Canadian heavy oil, tar sands. Part 1. Heavy oil, tar sands play key role in Alberta, Saskatchewan production

Journal Article · Mon Nov 12 00:00:00 EST 1979 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5956871

Abougoush, M S; Letkeman, J P; McCreary, R K.V.; Ryckborst, H; Wennekers, J H.N.

The 1977 estimated primary, secondary, and tertiary recoverable reserves assigned to the heavy oil belt of west Canada are 34 billion bbl for tar sands deposits and 2 billion bbl for conventional heavy oil. Application of tertiary recovery techniques will substantially increase the recoverable reserves. Conventional heavy oil occurs in lower Cretaceous strata and appears to be associated with a paleodeltaic environment. The maximum accumulation of 12 to 25 API gravity oil changes up section from the basal quartz (DINA equivalent) in the south through the sparky to the colony in the north. Areas of maximum accumulation were determined by northeastward transgression of the sea that reworked some deposits and buried other fluvial and fluviodeltaic deposits. Oil occurs in all sand habitats ranging from barrier bar to channel fill. The geometry of the oil pools is highly variable and drilling reveals that increasing API gravity oil occurs in the lower Cretaceous Gething-McMurray (DINA) and Grand Rapids Formations.

• OSTI ID: 5956871
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Vol. 77:46
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
RESERVES
API GRAVITY
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
ENHANCED RECOVERY
OIL SANDS
PRIMARY RECOVERY
SASKATCHEWAN
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CANADA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DENSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATERIALS
MESOZOIC ERA
NORTH AMERICA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
040100* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Reserves & Exploration- (-1989)