Mitigating Terrain-Based Access Concerns on the Fort Nelson Lowland, British Columbia: A Geographic Information System (GIS) Application

Ben Kerr and Warren Walsh
British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, Victoria, BC

Early exploration and development in North-East British Columbia initially expanded from Fort St. John to the north and northwest and from the Fort Nelson area. Between these two areas of extensive development is the Fort Nelson lowland, on which exploration and development from both directions is now converging. The lowland is dominated by bogs and fens with some isolated incised rivers which make road and pipeline access difficult and expensive.

Geology and resource potential are the most critical factors in evaluating projects in the lowland. With infrastructure inevitably accompanying oil and gas development, however, costs will be associated with building new roads and pipelines to support development and deliver gas to market. Using the analytical capabilities provided by a Geographic Information System (GIS), physiographic, topographic, land use and other characteristics can be combined and evaluated to identify the most efficient locations to initiate petroleum development through infrastructure expansion within a region. This paper provides the results of a study of access concerns using such a method and the resource potential on a 3000 km² of land in the Fontas River region of northeast British Columbia.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005