Characterization of the Lower Shoreface to Offshore Reservoir Facies of the Cardium Formation in East Pembina, Alberta

Abstract

This thesis endeavors to define the reservoir characteristics, stratigraphy, facies architecture and their relationships of the Lower Cretaceous Cardium Formation in the northeast Pembina Oil Field of west-central Alberta. Bioturbated lower shoreface to offshore sandstones are subdivided into two separate depositional units. The lower depositional unit is characterized by four stacked shoreface-offshore parasequences (A – D), and the upper unit consists of two sandspit parasequences (E – F). The units are separated by an erosion surface that eroded the uppermost deposits of the underlying shoreface – offshore parasequence. Characterization of the low permeability Cardium reservoir facies indicates that the horizontal and vertical sand-filled burrows improve sandstone bed connectivity and enhance permeability flow pathways. Subsurface reservoir mapping coupled with facies characteristics and production data established a more thorough understanding of the reservoir characteristics and fairway widths of unconventional low permeability offshore deposits.