Mature area of new frontier Northeast British Columbia reveals new high potential in the structurally complex region of the western Canada sedimentary basin

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:6849926

Hutton, A N; Varsek, J L ^[1]

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1. Petrel Robertson Ltd., Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

Northeast British Columbia has been extensively explored since the early fifties. Evaluated as a part of the Western Canada sedimentary basin, with a passive undeformed basement and only Laramide deformation, the basin must be considered mature. Recent work involving detailed stratigraphic analysis, extensive field observations, potential field data analysis, and deep crustal reflection seismic work lead to an exciting new view of this portion of the Western Canada basin. Situated over the middle Proterozoic continental margin, a complexly deformed and deeply truncated foreland forms a ramp against highly magnetic crystalline rocks. Dipping features within the Proterozoic intersect the Phanerozoic, producing local structure and uplift which has had a profound influence on Devonian reef paleogeography. A major contractional episode created previously unrecognized Devonian to Carboniferous folds and this discovery has led to a complete reinterpretation of the structural style and deformational history of the area. The structural complexity of the basin is increased by right lateral strike-slip faulting. This system is highlighted in the subsurface by a series of faults fanning out across the basin with displacements of up to 20 km in the Proterozoic foreland and accommodation continuing until the Cretaceous. Strike-slip deformation has generated an embayment in the Proterozoic continental margin and within the Phanerozoic shelf, indicating the occurrence of several previously unrecognized prospective shelf to basin transitions. The complex interplay of structure and paleogeography results in a series of play opportunities that could result in new giant discoveries.

• OSTI ID: 6849926
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
CANADA
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
DEFORMATION
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
DATA ANALYSIS
BRITISH COLUMBIA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOMORPHOLOGY
GROUND UPLIFT
PALEOMAGNETISM
REEFS
SLIP
STRATIGRAPHY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGY
MAGNETISM
NORTH AMERICA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration