ABSTRACT: Oil/Source Correlations of Devonian and Mississippian Reservoired Oils in the Peace River Arch Area of the Western Canada Basin

ROBISON, VAUGHN D., Texaco Inc., Houston, TX

The Western Canada basin contains major oil and gas reserves in Paleozoic age strata, with the bulk of the accumulations occurring in Devonian and Mississippian reservoirs. Twenty-five oils from these

age reservoirs in the Peace River arch area were characterized to determine their genetic relationships and the primary sources for these oils. Several stratigraphic horizons were also examined to determine their source rock potential. Three units were identified that contain organic matter capable of generating liquid hydrocarbons in sufficient quantities to be considered hydrocarbon source rocks. These are the Devonian Muskeg and Duvernay formations and the Mississippian Exshaw Formation. Each unit exhibits unique geochemical characteristics that can be used to establish their relationship to the oils.

Most of the analyzed oils appear to have been generated from the Mississippian Exshaw Formation. These oils are reservoired in stratigraphically older horizons of the Devonian Leduc, Wabamun, and Keg River formations, indicating a complex maturation and migration history. Oils reservoired in the Mississippian Debolt Formation have been correlated to the Muskeg Formation. The two families of oils exhibit significant differences in their biomarker distributions and sulfur isotopic compositions that allow these distinctions to be made. No oils analyzed as part of this study have been correlated to the Duvernay Formation. The Duvernay may, however, have been a secondary contributor to some of the oils.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)