As the energy industry continues to evolve, the demand for high-quality, practical geoscience has never been greater. The Core Conference 2026, hosted by the Canadian Energy Geoscience Association (CEGA), returns as Canada’s premier rock-focused event—bringing geoscientists together to examine core, exchange ideas, and advance subsurface understanding.
This year’s theme – The Core Continuum: Subsurface Knowledge Driving Innovation.
A Program Anchored in Geological Time and Subsurface Insight
This year’s technical program is structured as a journey through geological time, connecting depositional history directly to modern reservoir challenges and emerging opportunities.
With two days of technical presentations, core displays, and meaningful discussion, Core Conference 2026 offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with the subsurface—and the experts interpreting it.
SESSION OVERVIEWS
Precambrian–Cambrian: The Dawn of Time
The opening session highlights new research into western Canada’s earliest geological record and its continued impact on modern subsurface work. Presentations revisit Alberta’s Precambrian basement with new interpretations, explore the Cambrian Cold Lake stratigraphic puzzle, and evaluate CCS potential within the Basal Cambrian near Medicine Hat. Additional work examines the geochemistry and economic applications of Canadian evaporite systems for cavern storage and waste disposal, as well as innovative use of automated mineralogy to characterize subsurface strata beneath Metropolitan Vancouver for reservoir quality and CO₂ mineral trapping potential.
Ordovician–Devonian: Roots, Reefs, and Fishes
This session moves into carbonate-dominated systems across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Presentations take a deeper dive into the complexity of reservoirs such as the Red River, Souris River, Beaverhill Lake Group, and Duperow Formation, examining lithofacies, depositional environments, and reservoir characteristics. The session also explores critical mineral potential within the Prairie Evaporite Formation using advanced geoanalytical techniques, and applies ichnological analysis to the Bakken Formation to refine depositional and stratigraphic interpretations.
Mississippian–Cretaceous: The Rise of the Western Interior Basin
Focusing on the evolution of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, this session presents diverse perspectives on sedimentological complexity from Mississippian through Cretaceous strata. From carbonate mud mounds of the Pekisko Formation to the mixed siliciclastic–carbonate–evaporite systems of the Charlie Lake, the research underscores the importance of high-resolution geological understanding. Whether optimizing horizontal well placement, characterizing reservoirs, or evaluating CCS potential, these data-driven case studies are directly applicable to modern subsurface workflows.
Cretaceous–Miocene: Shallow Seas to Modern Margins
The final session examines younger stratigraphy, spanning marginal marine deltas to deep-water turbidite systems. Presentations emphasize the value of core-based observations integrated with geochemistry, sequence stratigraphy, and time-lapse monitoring to refine interpretations of key stratigraphic horizons and improve reservoir predictability.
Across all sessions, the program reinforces a clear message: core remains one of the most powerful tools for reducing subsurface uncertainty. By grounding discussions in geological time and pairing them with real-world applications, the Core Conference highlights how detailed subsurface knowledge continues to drive innovation across the energy sector.
With two days of technical presentations, core displays, and meaningful discussion, Core Conference 2026 offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with the subsurface—and the experts interpreting it.
Register today and explore the full technical program:
https://coreconference.ca/