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Where is natural gas from tight sands found?

Tight gas sands are found wherever there is production from conventional reservoirs. Generally, tight sands are found in the deeper portions of hydrocarbon-bearing basins. Currently, natural gas is being produced from tight sands in Canada, the United States, Australia and Argentina.

Natural gas from tight sands in Canada

British Columbia

In British Columbia, tight sand gas reservoirs are found in the deep basin, foothills and northern plains regions in the northeast corner of the province. The BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources estimates the gas in place at 6.4 to 17.7 trillion cubic metres and production at 38 million cubic metres per day. Deep basin prospects offer stacked sandstone targets that result in a thick vertical sequence of gas-charges reservoirs. Tight sand reservoirs in British Columbia are often characterized by high initial production rates that rapidly decline within the first year of operation.

Alberta

Tight sand gas reservoirs occur in shallow formations in the south and southeast part of Alberta, and in deeper formations in the northwest. Tight gas prospects in the south tend to be regionally extensive and are often referred to as resource plays. Initial production rates are low; however, productivity is long lived. The National Energy Board estimated tight sand gas deliverability of 105.7 million cubic metres per day in 2008.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan tight gas plays occur in shallow formation in the southern part of the province. Like those in Alberta, prospects are regionally extensive and have similar decline rates. The National Energy Board estimated tight sand gas deliverability of 9.3 million cubic metres per day in 2008.

New Brunswick

In New Brunswick, tight gas reservoirs occur in the southeast part of the province. Currently, production amounts to 700,000 to 850,000 cubic metres per day. Total gas in place is estimated at 28 billion cubic metres.

Central
Alberta		 B.C. Northern Plains, Deep Basin, Foothills Northwest Plains and Foothills Central Plains Southern Plains
Cretaceous Edmonton Group
Belly River Belly River
Milk River
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat
Cardium
Second White Speckled Shale Second White Speckled Shale
Dunvegan Dunvegan
Sikanni
Scatter
Cadotte Cadotte
Spirit River Spirit River Mannville Group Mannville Group
Bluesky Bluesky
Cadomin Cadomin Cadomin Formation
Nikanassin Nikanassin Nikanassin
Triassic Pardonet
Baldonnel Baldonnel
Halfway Halfway
Doig Doig
Montney
Perm/Carb Belloy Belloy
Mattson
Dev Jean Marie
Source: Canadian Centre for Energy Information

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