The applications of basin analysis to the Triassic succession, Alberta Basin: An investigation of burial and thermal history and evolution of hydrocarbons in Triassic rocks

Triassic hydrocarbons are a primary exploration target in the Alberta Basin. Several oils and natural gas accumulations have been correlated to sources within and overlying the Triassic section. Yet, the timing of generation and migration are poorly understood. Basin analysis is utilized to place limits on these processes and to provide constraints on the burial and thermal history in the Peace River Arch region of northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta. 1-D Models are constructed using current geological knowledge and then calibrated against thermal maturity indicators.; Calibrated models suggest that one to three kilometres of sediment were eroded over the study area following the Laramide Orogeny, progressively increasing toward the Cordilleran deformation front. The thermal regime during and following Laramide deformation is difficult to quantify but appears spatially variable, characterized by higher heat flow in the west. Hydrocarbons were generated between mid-Cretaceous in the Deep Basin to late Paleocene at intermediate depths, with subsequent expulsion. Modelling also indicates that temperatures in the Deep Basin were sufficient for secondary gas generation during maximum burial. The results of this study also suggest that it is viable to explore for natural gas in the Triassic further west than it is currently pursued.