Presented by Dr Basim Faraj, Faraj Consultants Pty Ltd; Australia
The Base of Fish Scales Formation (BFSF) is basin-wide and marks the Albian/Cenomanian unconformity (Lower/Upper Cretaceous) boundary at the foreland Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). The formation contains abundant fish remains within finely laminated, generally non-bioturbated, very fine sandstone, siltstone, tuff and organic rich mudstones. Regional log mapping of the formation as well as geochemical studies, facies and new core analyses integration allowed the elucidation of the main controls on BFSF productivity. The interplay between volcanic ash fall from Western Cordillera’s super volcanic eruptions, fish kill, authigenic dolomite & hydroxylapatite precipitation, the preservation of organic carbon and the sedimentation of sand/silt layers through storm action during major regression resulted in the preservation of this unique play. EOG Resources Canada and others have completed hundreds of vertical wells in the BFSF as either a stand-alone production zone or co-mingled with other producing zones. Production profiles shows a classic unconventional pattern.