Play Fairway Analysis, Offshore Nova Scotia
Authors: Wilson H.A.M. , Luheshi Matt , Roberts David , MacMullin Roderick Alexander 
Published: July 2010

The Offshore Energy Technical Research (OETR) Association has initiated an industry standard Play Fairway Analysis program. This program is intended to serve a pivotal role in stimulating industry interest in exploration of Nova Scotia's offshore petroleum resources by providing explorers with critical information about prospectivity and resource potential to aid in decision making.

The Play Fairway Program is addressing three key issues:Plate tectonic reconstruction: there is a lack of understanding of the rift history of the margin and the timing of the final rift event. Understanding the relationship between rifting and salt deposition is critical in developing models for potential syn-rift and early post rift depositional environment and the development of source rocks.Forensic geochemistry: although much geochemical data exists on the margin, through the many hydrocarbon shows and discoveries, the source rock story is not fully understood. The program will undertake a systematic evaluation of geochemical source rock and hydrocarbon typing data. An important component of this work will include fluid inclusion studies from hydrocarbon traces found in the salt. An indication of lacustrine or restricted marine Early Jurassic source rocks would considerably enhance the hydrocarbon potential of the area.Sequence stratigraphic framework: there is no public domain sequence stratigraphic framework for the margin. The program of work includes a re-evaluation of the biostratigraphy of several key wells which will be integrated with a seismic interpretation, and tectonic models, to build a comprehensive sequence framework.

These issues are being addressed through the academic and geoscience community in Halifax in conjunction with commercial contractors, and thus the Play Fairway Program has evolved into a number of individual projects. These include:Plate Tectonics Modeling (described above)BiostratigraphyGeochemistryPetroleum Systems ModelingSeismic Database Preparation / SyntheticsReprocessing of seismic lines of around 7,400km dataSeismic Rock Physics ReviewSalt Structural InterpretationReservoir QualityPlay Fairway Evaluation

The projects are designed to incorporate the leading academic research being undertaken in Halifax into the overall Play Fairway Analysis. Of particular note are the plate tectonic and salt modeling projects which build on work being done at Dalhousie University; and the biostratigraphy and reservoir quality projects which build on work being done at St. Mary's University. All projects will also build on the extensive knowledge that exists in the Geological Survey Canada (GSC) and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB).

The Play Fairway Program will integrate the results of these individual projects to develop an industry standard Play Fairway Analysis and atlas. This will include the creation of Gross Depositional Environment (GDE) and Common Risk Segment (CRS) maps on each key sequence, leading to the development of a final Yet-to-Find (YTF) analysis by play segment.