Evolution and hydrocarbon potential of Queen Charlotte basin, Canada

Conference · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6145739

McWhae, J R

The structural and depositional history of the Queen Charlotte basin, a complex Tertiary rift basin with extensive coeval volcanics, involves regional geology from the Pacific plate west of the Queen Charlotte transform fault to east of the Alexander-Wrangellia terrane, based on geophysics (including newly released seismic lines), revised stratigraphy, and well data. Eight offshore wells were drilled prior to 1970 and nine shallow onshore wells were drilled in or beyond the northwestern margin of the basin. The wells provide data on porosity, seal, maturation (geothermal and vitrinite reflectance data), and oil stains in sidewall cores of the Sockeye B-10 well in the Skonun formation, here 4500 m thick. The Skonun ranges from early Miocene (17 Ma) to latest Pliocene (2 Ma) in age and the lower part is regarded as the primary hydrocarbon objective, especially in the more southern part of the basin where more favorable depositional porosities occur in paralic and shelf sandstones. Higher-than-average geothermal temperatures, locally in the southwest corner of the basin related to oblique subduction of very young oceanic crust, may reach the hydrocarbon-generating threshold in the lower Skonun marine shales. The middle Cretaceous Haida subarkose appears to be a secondary reservoir - the thickest and cleanest of the post-collision volcaniclastics. Highly organic Lower Jurassic shales provide a second, probably oil-prone, source.

• Research Organization: R and K McWhae Geological Consultants, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada)
• OSTI ID: 6145739
• Report Number(s): CONF-880301-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
BRITISH COLUMBIA
CANADA
CENOZOIC ERA
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
JURASSIC PERIOD
MACERALS
MATURATION
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OFFSHORE SITES
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POROSITY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
RIFT ZONES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SHALES
SOURCE ROCKS
SURVEYS
TERTIARY PERIOD
VITRINITE