ABSTRACT: Underexplored Petroleum Potential Onshore Nova Scotia-A New Cycle of Exploration Activity

HARVEY, PAUL J., Nova Scotia Petroleum Directorate, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Since the middle of the 1800s, exploration activity has resulted in non-commercial significant shows in about one-third of the 110 petroleum wells. Past onshore petroleum exploration has concentrated on Carboniferous age rocks which occupy about one-third of the province. The Horton clastics and Windsor Group evaporites possess the most potential as exploration targets. The major focus of exploration has been the Horton Group rocks due to their similarity to the Stoney Creek discovery in southeast New Brunswick. However, recent studies have shown that more exploration effort is warranted to evaluate the marine Windsor Group rocks.

Nova Scotia's Carboniferous strata contains all the conditions necessary for discovering a commercial discovery - organic-rich source rocks, suitable reservoir rocks and traps related to salt features, faulting, carbonate-reef buildups, folding, porosity-permeability pinchouts and unconformities.

Because of the underexplored potential and the recent infrastructure put in place by the Sable Project, a flurry of land activity has occurred with the acquisition of 1.7 million hectares held under exploration agreements. Over the next 2-3 years, it is expected that a number of new seismic programs will be acquired and if all work commitments are met there should be some 14 wells being drilled.

Coalbed methane activity in two areas will reach a peak in the next 12-18 months and may provide the opportunity to develop the estimated 1.4 trillion cubic feet of resource.

Search and Discovery Article #90907©2000 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, London, Ontario, Canada