Rationale
Mackenzie Plain lies within the central Mackenzie Valley and extends north and south of the oil fields at Norman Wells. The Norman Wells oil pipeline passes through the area, as does the proposed route of the Mackenzie Gas Project pipeline. The Plain is flanked to the west by the Mackenzie Mountains and to the east by the Franklin Mountains. The area has been relatively well explored, mainly in search of other Devonian reservoirs similar to that which hosts oil at Norman Wells (Kee Scarp reef). There are more than 70 exploration wells in the Mackenzie Plain area and more than 300 development wells (all at Norman Wells). In addition, Husky Energy’s recent Summit Creek oil and gas discoveries have renewed interest in the region, and prompted further drilling. New oil and gas exploration in the area will be based on improved and updated geoscience framework studies. Geoscience also plays a major role in land use planning and sound, informed decision-making with respect to natural resources. NTGO and Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) have already supported an extensive gravity survey in the area (see Project Outputs).

Exploration regions and oil and gas wells in the central Mackenzie Valley, NWT. Norman Wells oil pipeline in green and black; exploration licenses (as of 2006) in pink. (Click image to enlarge.)

Research questions here include:

• Do several petroleum plays, many of which are contiguous with those examined by the Peel Plateau and Plain Project (2005-2009), extend to this new project area?
• Can stratigraphic units (such as basal Cambrian siliciclastics, Lower Paleozoic carbonates, and Cretaceous siliciclastics) and structural relationships be further evaluated in the field?
• Can this new research generate new exploration concepts as to the petroleum systems of this proven area?  What are the prospects for unconventional hydrocarbon resources here?
• Can a comprehensive basin analyses within Mackenzie Plain be completed, given a combination of legacy, new field, and core data?

This project links with several activities within the MADACOR Project of GSC’s GEM Energy Program, including framework re-mapping of 1:250,000 bedrock geology maps in the Norman Wells area.

Reconnaissance Geoscience, Summer 2009
Helicopter reconnaissance work took place in the Franklin Mountains, Mackenzie Mountains, and the intervening Plains, from the Keele River north to Moon Lake area (NTS map sheets 096 C, D, E, and F).  Two sections in the Lower Paleozoic strata were measured, and several key Cretaceous sections were examined.  Samples were collected for Rock-Eval/TOC analysis, porosity and permeability determinations, palynological studies, conodont biostratigraphy, thin section petrography, and trace element chemistry.

This initial data will help build a framework from which to assess certain formations for hydrocarbon potential, and to unravel the geological history of Mackenzie Plain area.

 

Reconnaissance Geoscience, Summer 2005

A reconnaissance survey focused on both geology along the Dempster Highway, and remote regions of Richardson Mountains and northern Mackenzie Mountains. The Dempster Highway from Inuvik, NT to Eagle Plains, YT transects the northwest corner of Peel Region and exposes strata that spans the Proterozoic to Quaternary. Geology of 25 stops was documented in order to update data for a now out-of-print roadside geological guide for the Dempster Highway.

Helicopter reconnaissance work took place along river exposures in Peel Region and along the deformation fronts that flank the western and southern edge of Peel Plateau (Richardson and Mackenzie Mountains, respectively). Parts of Trail River (NTS 106L), Snake River (NTS 106F), Ramparts River (NTS 106G) and Sans Sault Rapids (NTS 106H) map areas were covered. In total, 17 stratigraphic sections containing 16 different formations of Neoproterozoic to Cretaceous age (ca. 900 to 100 Ma) were examined. Preliminary collections from key sections included: 1) representative lithological samples for sedimentology; 2) Paleozoic carbonate rock for conodont microfossil analysis; and 3) Paleozoic and Mesozoic black shale for organic geochemistry analysis (Rock-Eval/TOC pyrolysis). Reconnaissance data provides a framework for evaluating prospective stratigraphic horizons (source and reservoir facies), dating formations using biostratigraphy, and assessing hydrocarbon potential of different formations.

Photo gallery

	Little Bear Formation on Little Bear River, NTS 096D/16.		Fort Norman Formation on Mount Richard, NTS 096E/11.
	Unconformable contact of Cretaceous Martin House Formation on lower Paleozoic Ronning Group, near Kelly Lake, NTS 96E/8.		Summit Creek Formation, Tertiary Creek, NTS 96C/5.
	Proterozoic Little Dal Formation, Dodo Canyon, NTS 96D/14.

Project Outputs

Dumont, R., 2009. Geophysical series, NTS 96 E, 106 H and parts of 96 C, 96 D , 96 F, and 106 A, Norman Wells, Northwest Territories; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 6154; Northwest Territories Geoscience Office, Open File 2009-01; scale 1:250 000.  Download now.