Re-appraisal of the Hydrocarbon Resource Potential of the Hudson Platform: Project Introduction and Preliminary Results from Northern Ontario(PPT)

摘要

The hydrocarbon resource potential of the Hudson Platform is being studied as part of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) Geo-Mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) program. The Hudson Platform consists of mainly Paleozoic sedimentary rocks deposited in and adjacent to the Hudson Bay, Moose River and Foxe basins. Previous hydrocarbon resource assessments of the Hudson Bay and Moose River basins concluded, on limited Rock Eval2 data, that they were thermally immature. The Hudson Bay Basin has only been tested by 5 off-shore wells, 9 on-shore wells and low quality seismic in the off-shore, all more than 25 years ago. Geoscience data suggest that the Hudson Bay Basin contains prospective petroleum reservoir and trap types. Recent studies indicate Upper Ordovician oil shales are widespread. Recent high resolution bathymetric surveys in Hudson Bay have led to the recognition of sea-floor depressions similar to fluid escape pockmarks. Deep drill cores in Manitoba and Ontario are currently being logged and sampled for reviewing, and revising if necessary, basin-wide stratigraphy; creating a basin-wide 3D geologic model; and evaluating elements necessary for "hydrocarbon systems". In Ontario, two key cores, drilled in the area of the upper Winisk River, have yielded significant thicknesses of an Upper Ordovician calcareous oil shale with total organic carbon contents ranging up to 13%. The unit is approximately the same age and character as the Collingwood oil shale of southern Ontario and the "type" Boas River shale of Southampton Island. Organic petrography and reflectance studies have recently documented abundant alginite within the oil window (Ro_(vit-equiv)of 0.77 to 0.82%). Further studies will focus on confirming its tectono-siratigraphic setting. This calcareous shale may prove to be a source rock for hydrocarbons deeper in the Hudson Bay Basin or a potential biogenic gas shale source in northern Ontario.