MEMORANDUM
TO: INTERESTED OIL COMPANIES – Eastern Canada
FROM: James M. Brooks, Ph.D.
President
RE: 2000 EASTERN CANADA SURFACE GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION (SGE) & HEAT FLOW (HF) CONSORTIUM PROGRAMS
TDI-Brooks International, Inc. is pleased to offer these 2000 Eastern Canada SGE and HF Programs following the same design as our prior worldwide consortium programs in which most E&P companies have participated. The proposed Eastern Canada SGE & HF Consortium Programs are scheduled to be acquired starting in late August 2000. Cost for participation in these approximately 150 core SGE and 50 probe HF programs are $200,000 and $75,000, respectively. If more than four (4) companies join the SGE program, the $800,000 program price will be reduced proportionately. There are three current Subscribers to the SGE study.
The program is already committed with three Subscribers. Early subscription is ONLY open until 15 August 2000. After the early subscription to the program is closed on 15 August, late subscription will not be open again until January 1st, 2002.
2000 Eastern Canada SGE Program – The Eastern Canada SGE program will involve the collection of approximately 150 cores offshore Nova Scotia in open, deep water acreage. The locations will be provided by the oil company participants based on regional seismic available for the area. The attached figure shows a tentative list of locations selected by the three current Early Participants. Additional participants will have the option to add additional locations.
The first goal of this program will be to determine regionally the distribution of active oil generation and migration to the seafloor on the Eastern Canada continental margin. The second goal is to define the distribution of oil families and maturities in the region based on biological marker and isotope analyses provided by GeoMark Research.
SGE studies can be used at two levels. Most previous studies have been used to define the regional distribution of oil, condensate, and gas seepage on the continental margin in order to high grade areas and prospects by defining areas of active oil migration and charge through routine gas and high molecular weight hydrocarbon screening methods. Over the last fifteen years, our programs have had major impact on deep water exploration worldwide by delineating areas of active oil migration to the seafloor. This active migration acts to charge accompanying reservoirs in the same geological system. On a secondary level, SGE coring studies can be used to define the distribution of oil families and maturities across a continental margin since there is often considerable macroseepage of ‘live’ oil into seafloor sediments. Satellite studies available from Nigel Press & Associates (NPA) indicate that areas of macroseepage of oil to the seasurface exist in regions offshore Eastern Canada (Eastern Canada, Offshore Seepage Studies from Satellite Radar; E-Mail: nigel@npagroup.co.uk). Thus, our SGE study should expect to acquire macroseep samples that can be analyzed for biological markers and isotopes by GeoMark Research for correlation with their Eastern Canada oil database.
Program Team – The program team consists of the extensive surface geochemical exploration (SGE) experience of TDI-Brooks and the unparalleled oil expertise and database of GeoMark Research. The program will follow the same very successful strategy we used on our previous Gulf of Mexico and west African consortium programs that nearly thirty (30) international exploration companies have participated.
Acquisition & Analysis – The core collections will consist of our standard 2,000 lb., 20 ft. piston coring with differential GPS navigation. All samples are processed in a clean laboratory and immediately frozen on the vessel. A suite of geochemical analyses (headspace gases, total scanning fluorescence, and C15+ hydrocarbon using GC-FID) are conducted on three sections from each core to determine regional seepage and R1 distribution patterns. The SGE component will be conducted using the same acquisition and analytical methods of Dr. Brooks’ many other consortium SGE programs worldwide. In order to aid in understanding the origin and maturity of the seepages, GeoMark Research will provide detailed geochemical analysis of all core samples containing macroseepage or significant amounts of microseepage. Key tricyclic terpane biomarkers are used to distinguish between source depositional types. These markers are also very resistant to biodegradation, allowing for correlation between heavily biodegraded seep oils and nondegraded subsurface oils. Aromatic biomarkers will also be evaluated. The detailed analytical program provided by GeoMark for cross-correlation with their Eastern Canada oil data base is listed below:
o Liquid Chromatography for % Saturate, % Aromatic Hydrocarbons and % NSOs
o Stable Carbon Isotope Composition of both Saturate and Aromatic Hydrocarbons
o Whole Crude Gas Chromatography
o Molecular Sieve Separation of Saturate Hydrocarbons
o Quantitative GC/MS Analysis of Sterane and Terpane Biomarkers
o GC/MS Analysis of Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Multivariate statistical techniques (cluster and principal component analyses) using isotopic and key biomarker ratios will aid in grouping oils/seeps which share a common source. In addition, relative thermal histories of the oils/seeps will be evaluated based on certain biomarker distributions. Results will be presented in hard copy data volumes as well as in digital form (Access Database and Excel Spreadsheets). A comprehensive hard bound interpretive volume and color montages will also be provided to assist in evaluating the exploration significance of the region.
Heat Flow Ancillary Program – A regional heat flow program will be undertaken in collaboration with Dr. Trevor Lewis using heat flow probes manufactured by the Pacific Geoscience Center (NRCAN). This program will be similar to other such studies the team has undertaken in West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico, the Nile Delta in which many international E&P companies have participated. Additional details of the heat flow programs can be provided to those companies unfamiliar with the technology. The heat flow (HF) program will consist of about 50 heat flow probe sites directed toward determining the regional distribution of heat flow along the continental margin in relatively undisturbed sediment sections. These heat flow sites are generally independent of the SGE core sites and away from active conducts for the upward migration of fluids. Additional experiments may be proposed to examine variability across (1) domes and diapirs; (2) toe thrusts; (3) listric normal faults; (4) crustal type changes; and (5) macroseep core sites. The heat flow sites will be selected in water depth greater than 500 meters. The final distribution of sites will be determined by the participating companies. The program price is $75,000 per participant.
Contacts – For additional information on this program, please contact the following individuals:
James M. Brooks 409-696-3634 (direct) 409-693-6389 (fax) Drjmbrooks@aol.com
Bernie B. Bernard 409-693-3446 (direct) 409-693-6389 (fax) berniebernard@tdi-bi.com
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Yes, our company wishes to participate as an early participant in TDI-Brooks’ Eastern Canada SGE Program(s) assuming execution of a mutually acceptable contract as follows:
We wish to participate in the 2000 Eastern Canada SGE Program at $200,000 or lower if additional participants subscribe before 15 August.
We wish to participate in the HF component at $75,000.
Company_________________________________________________
Title Date______________________________________
