| OGSR
Wireline
By OGSR Library
January 2020
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Hi ,
Welcome to the first quarterly edition of OGSR Wireline in 2020.
For those new subscribers, welcome! And to those who have been with us for a while, we have new services and products that will help to solve your geological problems!
To begin 2020, we have designed an infographic to educate the you on who we are, and what the OGSR Library has to offer your organization!
Keep exploring!
OGSR Library Team
Jordan, Matt, Craig, Alex, Shuo & Candace
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OGSR Library Media in 2020!
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Evolution from Library to Geoscience Research Centre
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Data Validation of the Core Analysis Database
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Improving Geologic Formation Top Picks
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Summary of 2019 Industry Activities
By Jordan
Happy New Year! Reflecting on 2019 it appears as if the trends of 2018 continued for the Ontario industry, albeit slightly more subdued, but there was also an important first for Ontario.
A total of six exploration or development wells reached total depth in 2019, down slightly from the ten in 2018. One well was drilled for oil exploration, down two from the previous year; five wells were drilled for natural gas storage, two less than the year before. Refer to table 1 below for a summary of activity for 2019, including
licensing and plugging.
Table 1. Industry activity by month for 2019
Figure 1. Count of exploration wells reaching total depth for the decade ending with 2019.
Results for the 2019 oil exploration well will be available in early October when the confidentiality period expires. Results for oil exploration wells drilled in 2018 show two dry holes and one active well, refer to figure 1 below for historic exploration trends over the last decade.
Production reporting for the year ending on December 31, 2019 is due on February 15th. As in previous years data is expected to be available to the public
through the Library by May 15th, once reporting is available, we will know the success of 2018’s exploration and production activities.
The first for Ontario was the issuing of two licences for compressed air energy storage (CAES) in September of 2019 following the publication of the new Provincial Standards for Compressed Air Energy Storage Applications and Operations.
http://www.ogsrlibrary.com/documents/Provincial-Standards-for-Compressed-Air-Energy-Storage-Applications-and-Operations_v1_March2018.pdf
These wells are converted from existing salt solution mined caverns. Energy storage will be an essential part of our future. This type of activity may provide a new demand for Ontario’s existing cavern inventory and new types of work for service companies as our energy industries change.
Development of storage assets in 2019 brought the count of active natural gas storage wells to 269 and a count of active cavern storage wells totals 98, plus two CAES wells mentioned above. Active salt solution mining wells are reporting in at 13 and 10 wells are actively producing brine.
In the next quarterly newsletter some early production numbers will give an indication of oil and natural gas production success in 2019. Until then the OGSR Library will be reviewing and producing data to help the industry explore, benefit and carefully manage Ontario’s oil, natural gas, and salt resources. There’s no reason not to start exploring today with the newly published subsurface 3D model of
Ontario, links below. Virtual reality technology is also available through the OGSR Library to help you explore the model and the Library can even turn your prospect pitched into immersive virtual reality experiences.
Download the 3-D model:
Utilizing Media in 2020 to Communicate Ontario's Geology
By Matt
Happy 2020! Last year we uploaded 20 videos to our YouTube channel, twice as many as the year before! As we continue to grow, let’s look back at the past year and share some of our plans for upcoming releases.
Virtual reality was big for us last year. We completed a project for the Geological Survey of Canada to bring the 3D model of Ontario’s Paleozoic bedrock into a VR video which we brought to various conferences and outreach events, such as the Groundwater Open House in Guelph and Black Gold festival in Oil Springs. Right before the end of the year we uploaded two versions of the video to our YouTube channel for all to see. The videos work
even without a VR helmet as you can still click your mouse and drag to experience a 360-degree view. We have more VR planned for this year, including tours of various Ontario locations, and perhaps something a little more interactive too.
We released 8 episodes of our video series ‘Rock Talks’ starring the Geology Gals. Episodes cover some of our field trips like the Devil’s Punchbowl and Formosa Reef, and topics like how to study for a minerology exam and how to pack for geology field camp. Episode 5 (How to Land Your First Job in Geology) was by far our most popular video of the year with over 1,500 views. Catch up with the entire series on our YouTube channel linked here!
My personal pick is episode 7, Fossil Hunting and Geologizing at Rock Glenn, as we were able to use our core photography to examine the area’s geology in more detail. We will be making season 2 of Rock Talks later in the year, stay tuned for more info.
Our YouTube channel is growing. We’re getting views every day, and we more than doubled our subscribers last year. We will continue to produce relevant content using our data, while exploring new technologies to help us do so.
Communication is key, which is why we’re always looking for new ways to present our data to the public and our clients. We will continue to release our EPEX conference videos, and plan to begin making some dynamic stats videos using our data, as well as some tutorials on how to make use of our data, just to name a few of the things we have planned.
Evolution From Library to Geoscience Research Centre
By Craig
I have spent the past two years working at the OGSR Library. Fresh out of my Master’s degree from Western, not knowing what the future had in store for me I was offered a data entry position at the Library. What was a guy with an Aquatic Ecology degree doing at a geology library? As I will be moving forward in my career I would like to reflect on my time here at the Library.
I knew the OGSR Library was a library in the traditional sense, meaning there is a curated collection of information and resources, in this case featuring Ontario’s geology. There were rocks, lots and lots of rocks – vials, cores, hand samples, but the information associated with these samples is where I learned the true value of the Library.
The OGSR Library gave me an opportunity to learn to become a professional, instead of the professional student I was when I started. I learned the importance of data management practices, writing detailed procedures, and how to leverage large databases to meet clients needs. I have worked with government, industry, and even had the opportunity to teach – through various outreach initiative and events like The Groundwater Open
House, GIS Day and EPEX. I am proud that I have been able to represent the Library and teach industry professionals, the public and students (from Grade 2 through university level) about Ontario’s fascinating geological history.
I progressed from a Data Management Clerk, adding into databases and performing quality control on large datasets to the GIS and Database Technician where I create digital products and initiatives from the amazing datasets the Library has at its disposal. After working here, I have learned this place is much more than a ‘library’, it is, and should be referred to going forward as a Geoscience Research Centre. We are
not only curators of information; the employees here are creators of innovation.
To our clients, government, academic and industry professionals:
The OGSR Library is THE BEST resource you have at your fingertips to work with Ontario’s geological and energy data. Use the www.ogsrlibrary.com/wellcards website to investigate well data, come in to examine rock cuttings, purchase a custom made GIS map or explore a virtual reality project with the Library. There are many
different avenues to add value to your organization. The OGSR Library Infographic (above) was one of the last products I created during my time here, take a look and find what the Library can offer you and your organization.
I encourage everyone that has the means, to purchase a Library membership. There is an enormous amalgamation of information and data services waiting to be explored by YOU!
If you require more information, contact [email protected] and a professional from Ontario’s best not-for-profit organization (in my opinion) will be happy to answer your inquiries.
I’d like to thank all the clients I have been able to help, all the students and people I taught, and most importantly my co-workers and teammates I was able to work alongside these past two years.
Jordan, Matt, Shuo, Alex, Candace, Rhys, Maggie, Lee, Lorraine, Juan, Ben, Bayden, Evan, Hanna, Liz, Maia, Nicole, and Sama have all contributed to the success of Ontario’s Geoscience Research Centre and I’d like to thank each and every one of you for the positive impacts you have had on my career and personal life.
All the best,
Craig
Hi, I’m Alex
I’m one of the Quality Assurance geologists at the Oil Gas and Salt Resources Library (OGSRL). Last year we were involved in many projects, conferences, talks and this year is no different! At the end of 2019, I was able to complete the first QA/QC phase of the Lockport project in support of the second revision of the 3-D lithostratigraphic model of Southern Ontario. You can check out the model on our YouTube
page here!
I encountered many challenges along the way but thanks to the technical training and support I received from my colleagues we were able to work together and overcome the challenges to ensure the highest quality of data for you, our clients. I’ll start the year by continuing the QA/QC of the Lockport Group but now I will be focusing on wells that are East of the Algonquin Arch with water shows and economical significance. The geologic picks will provide a refined and more
accurate 3-D model of the subsurface.
I will be presenting a poster at the Groundwater Open House which will take place in Waterloo this year on February 19-20 titled QA/QC of Bedrock Formation top-picks using Archived Geophysical Logs, Drill Cuttings and Core in Southern Ontario. This will be the perfect opportunity to inform attendees about the progress of our projects and explain how we use our vast geologic database to perform QA/QC review. The poster will also have information on the progress of our
current projects, highlight the major difficulties found along the way and what we do to ensure our data is accurate and precise.
Geology Update - Data Validation of the Core Analysis Database
By Shuo Sun
The last three months were all about data validation of the core analysis database and data plotting using ArcGIS.
To improve the data quality, data validation has been conducted by summarizing laboratory protocols and standards from the 12 different laboratories and reconciling data fields with auxiliary data, including geophysics and duplicate cores. Data has been validated following the data QA protocols provided by core analysis labs on the parameters of Residual Saturation, Effective Porosity, Grain/Bulk Density and Valid Permeability. A validated core analysis database of
the Lockport Group has been created with each porosity/permeability parameter plotted in ArcGIS. The plotted results provide a visual distribution of formation isopachs and porosity/permeability changes at the formation rank. Newly compiled data from this study reveal that in the deeper subsurface, the porosity/permeability values are controlled by variations in carbonate lithofacies, diagenetic destruction/enhancement and existence of paleokarst systems.
The plotted porosity/permeability data fill the gap between the shallow potable groundwater zone to the intermediate water zone, improving the representation of the continuity/discontinuity of bedrock permeable zones, relationships to hydrocarbon traps, and isolation of deeper bedrock formations from interaction with meteoric water.
A talk on the geographic analysis will be given at the OGS Groundwater Open House on February 19th at the University of Guelph. Further information will be released at the talk and in the final report that is coming soon.
Lockport well locations subdivided by lithofacies variations.
Improving Geological Formation Top Picks Using Rock Chips & Geophysical Logs
By Candace
As part of the second reiteration for southern Ontario’s Paleozoic 3-D lithostratigraphic model, a continuation of quality assurance and control (QA/QC) reviews is being performed.
The QA/QC process involves the revision of geological formation top depths recorded in the petroleum well database. Geological information used to review the lithology are geophysical logs (gamma ray, neutron and density) and drill cuttings. Other well record information that is assessed includes, well licence numbers, well location coordinates, and the sampling interval (including intervals of missing sample gaps). The well’s Drift Thickness and Top of Bedrock values are
also verified during the well record review process. To ensure consistency of geological formation tops, the geological intervals are identified using standards published in Ontario Geological Survey Special Volume 7.
As of September 2019, a total of 190 well have been examined in Huron and Bruce County for 55 formations that span the Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician, Cambrian and Precambrian geological formations. In these two counties, a few geological challenges commonly encountered include the documentation and identification of the Devonian sands, specifically the Columbus and/or Columbus Equivalent; identifying the upper gradational contact between the Bois Blanc and the
Amherstburg formations; Miss-identification of the Salina units, specially the E-unit, D-Salt/Equivalent, B-unit/Equivalent, determination of the lower Silurian Formation groups, for example the transition zones of the Reynales-Fossil Hill formations and the pinch out boundary of the Rochester Formation; identifying the Lockport’s various carbonate lithofacies, in particular selecting the top of the A-1 Carbonate as the top of the Guelph in areas of Pinnacle Reefs. Other issues that presented
challenges during lithology identification, include poor quality samples, logs or drillers logs and/ or incorrect data entry.
Quality control measures have been documented and implemented to help record the confidence for a formation pick, this considers the geologist’s level of ability and training to make a reliable pick from the information available. The data sources used for determining geological formations are also documented, for example, were samples used alone or in conjunction with geophysical scans. Typically, those wells with more data sources are of higher reliability.
In addition to ensuring our clients have access to the most up to date improvements on Ontario’s subsurface geology, the revised formation top data can be used for a variety of applications, such as hydrogeological mapping of intermediate and deep groundwater systems, hydrocarbon and mineral resources development and exploration, and geological research into compressed air storage and deep geological disposal of nuclear wastes and liquid wastes.
For more information, checkout the 2020 Southern Ontario Groundwater Community open house, where this project will be presented in a poster, along with other affiliated research pertaining to Ontario’s 3-D lithostratigraphic model.
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Geology and GIS Update
By Rhys
Happy New Year to all our newsletter subscribers!
The OGSR Library has been busy adding value to our databases by updating geologic picks and information. The end of last year brought an addition of 60 new cores (over 1600 boxes!) to the database of high-resolution photography – available to clients upon request! We have taken three photos of each core box, one under dry conditions, one with wet core and finally under ultraviolet light where fluorescence of minerals and oil staining can be seen.
Another addition to the geologic database is chip sample photography. We have over 1 million vial samples in our warehouse and the cuttings provide a tool to distinguish geological units and formations. These pictures are a great addition to reports and theses. Sometimes you can find little nuggets like these (fool’s gold of course, see below!) in the samples.
The Pools and Pipelines 2019 was released in September of last year. This year’s map has updated pool boundaries, cumulative & annual production data. We are looking for sponsors for the maps in 2020-2022. $150 gets you two advertisement blocks and more information can be found on our website. Don’t miss out on this exciting (and bargain priced) advertising opportunity.
The library has also been busy preparing for EPEX 2020. Make sure to follow our social media accounts for more information on the conference, student poster awards and networking events! You can also find the library at the Regional-Scale Groundwater Geoscience in Southern Ontario Open House in Waterloo on February 19th and 20th. See you there!
Monthly Drilling Report - December 2019
by OGSR Library Team
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December 2019
No New Licences Issued
New Wells TD'd
| Licence No. |
TD Date |
Operator |
County |
Township |
Status |
TD (m) |
| T012600 |
10/05/2019 |
Big "T" Oil & Gas Inc. |
Kent |
Raleigh |
OPGP/NDR |
1171
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No New Licenses Issued for Existing Wells
Plugged Wells
| Licence No. |
Plug Date |
Operator |
County |
Township |
Status |
TD (m) |
| T009188 |
12/10/2019 |
Taqa North Ltd. |
Elgin |
Aldborough |
INJ/ABD |
127.41 |
| T010027 |
10/30/2019 |
398311 Ontario Limited |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
HOP/ABD |
143
|
| T010028 |
10/30/2019 |
398311 Ontario Limited |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
HOP/ABD |
143
|
| T010029 |
10/30/2019 |
398311 Ontario Limited |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
HOP/ABD |
143
|
| T010030 |
10/30/2019 |
398311 Ontario Limited |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
HOP/ABD |
143
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| T010031 |
10/30/2019 |
398311 Ontario Limited |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
HOP/ABD |
143
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| T012004 |
08/07/2016 |
ref_f4524a504add91bfe22e921b655298ad |
Welland |
Bertie |
GP/ABD |
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| T012610 |
8/15/2019 |
876785 Ontario Limited. |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
OP/ABD |
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| T012611 |
10/1/2019 |
Spectra Construction Inc. |
Lambton |
Enniskillen |
OP/ABD |
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What is the OGSR Library?
The Oil, Gas & Salt Resources Library is a not-for-profit corporation that manages all of Ontario's public drilling and production data from the petroleum and solution mined salt industries. This includes processing, storing, and providing safe and convenient access to all of the industry's drill core and rock cuttings. The Library makes as much of this data as possible available through our online portal to members all over the world. The financial support of the petroleum industry and
our membership make this possible.
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