Abstract

The dearth of baseline, near-surface (<20 m) geoscience knowledge represents a practical and economic limitation to seismic exploration and petroleum development in remote and northern sedimentary basins of Canada. The compilation of 343 989 seismic shothole drillers’ logs from continental Northwest Territories and northern Yukon, in database and GIS formats, provides a large new source of lithostratigraphic data. Use of this previously disregarded data has enabled reconstructions and models of potential granular aggregate resources, massive and ground ice occurrences, geohazards, muskeg and drift thicknesses, and till facies. This information can be readily utilized to improve the efficiency and focus of environmental assessments, address issues of weathered zone static inferences for seismic exploration, better identify potential geohazards, and support the sustainable design and development of regional infrastructure.