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Greater Sierra (oil field)

Coordinates: 58°50′N 121°25′W / 58.833°N 121.417°W / 58.833; -121.417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greater Sierra
(Sierra-Yoyo-Helmet-Desan)
Greater Sierra (oil field) is located in British Columbia
Greater Sierra (oil field)
Location of Greater Sierra in British Columbia
CountryCanada
RegionBritish Columbia
Offshore/onshoreonshore
Coordinates58°50′N 121°25′W / 58.833°N 121.417°W / 58.833; -121.417
OperatorsPetrocanada, Husky Oil, Canadian Natural Resources
Field history
Start of production2000s
Production
Producing formationsJean Marie, Muskwa, Horn River Formation
Drilling rig in the Sierra Oil Field

Greater Sierra (also called Helmet Area) is a large oil and gas field in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is east and north from the town of Fort Nelson, extending to the Alberta and Northwest Territories borders (150 and 130km respectively).

It was discovered in 2002.[1]

Drilling rig activity takes place largely during the winter months, when the otherwise soft muskeg and boreal forest can be crossed on winter roads. Infrastructure is funded by a combination of private and public funds.[2]

Major projects tap in the large gas reservoirs hosted in Mississippian and Devonian limestones such as the Jean Marie Member of the Redknife Formation. More recent projects extract natural gas from the Muskwa Formation and Horn River Formation. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques are used to extract the gas from the low permeability shales.[3][4]

Due to the large extent, the field is served by several airstrips (Helmet Airport, Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport, Fort Nelson Airport).

Companies with large interests in the area include Canadian Natural Resources and Petro-Canada.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bott, Robert D. (2004). "Evolution Of Canada's oil and gas industry" (PDF). Energy BC.
  2. ^ "Sierra Yoyo Desan Road". Government of British Columbia.
  3. ^ "The Horn River Basin". Chinook Consulting.
  4. ^ Bialowas, S. A.; Temple, C. A.; Aminu, M. O. (October 19, 2010). "Greater Sierra Jean Marie Tight Gas Carbonate: Multidisciplinary Approach Drives Decade of Development". Onepetro.org.