Petroleum exploration and resource potential of offshore Newfoundland and Labrador
The continental margin of Newfoundland and Labrador, encompassing a total area of 714,000 mi/sup 2/ (1,849,252 km/sup 2/) has been the target of exploratory activity since the early 1960s. Exploratory drilling began on the Grand Banks in 1966 and by 1974 a total of 40 dry wells had been drilled. In 1979 wildcat drilling resumed on the Grand Banks and the Hibernia field was discovered with the drilling of the P-15 well. This well, with an estimated flow potential of more than 20,000 BOPD, was the first oil well drilled on the Atlantic shelf of North America capable of commercial production. Truly a giant, the Hibernia structure has a resource potential of 1.85 billion bbl of oil and 2.0 tcf of gas at a probability level of 50%. Six significant oil discoveries have been made on the Grand Banks. The reservoirs are fluvial-deltaic and shoreline sandstones of Jurassic and Cretaceous age. Since 1971, 25 wells drilled on the Labrador Shelf resulted in one oil and five gas discoveries. The reservoirs are Paleozoic carbonates and Lower Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Eocene sandstones. All are capping or draping basement horst blocks. By the end of 1982, total exploratory efforts had resulted in the drilling of 86 wells and the acquisition of approximately 240,000 line-mi of marine reflection seismic. A total resource potential of these structures has been estimated at 14.7 billion bbl of oil and 88.6 tcf of gas at a 50% probability level. A commercial discovery was long in coming but the recent high success rates confirm this margin as a major frontier of enormous potential.
- Research Organization:
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada
- OSTI ID:
- 6183880
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8304200-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 67:3; ISSN AAPGB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Central ridge of Newfoundland: Little explored, potential large
Geology of Hibernia discovery
Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
CANADA
DRILLING
EXPLORATION
EXPLORATORY WELLS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISLANDS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NEWFOUNDLAND
NORTH AMERICA
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
WELL DRILLING
WELLS