Horn River Formation: Difference between revisions
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The '''Horn River Formation''' (also ''Horn River Shale'') is a [[Stratigraphy|stratigraphic]] unit of [[Devonian]] (early [[Givetian]] to late [[Frasnian]]) [[Geochronology|age]] in the [[Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin]].<ref name="Mossop11">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/publications/wcsb_atlas/a_ch11/ch_24.html|title=The Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Chapter 11: Devonian Beaverhill Lake Group of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin|author=Mossop, G.D. and Shetsen, I., (compilers), Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists|year=1994|accessdate=2013-09-07}}</ref> |
The '''Horn River Formation''' (also ''Horn River Shale'') is a [[Stratigraphy|stratigraphic]] unit of [[Devonian]] (early [[Givetian]] to late [[Frasnian]]) [[Geochronology|age]] in the [[Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin]].<ref name="Mossop11">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/publications/wcsb_atlas/a_ch11/ch_24.html |title=The Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Chapter 11: Devonian Beaverhill Lake Group of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin |author=Mossop, G.D. and Shetsen, I., (compilers), Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists |year=1994 |accessdate=2013-09-07 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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It is a thick sequence of marine sediments that was first described in [[outcrop]] on the banks of the [[Horn River]], a tributary of the [[Mackenzie River]], in the [[Northwest Territories]] (at the time [[District of Mackenzie]]) by Whittaker in 1922,<ref>Whittaker, E.J., 1922. Mackenzie River District between Great Slave Lake and Simpson. [[Geological Survey of Canada]] Summary Report 1921, Part B, p. 45-56.</ref> and it takes its name from that river. In 1963 it was redefined in the subsurface of the [[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]] area of [[British Columbia]] (well Fort Nelson a-95-J/94-J-10) by F.F. Gray and J.R. Kassube.<ref>Gray, F.F. and Kassube, J R., 1963. Geology and stratigraphy of Clarke Lake gas field, northeastern British Columbia. [[American Association of Petroleum Geologists]], v. 47, p. 467-483.</ref> It is significant for its [[shale gas]] resources. |
It is a thick sequence of marine sediments that was first described in [[outcrop]] on the banks of the [[Horn River]], a tributary of the [[Mackenzie River]], in the [[Northwest Territories]] (at the time [[District of Mackenzie]]) by Whittaker in 1922,<ref>Whittaker, E.J., 1922. Mackenzie River District between Great Slave Lake and Simpson. [[Geological Survey of Canada]] Summary Report 1921, Part B, p. 45-56.</ref> and it takes its name from that river. In 1963 it was redefined in the subsurface of the [[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]] area of [[British Columbia]] (well Fort Nelson a-95-J/94-J-10) by F.F. Gray and J.R. Kassube.<ref>Gray, F.F. and Kassube, J R., 1963. Geology and stratigraphy of Clarke Lake gas field, northeastern British Columbia. [[American Association of Petroleum Geologists]], v. 47, p. 467-483.</ref> It is significant for its [[shale gas]] resources. |
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==Stratigraphy== |
==Stratigraphy== |
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The Horn River Formation is included in the Beaverhill Lake Group.<ref name="Mossop11" /> It is subdivided into the following members, from top to base: |
The Horn River Formation is included in the Beaverhill Lake Group.<ref name="Mossop11" /> It is subdivided into the following members, from top to base: |
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*[[Muskwa Member]]: bituminous, mildly radioactive shale<ref name=Muskwa |
*[[Muskwa Member]]: bituminous, mildly radioactive shale<ref name=Muskwa>{{Cite web|url=http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:010446 |title=Muskwa Member |author=Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units |accessdate=2009-03-25 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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*[[Otter Park Member]]: grey calcareous shale<ref name=Otterpark>{{Cite web|url=http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:016854|title=Otter Park Member|author=Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units |accessdate=2009-03-25}}</ref> |
*[[Otter Park Member]]: grey calcareous shale<ref name=Otterpark>{{Cite web|url=http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:016854 |title=Otter Park Member |author=Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units |accessdate=2009-03-25 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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*[[Evie Member]]: black silty limestone<ref name=Evie>{{Cite web|url=http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:004760|title= |
*[[Evie Member]]: black silty limestone<ref name=Evie>{{Cite web|url=http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:004760 |title=Evie Member |author=Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units |accessdate=2009-03-25 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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===Distribution=== |
===Distribution=== |
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==Hydrocarbon production== |
==Hydrocarbon production== |
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[[Shale gas]] is present in the siliceous shales of all three members of the Horn River Formation in northeastern British Columbia, and it is produced in the [[Greater Sierra (oil field)|Greater Sierra oil field]] north of Fort Nelson. [[Horizontal drilling]] and [[Hydraulic fracturing|fracturing]] techniques are used to extract the gas from the low [[Permeability (earth sciences)|permeability]] shales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chinookconsulting.ca/News/HornRiver.html|title=The Horn River Basin|accessdate=2009-05-21}}</ref> The original-gas-in-place volumes are estimated to be up to 500 Tcf,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hornrivernews.com/2009/09/10/encana-estimates-up-to-500-trillion-cubic-feet-in-horn-river-basin/|title=Encana estimates up to 500 trillion cubic feet in Horn River Basin|accessdate=2010-01-25}}</ref> |
[[Shale gas]] is present in the siliceous shales of all three members of the Horn River Formation in northeastern British Columbia, and it is produced in the [[Greater Sierra (oil field)|Greater Sierra oil field]] north of Fort Nelson. [[Horizontal drilling]] and [[Hydraulic fracturing|fracturing]] techniques are used to extract the gas from the low [[Permeability (earth sciences)|permeability]] shales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chinookconsulting.ca/News/HornRiver.html|title=The Horn River Basin|accessdate=2009-05-21}}</ref> The original-gas-in-place volumes are estimated to be up to 500 Tcf,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hornrivernews.com/2009/09/10/encana-estimates-up-to-500-trillion-cubic-feet-in-horn-river-basin/ |title=Encana estimates up to 500 trillion cubic feet in Horn River Basin |accessdate=2010-01-25 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712220103/http://hornrivernews.com/2009/09/10/encana-estimates-up-to-500-trillion-cubic-feet-in-horn-river-basin/ |archivedate=2011-07-12 |df= }}</ref> making it the third largest North American natural gas accumulation discovered prior to 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Simon Mauger |author2=Dana Bozbiciu |title=How Changing Gas Supply Cost Leads to Surging Production |year=2011 |url=http://www.ziffenergy.com/download/papers/Gas_Costs_Supply_%20Growth_April_2011_web_version.pdf |accessdate=2011-05-10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321094421/http://www.ziffenergy.com/download/papers/Gas_Costs_Supply_%20Growth_April_2011_web_version.pdf |archivedate=2012-03-21 |df= }}</ref> Companies involved in the extraction of natural gas from the Horn River Shale include [[EnCana Corporation|EnCana]], [[Apache Corp.|Apache]], [[EOG Resources|EOG]], Stone Mountain Resources, [[ExxonMobil|Exxon]], [[Quicksilver Resources]], [[Nexen]] and [[Devon Energy]]. Horn River gas contains 10-12% CO2, much higher than the 2-4.5% of conventional natural gas. If this gas is processed normally about 500 million tonnes of CO2 will be released into the atmosphere.<ref>http://bluefuelenergy.com/co2/</ref><ref>http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/climate-change/policy-legislation-and-responses/2012-progress-to-targets.pdf pg15</ref> |
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==Hydraulic fracturing in Canada== |
==Hydraulic fracturing in Canada== |
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Revision as of 03:21, 23 March 2017
| Horn River Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
 Drill cuttings sample seen through microscope | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Sub-units | Muskwa Member, Otter Park Member, Evie Member |
| Underlies | Fort Simpson Formation |
| Overlies | Pine Point Formation |
| Thickness | up to 320 metres (1,050 ft)[1] |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Shale |
| Other | Limestone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 61°44′00″N 117°45′00″W / 61.73333°N 117.75000°W |
| Region |  British Columbia,  Northwest Territories |
| Country |  Canada |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Horn River |
| Named by | Whittaker, 1922 |
The Horn River Formation (also Horn River Shale) is a stratigraphic unit of Devonian (early Givetian to late Frasnian) age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.[2]
It is a thick sequence of marine sediments that was first described in outcrop on the banks of the Horn River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, in the Northwest Territories (at the time District of Mackenzie) by Whittaker in 1922,[3] and it takes its name from that river. In 1963 it was redefined in the subsurface of the Fort Nelson area of British Columbia (well Fort Nelson a-95-J/94-J-10) by F.F. Gray and J.R. Kassube.[4] It is significant for its shale gas resources.
Lithology
The Horn River Formation is composed of dark siliceous and calcareous shale, and argillaceous bitumenous limestone. [1][dead link]
Stratigraphy
The Horn River Formation is included in the Beaverhill Lake Group.[2] It is subdivided into the following members, from top to base:
- Muskwa Member: bituminous, mildly radioactive shale[5]
- Otter Park Member: grey calcareous shale[6]
- Evie Member: black silty limestone[7]
Distribution
The Horn River Formation is present in the subsurface in northeastern British Columbia and extends to Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, where it outcrops.[2] It reaches a maximum thickness of 320 metres (1,050 ft) in the subsurface of the Fort Nelson area.[1]
Relationship to other units
The Horn River Formation is overlain by the Fort Simpson Formation and underlain by the limestones of the Lonely Bay Formation, Nahanni Formation or Pine Point Formation.[1] It is equivalent to the Slave Point Formation.[2] In the Northwest Territories it includes the Muskwa Formation, and the Waterways Member of the Hay River Formation. It includes the pinnacle reefs of the Horn Plateau Formation.
Hydrocarbon production
Shale gas is present in the siliceous shales of all three members of the Horn River Formation in northeastern British Columbia, and it is produced in the Greater Sierra oil field north of Fort Nelson. Horizontal drilling and fracturing techniques are used to extract the gas from the low permeability shales.[8] The original-gas-in-place volumes are estimated to be up to 500 Tcf,[9] making it the third largest North American natural gas accumulation discovered prior to 2010.[10] Companies involved in the extraction of natural gas from the Horn River Shale include EnCana, Apache, EOG, Stone Mountain Resources, Exxon, Quicksilver Resources, Nexen and Devon Energy. Horn River gas contains 10-12% CO2, much higher than the 2-4.5% of conventional natural gas. If this gas is processed normally about 500 million tonnes of CO2 will be released into the atmosphere.[11][12]
Hydraulic fracturing in Canada
Massive hydraulic fracturing has been widely used in Alberta since the late 1970s.[13]: 1044 The method is currently used in development of the Cardium, Duvernay, Montney and Viking formations in Alberta, Bakken formation in Saskatchewan, Montney and Horn River formations in British Columbia.
References
- ^ a b c d Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Horn River Formation". Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ a b c d Mossop, G.D. and Shetsen, I., (compilers), Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (1994). "The Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Chapter 11: Devonian Beaverhill Lake Group of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin". Retrieved 2013-09-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[permanent dead link] - ^ Whittaker, E.J., 1922. Mackenzie River District between Great Slave Lake and Simpson. Geological Survey of Canada Summary Report 1921, Part B, p. 45-56.
- ^ Gray, F.F. and Kassube, J R., 1963. Geology and stratigraphy of Clarke Lake gas field, northeastern British Columbia. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, v. 47, p. 467-483.
- ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Muskwa Member". Retrieved 2009-03-25.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Otter Park Member". Retrieved 2009-03-25.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Evie Member". Retrieved 2009-03-25.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The Horn River Basin". Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ "Encana estimates up to 500 trillion cubic feet in Horn River Basin". Archived from the original on 2011-07-12. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Simon Mauger; Dana Bozbiciu (2011). "How Changing Gas Supply Cost Leads to Surging Production" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ http://bluefuelenergy.com/co2/
- ^ http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/climate-change/policy-legislation-and-responses/2012-progress-to-targets.pdf pg15
- ^ Cant, Douglas J.; Ethier, Valerie G. (August 1984), "Lithology-dependent diagenetic control of reservoir properties of conglomerates, Falher member, Elmworth Field, Alberta", Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 68 (8)