I originally intended to follow up last week’s Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week with a further discussion on how we could rescue the reputation of the Second White Specks. But before I could submit the article, I attended a Gulf Canada alumni reunion and memorial for a recently passed friend. It was a wonderful time to see old many old friends and mentors again. And I thought it worthwhile to pre-empt the Second White Specks series. The Well of the Week started as a way [Read more]
Well of the Week – Is this formation the Oak Island of the WCSB?
Follow along as this article delves into the distinction between a chimera and a true exploration prospect. Humans are drawn to the idea of buried treasure. A stash of pirate gold and other loot hidden just under the surface if you only know where to dig. Sure, there might be some booby traps. You might not find it with your first hole. Or your tenth. But you know it just has to be there. Such is the allure of Oak Island. Legend (or promoters) would have it that there lies Captain [Read more]
Well of the Week – A clear rule-r to guide the decision making process
Geology is a science; exploration is a business. - Marlan Downey The last couple of Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week articles have been contemplations on the drilling decision making process. This final entry in the trilogy is also a trip down memory lane to my early days at Gulf Canada Resources Inc. Let me set the stage a little bit. Back in the mid-1980’s, windows meant you had been promoted from an interior office. Our desktops were real, not virtual. And they [Read more]
Well of the Week – Without context it is just a squiggle
The Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week is 100/11-22-049-12W5/00 discovery well for the West Pembina Nisku pinnacle reef play. Figure 1 is a production plot to show that it did okay. And that is all I have to say about the history of the Nisku pinnacle play. Psych! As if that was all I was going to write about. There are several important historical considerations beyond the story behind the odd name of Nairb Petroleums Limited, the proxy [Read more]
Well of the Week – On Commitment and Creekology
On Commitment: Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of [Read more]
Well of the Week – All the colours of the rainbow
She comes in colours everywhere She combs her hair She's like a rainbow Coming, colours in the air Oh, everywhere She comes in colours She’s a rainbow; Jagger and Richards While the Stones were exploring the genre of psychedelic rock, companies were evaluating Devonian rocks in northwestern Alberta. The result of the former effort was not one of their best ever songs. The latter resulted in 100/07-32-109-08W6/00, the discovery well for the Keg River reef play and the current [Read more]
Well of the Week – Maritime Oilfields Ltd. No. 4
Recently Blaine Higgs, the premier of New Brunswick, has been speculating on reviving the “shale gas” industry in his province. This Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week eschews a discussion on the politics of this question but is, as always, interested in the geology of the New Brunswick oil and gas industry and Maritime Oilfields Ltd. No. 4, the discovery well for the Stoney Creek field in 1909. At this point, many readers will say “There is an oil and gas industry in New [Read more]
Well of the Week – Wells that make you go “Hmmm” no. VII
There are several intriguing aspects of the Jean Marie member of the Devonian Redknife formation. I will quickly discuss a few of them before the big reveal of today’s Well of the Week. First of all, maybe I am an old softie but I think the name Jean Marie is much more attractive than plain old “Upper Nisku equivalent.” The real appeal, however, is due to many technical facets of this play. Stratigraphy, sedimentology, structure, diagenesis and petroleum geology all come to bear. The Jean [Read more]
Column: Well of the Week – Wells that make you go “Hmmm” no. VI
Rattle big black bones in the danger zone There's a rumblin' groan down below There's a big dark town, it's a place I've found There's a world going on underground -Underground (Tom Waits) The titular Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week is 100/11-31-002-22W4/00. Why is this abandoned Wabamun exploration well being shown such attention? It isn’t because of this well’s stupendous cumulative production or the massive field it discovered, but for much less initially [Read more]
Well of the Week – A carbonate is a carbonate by any other age?
I know. I know. Many of you will point out that in the kick-off to this Petro Ninja – Enlighten Geoscience Well of the Week series on the New Golden Age of Carbonates I made a big deal about how the Paleozoic was the home for big carbonate plays. So why am I concluding the series by discussing a Mesozoic formation? Well, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." And, more importantly, Charlie [Read more]
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