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Gerry W. Smee1,
Peter J. Meehan1,
Jody Hodder1,
Keith Deutsch1,
David Emery1,
Michael E. Enachescu1
(1) Husky Oil Operation Ltd, Calgary, AB
Abstract: White Rose Oil Field, Offshore Newfoundland: from Teaser to Trophy
The White Rose oil field is located in the northeastern Jeanne d’Arc Basin, 50 km from both Hibernia and Terra Nova oil fields. Structurally, the White Rose is located in a complexly faulted area situated above the deep-seated Amethyst salt ridge and White Rose diapir. In the early eighties White Rose N-22, J-49 and L-61 wells were drilled in the larger White Rose domal area with some encouraging results (teaser). The oil discovery though, is the White Rose E-09 well that was drilled in 1988 and tested 5180 bopd from a 130m thick gross oil column (surprise). A long-shore drift geologic model was developed to explain reservoir distribution, but the source of thick Aptian sandstone remained unclear. This model was also deficient due to lack of reservoir cores, inferior logs and severe contamination by multiples of the existing 3-D seismic data.
A superior 25 by 25m binned, 40-fold seismic survey was acquired during 1997. Processed with modern multiple-suppression algorithms, this data properly imaged the bottom of the reservoir and suggested the position of the top of Avalon weak reflector. Interpretation of the 3-D survey shows the complexity of the fault pattern and the structural-stratigraphic nature of the trap. During the 1999-drilling season, a three-well delineation program was effectively completed: all wells encountered hydrocarbons and were successfully tested (confirmation). The L-08 and A-17 wells were drilled south of the initial discovery and each encountered over 100m oil pay from a laterally continuous fine grained sandstone reservoir. It is estimated that the South White Rose field centered on the E-09 well contains over 250 MMbbls recoverable reserves (trophy). A third well, N-30 was drilled to the north and encountered oil and gas in time-equivalent Avalon sandstone but in a separate pool.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90914©2000 AAPG Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana