A case study of migration from the West Canada Basin

Abstract A regional model for hydrocarbon charge in the West Canada Basin is presented. Three discrete ‘hydrocarbon cells’: Devonian, Mississippian-Neocomian and mid Upper Cretaceous (Post-Mannville) host petroleum which was indigenously generated from five major source rocks. Source depositional environment and Columbian-Laramide basin geometry control this pattern. On a regional scale, lateral carrier bed migration dominates basin plumbing, with the mid Cretaceous Mannville Group (oil sands) acting as the ultimate gathering point for subcropping source-carrier systems. At a play-specific level, an example of significant local vertical migration within the gas phase is presented to explain charge of Permo-Carboniferous sands in the Peace River Arch area.