| Title | Alternative indicators to assess the distribution characteristics of methane, ethane, and propane derived from petroleum in the Montney Formation, Western Canada |
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| Author | Cesar, J ; Mayer,
B; Deblonde, C; Mort, A; Haeri Ardakani, O |
| Source | Fuel vol. 294, 120524, 2021 p. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120524 |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2021 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20200792 |
| Publisher | Elsevier Ltd. |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf; html |
| Province | British Columbia; Alberta |
| Area | Canada |
| Lat/Long WENS | -123.0000 -117.0000 58.0000 53.0000 |
| Subjects | Science and Technology; fossil fuels; gas; hydrocarbons; hydrocarbon migration; Montney Formation; Natural gas; Migration |
| Illustrations | graphs; charts; cross-plots; location maps; diagrams |
| Program | Geoscience for New Energy Supply (GNES) Shale Reservoir Characterization |
| Released | 2021 03 21 |
| Abstract | Understanding fluid distribution within the most prolific low-permeability hydrocarbon reservoir of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB), the Montney Formation, continues to be a challenge due
to the complex history of hydrocarbon migration, which includes thermal alteration of hydrocarbons that migrated before maximum burial as well as more recent migration due to uplifting in the Eocene. In this study, we have assessed the occurrence of
methane, ethane, and propane using parameters that are based on the possibility of molecular interconversion between C1-C3 alkanes. This approach allowed us to identify the boundary between two hydrocarbon plays within the Montney Formation based on
the composition coefficient Q, and the compositional factors (C2H6)2 and (CH4).(C3H8), which are less susceptible to methane migration [particularly (C2H6)2]. One play is located primarily in Alberta and includes unconventional and conventional
hydrocarbon fields; the second play is located exclusively in British Columbia and consists of unconventional hydrocarbon fields. Our new approach enables the identification of main hydrocarbon migration zones within conventional and unconventional
sections (e.g. northeast, southeast, and central-west). Additionally, we used the C2/C3 ratio as a maturity indicator in the Montney Formation, which facilitates the identification of overpressure zones (to the southwest) and target areas for natural
gas liquids (NGL) production (based on an estimated 1.5 %Ro). The assessment we have conducted can be further explored in other low-permeability hydrocarbon reservoirs. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Defining petroleum fluids distribution within the Montney Formation continues to be a challenge due to the complex history of thermal alteration of
hydrocarbons that migrated before maximum burial of this unit as well as more recent hydrocarbon migration due to uplifting in the Eocene. In this study, we have assessed the occurrence of methane, ethane, and propane using parameters that are based
on the possibility of molecular interconversion between C1-C3 alkanes. This approach allowed us to identify the boundary between two hydrocarbon plays within the Montney Formation. One play is located primarily in Alberta and includes unconventional
and conventional hydrocarbon fields; the second play is located exclusively in British Columbia and consists of unconventional hydrocarbon fields. Our new approach enables the identification of main hydrocarbon migration zones within conventional and
unconventional sections. This study also applies a new molecular parameters to assess thermal maturity, overpressure zones and target areas for natural gas liquids (NGL) production. The assessment we have conducted can be further explored in other
low-permeability hydrocarbon reservoirs. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 328184 |
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