Virtual Field Trip McMurray Formation

 3-dimensional virtual trip of the McMurray Formation Type Section, utilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) -Sedimentology, reservoir characterization, enigmatic fluid contacts, oil migration and emplacement and applications to enhancing production.

Field Trip Leaders: Rudy Strobl, Milovan Fustic, Bryce Jablonski and Wes Sutherland
Date: March 12, 2021, 10:00-11:30 AM MST
The elink will be sent two days in advance of the virtual field trip
CPD: 1.5

Overview: 

Three-dimensional models and associated video coverage using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for outcrop description has changed the way we do geology.  More data, undistorted measurements and consistent interpretations can be acquired through the use of UAVs in a week, than what can be achieved in several seasons of field studies using a pogo stick.

The McMurray Formation Type Section is a rare example of a fully preserved, meandering, 40-60 m thick point bar deposit of a fluvial and tidally influenced river system.  The continuous exposures over a distance of 1.6 km allows the geoscientist to interpret a rather interesting depositional history that reflects climatic changes, flood events, drought conditions, and multiple re-activation episodes of a massive river system.  Understanding of Inclined Heterolithic Stratification (I.H.S.) will be also be highlighted using superb images afforded by the use of UAVs.

From the point of view of geochemistry, this outcrop provides a natural laboratory for verifying existing concepts of oil migration and to develop new concepts and new understandings of hydrocarbon charging mechanisms.  Unlike other outcrops elsewhere in the world, the Type Section has the bitumen saturation fully preserved along with associated water and gas contacts. 

These outcrops are unique in that the original emplaced oil and fluid contacts are fully preserved, providing the opportunity to relate reservoir properties to oil charge, document variable, oil-water contacts, and characterize former gas caps.  Here we can literally walk the outcrop and study oil migration directly, at all scales of investigation.  We are not limited to speculation and theories that come from research based primarily on drill hole data. 

Utilizing UAVs we will have the opportunity to take a tour of this 1.6 km long by 70 m high outcrop from the comfort and safety of your home or office.  Since most of this outcrop is too steep to climb, we can now examine all of the outcrop face, even those intervals, which are nearly vertical.

About the Field Trip Leaders

Rudy Strobl, P. Geo., partner in VGeoTours

Rudy earned his B.Sc. (Hon) in Geology from the University of Manitoba and M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Alberta. Rudy began his career with research at the Alberta Geological Survey, focusing on conventional, coal and oil sands geology. Following 10 years of research activities, Rudy moved to industry, initially working for Newport Petroleum in conventional oil and gas exploration. He moved to new positions focusing on heavy oil and oil sands geology with Alberta Energy Company, Encana, Enerplus Resources, Statoil Canada, and Nexen CNOOC Oil Sands Division. Currently Rudy is semi-retired, a partner in VGeoTours offering virtual tours using UAV technology and initiating cost effective training/mentoring and geoscience services.  Rudy has specialized in oil sands and steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) projects over the past 18 years. Rudy has 30 years of conventional, heavy oil and oil sands geology experience in Western Canada.  He is co-founder and instructor of the Oil Sands SAGD Fundamentals Short Course and Field Seminar offered by the CSPG continuing education division.  Rudy is the author or co-author of more than 40 oil sands publications and presentations.  His research focuses on reservoir characterization studies including the application of image log interpretation in conjunction with core and outcrop data to better understand 3-d geometries and associated reservoir performance.

 Dr. Milovan Fustic, P.Geo., Associate Professor, Nazabayev University

 Dr. Milovan Fustic, Associate Professor of Geosciences at the Nazarbayev University has 25 years of professional experience in the industry and academia. He worked on various research, exploration, and field development projects with Shell, Nexen, Statoil, KNOC, Natural Resources Canada, and the University of Calgary. Fustic’s research lead to a number of innovative solutions and concepts, some of which are included in more than 20 refereed papers and numerous conference proceedings related to geological control on recovery mechanisms, sedimentology, reservoir characterization, seismic geomorphology, geomodeling, dipmeter, oil migration and entrapment, biodegradation, and application of geochemistry for distinguishing barriers and baffles in complex reservoirs.  He is a co-inventor of METEOR, a patented heavy oil recovery technology. He has received numerous awards for innovation and geological advancements as well as the prestigious CSPG Medal of Merit (2012) and Honorable Mention (2010) for the best paper related to the petroleum geology of Canada. He served as an instructor for CSPG, AAPG, IAS, and GSA short courses and field seminars.  

Fustic served as a CSPG Director (2013-2015), a Vice-Chair of AAPG Energy Mineral Division (2016-2019, and is a co-founder Calgary Tesla Society.  

Fustic enjoys outdoor activities and particularly alpine skiing, tennis, biking, and trekking.  

 Bryce Jablonski, P.Geo, Canadian Natural

Bryce Jablonski earned a M.Sc. in Geology from Queen’s University studying IHS within the McMurray Formation.  He began his career in research for Statoil, focusing on the distribution of heterogeneity within McMurray deposits.  Since then he has held positions in both in-situ asset teams and technology groups for oil sands and heavy oil developments for Statoil, Devon Canada and Canadian Natural.  Currently Bryce is a district geologist for the Jackfish and Pike oil-sands assets at Canadian Natural, where he focuses on the integration of geological data with SAGD production while at the same time driving for innovation and evolution in our understanding of McMurray geology and its impact to in-situ extraction.

 Wes Sutherland, Sr. Geological Technologist

Wes graduated top of the class in Petroleum Geology at SAIT and began his technical career with Canadian Hunter Exploration working the WCSB. Taking advantage of Canhunter’s many technical advancement programmes during the 90s, Wes developed cutting-edge 3D visualisation schemes which were well received at many CSPG and other conferences. In the new millennium, Wes joined AEC’s (later Encana’s) SAGD team and thrived in the high science of thermal recovery, again providing specialized graphics for geological publications, papers, talks, and field guides. Contracting for Enerplus, Statoil, Husky, and others, he continued to push the merits of 3D visualisations. Now a licensed drone (RPAS) pilot and computer modeller, he builds digital outcrop models (DOMs) for Augmented and Virtual Reality experiences revealing new insights and perspectives through his company Rock Star Geotechnical.