Arctic Islands: a gas-prone area. Part 2

Journal Article · Mon Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7274285

Smith, J H.S.; Wennekers, J H.N.

In the Arctic Islands, the major structural units are the craton; the stable platform; the Cornwallis, Franklinian, and Eurekan fold belts; the Sverdrup ridge; and several other tectonically active and mobile features. These geological formations are described and then the possibilities for the occurrences of fossil fuels are summarized. Few significant surface oil shows have been found in the Canadian Arctic Islands, with some few exceptions at Melville, Bathurst, and Cornwallis Islands. The oldest show of oil is a dike of bituminous material on Bathurst Island. Late Paleozoic oil shows are confined to the oil sands in the Pennsylvanian Canyon Fjord formation on southern Sabine Peninsular, Melville Island. Six gas fields lie in two areas, the Sabine Peninsula area of northern Melville Island and the King Christian, Thor Island, southwestern Ellef Ringnes Island area, and the reserves of each area are about the same. On Sabine Peninsula, two fields have been discovered, the Drake Point and Hecla fields. Various estimates of the ultimate potentially recoverable reserves for the Canadian Arctic Islands are given. The future direction of exploration seems apparent: more than 13 Tcf of gas already discovered and little oil, the immediate objective presumably will be to attain the necessary threshold reserves of gas (20 to 30 Tcf) to justify the construction of a 42-in. gas line to southern markets. (26 references) (MCW)

• Research Organization: Sproule Associates Ltd., Calgary, Alberta
• OSTI ID: 7274285
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 74:11; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
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29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
294003* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
ARCTIC REGIONS
CANADA
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLORATION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGY
HYDROCARBONS
LIQUEFACTION
NATURAL GAS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
POLAR REGIONS
RESERVES
RESOURCES
STRATIGRAPHY