploration targets does represent an increase in geological and geophysical complexity. However, in tandem with this progression has come a better technical understanding of the foothills and also a more widespread infrastructure of pipelines and gas plants. Both of these developments have allowed these plays to be economically successful
Trip Outline
The Moose Mountain Field Trip includes a general exploration overview of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Foothills play types, along with detailed viewing of structural styles and how they relate to these play types.
The structural geometries visible on top of Moose Mountain range from different scales of detachment folds, thrust fault geometries including footwall deformation and hanging wall flats, and the large Moose Mountain Anticline, also known as Moose Dome.
As we traverse the Moose Mountain Anticline from southwest to northeast along an alpine ridge, this field trip will provide a unique opportunity to examine these geometries and the Mississippian Rundle Group stratigraphy that is pertinent in today’s exploration of the Rocky Mountain Foothills.
A guide book will be provided on the day of the trip.
Itinerary
7.00 am Assemble at McMahon Stadium Parking Lot (see instructions below)
7.15 am Start to drive 100 km in vans to Moose Mountain.
7.45 pm Stop for overview of outer Foothills on Jumping Pound Road
9.15 am Leave vans and hike up to the ridge north of Moose Mountain.
10.00 am Start the traverse along the ridge for a total distance of 7 km with 200m of total elevation gain.
1.30 pm Lunch on the outcrop at the north-east end of the Moose Dome.
5.30 pm End traverse back at vans.
7.00 pm Return to McMahon Stadium.
7.15 pm Dinner in Calgary at a restaurant of choice, price not included in fee.
Important Information:
The 7 km long traverse will be above tree line at 2,133 to 2450 m elevation (7000ft to 8,000 ft) with a mixture of good easy walking and one accent (and decent) on partially scree-covered slopes. Participants must be prepared for bad weather and be fit.
Good hiking boots, long underwear, pile jackets, wind suit, hat, gloves and a pack are necessary. Bring a litre of water. Lunch and snacks will be provided, however each person will be required to carry their lunch and snacks with them.
McMahon Stadium Parking Lot meeting place
Please arrive at 6:45 am. Depart 7 am exactly
We will leave and return to the parking lot on the Crowchild Drive side of the McMahon Stadium by the Crowchild walkway from the Banff Trail LRT Station. LRT travelers take the NW LRT to the Banff Trail Station and cross Crowchild Trail on the Crowchild walkway to the parking lot.
No refunds will be given for people who miss this departure time.
Return 7pm: to the same location.
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Andrew C. Newson, B.Sc. P.Geol
President, Moose Oils Ltd.
Andrew Newson started his career in Canada with United Geophysical working as a junior geophysicists in the High Arctic. After a spell in the Houston processing for United Geophysical he came back to Calgary. Then he started to work as a geological field mapper in the Alberta and BC Foothills for Shell and BP. This was followed by Three years in New Zealand where he was responsible for several successful oil wells in the Taranaki Overthrust Belt. On returning to Canada he joined Canterra, Husky and then Sceptre before starting consulting in 1992.
In the last 10 years he has consulted through Moose Oils Ltd on a variety of domestic and international projects. The primary focus has been the close integration of geological and geophysical data in structurally complex areas. Today Moose Oils Ltd is one of the few APEGGA registered consulting companies operating in Calgary that provides this specialized service.
During this time Andrew has been a successful explorer for hydrocarbons for his clients and has contributed to their success in a variety of play types in the Foothills of Alberta, BC, Yukon and the NWT.
He has also been the recipient of numerous awards. Among them was the CSPG's Link Award in 2000 for his talk "Foothills, The Future for Exploration". His company Moose Oils Ltd has also received an award from NSERC and the Conference board of Canada for its contribution to the Fold-Fault Research Project. He is a regular speaker at conferences both domestically and internationally and has undertaken numerous roles as technical editor and chairperson for the CSPG structural geology group. Andrew regularly leads field trips to the mountains and still enjoys spending time field mapping for his clients.
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Deborah Sanderson, M.Sc. P.Geol
Suncor Energy Inc.
Deborah has been working in the Alberta and British Columbia Fold and Thrust Belt since 1988 for oil and gas companies including Kerr McGee Canada, Husky Energy, EnCana and Suncor Energy. She has also conducted field mapping in the southern Alberta Foothills and northeastern British Columbia north of Williston Lake.
Deborah has co-led the Moose Mountain field trip since 1995. She has also led field trips to the Highwood Pass area in Kananaskis to view oblique faults in the Rundle and Lewis Thrust Sheets, and the Savanna Creek area to view structural culminations that were drilled in the late 1950’s for oil and gas. Presentations to the CSPG structural geology community have been on subjects such as fold geometries and transverse fault characteristics.
