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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 51 (1967)

Issue: 9. (September)

First Page: 1906

Last Page: 1907

Title: Geology of Canadian Heavy Oil Sands: ABSTRACT

Author(s): L. W. Vigrass

Article Type: Meeting abstract

Abstract:

Obvious barriers that have been or could be broken by western Canadian heavy oil are in the fields of exploitation, transportation, and marketing. A geological barrier to be broken is the problem of the origin of the oil. The heavy oils appear to be at or very near the site where a discrete oil phase first was formed. An understanding of the origin of these vast accumulations of heavy oil conceivably would supply important clues to the origin of light crude oil, condensate, and gas.

There are about 750 billion bbl of heavy oil place in western Canada and most of this occurs in sandstones of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group.

End_Page 1906------------------------------

The belt of accumulations extends 600 mi from Peace River, Alberta, to Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Individual accumulations appear to be controlled by early formed structural and stratigraphic traps that served as loci of deposition for the oil. The Lower Cretaceous oils belong to a single oil system and all appear to be young and immature. The most acceptable hypothesis of origin is that hydrocarbons moved out of the deep basin in micellar of colloidal solution in compaction waters and were deposited on anticlinal structures or in sandstone pinchouts. There has been only limited adjustment in the position of the oil in the traps since a discrete oil phase was formed.

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Copyright 1997 American Association of Petroleum Geologists