Print this pageHydrodynamics and Petroleum 
Migration
in the Red River Formation,
Williston Basin, Canada and U.S.A.
Benjamin J. Rostron1, Daniel K. Khan1, and Zsolt
Margitai2
1 University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
2 Safety Codes Council, Edmonton, AB
The Red River Formation has been, and still is, an important hydrocarbon
exploration target in the Williston Basin. This unit and its equivalents form a
widespread flow unit across the basin. Given the active regional groundwater
flow system in the basin, hydrodynamics plays a role in the migration and
entrapment of petroleum in this unit. To better understand the migration of
petroleum in the Red River Formation, a regional study of the hydrodynamics and
oil migration in this formation was completed.
Present-day water chemistry and regional groundwater flow-directions were
mapped across the basin. Results showed the presence of saline brines and also
significant density-dependent groundwater flow-effects. Present-day oil
migration directions were examined using: i) hydrostatic, ii) un-corrected
hydraulic heads, and iii) density corrected driving forces, in conjunction with
variable oil densities. Results showed that near the recharge area in the
west/southwestern portions of the basin that hydrodynamics plays an important
role altering the up-dip rate and direction of migration of oil. Analysis of the
paleo-migration of oil was conducted by attempting to reconstruct the structure
of the basin at key time (generation) events. Results showed different oil
migration patterns in the past compared to the present day.
A better understanding of petroleum migration in the Red River Formation
is obtained by incorporating hydrodynamics and paleo-structures into migration
analysis.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90039©2005 AAPG Calgary, Alberta, June 16-19, 2005