The emphasis of this study is placed on understanding the depositional history and paleogeography of the Nisku Formation and where appropriate the underlying Camrose member.  Based on extensive core examination and log correlation, maps are constructed to illustrate depositional and diagenetic facies and reservoir trends.

An assessment is made of all structural and stratigraphic play types including, the Shelf Bioherm play, the Structural Drape play, and the Wood River Pinnacle Reef play, in order to high grade prospective exploration areas.

The study area is located in central Alberta, centered on the Bashaw area, from Townships 36 to 46 between Ranges 22W4 and 28W4.  At the time of the study, a total of 1697 wells penetrated the Nisku Formation within the study area.  Cored intervals from 247 wells were described at the AEUB Core Research Centre for this study.

Click globe for map of study area.

The study area covers 88 townships (8,200 square kilometres) in the Penhold, Hillsdown, Haynes, Mikwan, Nevis, Clive, Alix, Joffre, Lacombe, Chigwell, Bashaw, Wood River, Malmo, New Norway and Duhamel areas:

• fully illustrated text (78 pages, plus 85 colour & BW figures) documenting stratigraphy, depositional facies, geologic evolution, play types and exploration potential, core descriptions, and database;
• 6 regional cross sections;
• 13 field cross sections;
• 20 maps (isopach, structure, & exploration potential) at 1:50,000 and 1:150,000 scales;
• stratigraphic picks and isopach values from Top Calmar Fm. to Top Cooking Lake Fm., including Calmar Fm., Nisku Fm. (Open Marine & Hypersaline Phases), Ireton Fm., Camrose Mbr., Leduc Fm., and Cooking Lake Fm.;
• 1697 well database available in digital and hardcopy formats;
• core descriptions from 247 wells with internally consistent correlations.