Bowser and Sustut Basins - state of knowledge and new initiatives Outline -regional geological framework and terminology -stratigraphic framework -structural framework -history of research, quality of coverage -new initiatives

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INTEGRATED PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND
GEOSCIENCE STUDIES OF THE BOWSER AND SUSTUT
BASINS PROJECT WORKSHOP Feb. 27, 2004
Welcome !!
energy resource studies...
mapping...
basin analysis...
structural analysis...
Northern Resource Development Program
Natural Resources Canada
Ressources Naturelles Canada
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INTEGRATED PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND
GEOSCIENCE STUDIES OF THE BOWSER AND SUSTUT BASINS
Project Overview A joint program undertaken by
the Resource Development and Geoscience Branch of
the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the
Northern Resource Development Program of the
Geological Survey of Canada (Natural Resources
Canada) Current collaborators Simon Fraser
University, Gitcorp
GOALS -engage and educate northerners in
geoscience -attract private sector investment to
this frontier region -reduce exploration
risk -increase employment opportunities for
northerners.
Bowser Basin
N.E. British Columbia
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INTEGRATED PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND
GEOSCIENCE STUDIES OF THE BOWSER AND SUSTUT
BASINS Project Overview
Research and technical team

• Evenchick (GSC)
• Ferri (BCMEM)
• McMechan (GSC)
• Osadetz (GSC)
• Stasiuk (GSC)
• Wilson (GSC)
• Hannigan (GSC)
• Enkin (GSC)
• Lowe (GSC)
• Snyder (GSC)
• McNicoll (GSC)
• B.Ryan (BCMEM)
• Mustard (SFU)

J.Ryan (GSC) Poulton (GSC) Sweet (GSC) Chen
(GSC) Fowler (GSC) Turner (GSC)Mate (GSC) Baker
(GSC) Wagner (ESS) Quat (GSC) Joseph (GSC) Ritcey
(GSC)
GOAL attract private sector investment to this
frontier region / reduce exploration risk /
increase employment opportunities for
northerners. BY providing relevant geoscience
framework and data for understanding energy
resource potential communication/publication
(activities shown below) TIME 4 years,
starting April 1, 2003. WHO Joint GSC / BC MEM
project, SFU, Gitcorp
Biostratigraphic studies
Petroleum resource studies and assessment
INTEGRATED GEOSCIENCE FRAMEWORK / PETROLEUM
ASSESSMENT
Geochronology / isotopic studies
Potential Field studies
Stratigraphic/structural framework
Paleomagnetic studies
Outreach
Seismic interpretation
GIS, map production, database, and information
management
Community communication
Thermochronology studies
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Revised Thermal Maturity Model And Indications
For Effective Petroleum Systems
Relative prospectivity based on thermal maturity
Thermal maturity pre-2002 a largely unknown
picture, but assumed to be bleak
Thermal maturity July 2002 new data release
thoroughly revises perceptions of prospectivity
Complicated patterns of thermal maturation and
maximum temperatures indicate that large areas of
the Bowser Basin are in the oil and gas windows.
from GSC/BCMEM Open File 4343
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• REGIONAL GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK - location
• north-central British Columbia
• in Intermontane Belt of the Canadian Cordillera,
  a region of low metamorphic grade relative to the
  bounding Omineca Belt (metamorphic) and Coast
  Belt (plutonic and metamorphic
• overlies Stikine Terrane (Stikinia), a terrane
  allochthonous to the North American margin prior
  to deposition of Bowser and Sustut basin strata
• Stikinia and overlap basins are separated from
  certain North American rocks by oceanic Cache
  Creek terrane