PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF THE QUEEN-CHARLOTTE BASIN AND ENVIRONS, WEST-COAST CANADA

The Queen Charlotte Basin region of the west coast of Canada has signi ficant petroleum potential. Sedimentary basins within the region conta in abundant reservoir strata, oil and gas source rocks, diverse trap t ypes and numerous oil and gas shows. A quantitative assessment of petr oleum potential in the Queen Charlotte Basin region provides estimates of total recoverable resources of 414 million m(3) (2.6 billion barre ls) of oil and 565 billion m(3) (20 Tcf) of gas, at median values. The resource estimates are based on evaluations of three conceptual petro leum plays involving Cretaceous and Neogene sandstone and conglomerate reservoirs and Jurassic and/or Tertiary source rocks. The most prospe ctive plays occur in Neogene strata within the Queen Charlotte Basin, beneath eastern Graham Island and in the offshore shelf areas of Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. While the assessme nt study provides a favourable geological basis for future petroleum e xploration in the Queen Charlotte Basin region, the complex geology an d anticipated risks associated with the petroleum plays suggest consid erable amounts of new seismic surveying and exploratory drilling may b e required to adequately evaluate the region's oil and gas potential.