Hydrodynamics of the Milk River Formation - Canadian Discovery Ltd.

Hydrodynamics of the Milk River
Formation - 2005 Update
D e p th m -> 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400
0 PAYFLAG 20 2 RESD 200 .3 Porosity 0 1 -1
WATER SAT 0 Shale 1
1 Porosity 0
150 Caliper 400
.3 BVW 0
2 RESS 200 10 QUAL1 0
1 COAL 0
0 Gamma Ray 150
0 QUAL2 100
-150 SP 100
U_ALD
___________________________________________________________________________________
CORE_TOP ___________________________________________________________________________________
L_ALD
___________________________________________________________________________________
CORE_BAS ___________________________________________________________________________________
1WSP
PERF
___________________________________________________________________________________
1WSP_BAS ___________________________________________________________________________________
3 7 5
K B = 5 8 0 .3
3 5 0
3 2 5
3 0 0
2 7 5
2 5 0
2 2 5
2 0 0
Introduction
The Milk River Formation in southeast Alberta and
southwest Saskatchewan forms one of the true giants
among North American gas fields. Discovered nearly
100 years ago, the field has been under continual
development.
With over 30,000 producing wells, the play is still
considered immature as many aspects are poorly
understood, including:
• What controls the traps - stratigraphy, structure,
lithology or hydrodynamics?
• Where are the potential play extensions likely to
occur?
With extensions such as Abbey/Shackelton and frenzied
land sale activity, there appears to much more gas to the
play than previously considered.
However, distinctive log signatures for pay are subtle.
Traditional petrophysics is hampered by the shaly lithology
causing a negligible separation from pay zones to wet
zones. Porosity logs are often invalid due to a tendency
for wellbore caving through the zone.
Past studies of the Milk River Formation have shown the
regional stratigraphic complexity of an updip ‘dynamic’
aquifer system. How does all of this inter-relate?
Unconventional log analysis for a well in the Abbey/Shackleton area
(one of the logs used to calibrate the petrophysical model)
P E R F 2 5 8 . 0 2 5 9 .0 2 6 9 .0 2 7 1 .0 2 8 5 .0 2 8 7 .0 3 0 0 .0 3 0 2 .0 3 2 4 .0 3 2 6 .0 3 3 2 .0 3 3 3 .0
1 7 5
Canadian
Discovery Ltd.
integrated geosciences

-450
-300
-50
950
Hydrodynamics of the Milk River Formation
Original Milk River Study Objectives
The 2003 non-exclusive Milk River hydrodynamic study
levers the substantial expertise RPCL has developed using
integrated geoscience analysis for the purpose of defining
unconventional gas resources.
This exploration oriented study focusses on defining
the boundaries of the unconventional (gas-saturated),
transitional (gas and water) and conventional (water wet)
portions of the play. Detailed stratigraphic analysis and
hydrodynamic modelling is used to determine the trapping
mechanisms, play limits and exploration fairways.
Some of the key questions addressed by the study are:
• What is the relationship between sequence stratigraphy,
hydrodynamics and trapping?
• Where are the recharge points and how active is the
aquifer system?
• What is the relationship between aquifer recharge
zones and topography?
• What are the downdip and updip extents of the
play?
• Is there a petrophysical model that will identify pay
intervals?
• What is the relationship between reservoir quality
(porosity/permeability) and gas pay?
• What are the source rocks and is the gas of biogenic
origin?
• What are the effective gas migration patterns, in both
the conventional and unconventional play types?
• Are there systematic controls on water cuts?
30
49°
114°
50°
5
N
10
51°
15
-1050
T
PINCHER
CREEK
CALGARY
20
LEGEND
T
K SM
-300
25
-700
30
-250
-200
-150
-100
25
-50
0
Herronton
FT MACLEOD
Structure (m)
Gas Pool
Tertiary
St. Mary
0 50 km
-150
50
150
T
30
N
25
350
50
250
37
T
N
T
R10W
35 T
N
100
450
150
600
750
GLACIER
TETON
113° 112° 111° 110° 109°
550
20
200
R5W
20
DRUMHELLER
K SM
R5W
15
R10W R1E
250
LETHBRIDGE
950
800
1100
1050
1050
PONDERA
300
TABER
850
R1W
K SM
350
R1W
TOOLE
15
BROOKS
R1E
10
R5E
T
30
N
R5E
35 T
N
37 T
N
10
ALBERTA
5
R10E
R10E
5
5
10
15
1W4 30
MONTANA
48°
113° 112° 111° 110°
750
700
Bow Island Arch
1200
1050
Milk River
Outcrop/Eroded
Sweetgrass Arch
650
1150
1100
400
450
600
LIBERTY
Medicine Hat
550
800
500
750
CHOUTEAU
MEDICINE HAT
Rudyard
700
HILL
Laredo
600
Bullwacker
20
R15E
25
30
25
25
SASKATCHEWAN
Lakeside
R15E
400
Rough Ridge
500
Hatton
Cypress Hills
Brown's Coulee
Tiger Ridge
650
750
600
850
R20E
350
350
R20E
Battle Creek
Xena Fresno Coal Coulee
Lohman
Havre
Bowes
BLAINE
Bearpaw Mountain
Sawtooth Mtn.
Original study area with 2005 Update study area and Abbey/Shackleton focus area outlined in red
K SM
T
109°
650
350
300
350
400
20
450
R25E
20
550
R25E
500
300
500
450
250
550
15
R30E
108° 107° 106°
15
Lower Milk River Formation
thickens to the northeast
Abbey
Focus Area - Abbey/Shackleton
K SM
T
Coburg Syncline
T
K SM
T
600
250
300
SWIFT CURRENT
PHILLIPS
R30E
300
K SM
T
T
Bowdoin
Dome
10
10
5
30
25
20
15
10
5
5 1W3
49°
T
37
T
N
R35E
37
N
R40E
T
35
N
T
35
N
30 T
N
R35E
108° 107°
250
650
150
350
200
200
150
K SM
300
400
350
150
VALLEY
R40E
200
250
WOOD MOUNTAIN
250
100
Swift Current
Platform
T
200
300
250
150
K SM
100
200
26
N
T
T
30
N
106°
51°
50°
48°

2005 Update - T. 1-30, R. 1W3M-1W5M
SW
Alberta
Saskatchewan
NE
Milk River
Lea Park / Alderson Member
Limit of Lowstand
Transgression
Pakowki
Dead Horse
Coulee
Virgelle (Wet) Sand
Datum
Upper Alderson
Telegraph Creek
Lower Alderson
1st White Specks
BOW ISLAND ARCH
Schematic SW-NE cross-section of the Milk River Formation, SE Alberta/SW Saskatchewan
Unconformity
Transgressive Erosional Surface
Sequence Boundary
Low Stand Sands
2005 Milk Update Update
Since the original Milk River study, extensive activity has
occurred. Thousands of new wells have been drilled or
completed in the Milk River, many of which are outside
of the originally defined pool boundaries.
The update will incorporate the data from key wells
released since the May 2003 cut-off date. Special attention
will be paid to where new discoveries have been made
or where existing pool boundaries have been extended
by recent activity.
All new reservoir pressure, fluid chemistry and production
data for the Milk River will also be analysed and the original
hydrogeological model will be updated.
A focus area centered on the Abbey/Shackleton play
will also be part of the update. In this area, the original
geological model for the Milk River, Alderson member
has been further developed to give new insights as to how
this play is evolving and where it is going.
More petrophysical analysis has also been conducted
on key wells using the shaly sand model developed in
the original study. The results of further analysis will be
provided in the 2005 Milk River update with a discussion
of the efficacy of the model for identifying reservoir.
GIS Powered by
Available Exclusively from
Rakhit Petroleum Consulting Ltd.

http://www.uleth.ca/vft/milkriver/
2005 Milk River Update Deliverables
Geology:
• Series of regional geologic cross-sections
• Pressure data wells correlated
• Regional geologic interpretation
• New geologic maps for focus area
Hydrodynamics:
• Detailed pressure versus elevation graphs
• DST and AOF data analyses
• Pressure systems related to regional geology,
topography and outcrop
• Analysis of gas distribution, hydrocarbon column
heights, sequence relationships, downdip(?) and updip
water
• Hydraulic head and gas head maps
• Gas migration modelling
Hydrochemistry:
• Gas chemistry composition and distribution
• Water chemistry composition and distribution
• Gas source and generation analyses
• Secondary and primary biogenic gas analysis
Petrophysics:
• Log analysis report and petrophysical model
Technical Report:
• Illustrated technical report with discussion of gas
source, trapping and history evolution
• Bound hard copy of maps, graphs and figures
• Digital data
• Digital PDF report on CD
N
30
25
113° 112° 111° 110° 109°
20
DRUMHELLER
15
10
5
30
25
20
108° 107° 106°
15
10
5
30
51°
CALGARY
25
25
20
Herronton
25
51°
15
BROOKS
20
Abbey
20
Hatton
50°
Medicine Hat
15
Focus Area - Abbey/Shackleton
SWIFT CURRENT
15
10
MEDICINE HAT
30
49°
114°
PINCHER
CREEK
5
FT MACLEOD
25
0 50 km
LETHBRIDGE
20
TABER
Milk River
Outcrop
15
Bow Island Arch
10
ALBERTA
113° 112° 111° 110°
5
5
10
1W4 30
Cypress Hills
SASKATCHEWAN
25
109°
Coburg Syncline
20
15
10
Swift Current
Platform
WOOD MOUNTAIN
K SM
10
5
5 1W3
49°
108° 107° 106°
50°
2005 Update study area showing over 8,000 new wells drilled and Milk River completions since April 2003
Contact Cheryl Wright
300, 706 – 7 Avenue SW, Calgary AB, T2P 0Z1
T 403.269.3644 E cwright@canadiandiscovery.com
MRHD-V02-2010.10.25
Canadian
Discovery Ltd.
www.canadiandiscovery.com