PETROLEUM SYSTEMS OF SELECTED BASINS FROM ONSHORE NOVA SCOTIA AND FEASIBILITY OF CARBON DIOXIDE SEQUESTRATION

The hydrocarbon components of the Carboniferous basins in onshore Nova Scotia are associated with three major structural areas: mainland southern Nova Scotia (Minas Basin, etc.), mainland northern Nova Scotia (Cumberland Basin, Antigonish Basin, etc.) and Cape Breton Island (Sydney Basin, western Cape Breton Basin, etc.). The heat flux and thermal maturity of the Carboniferous strata are all interconnected with these structural events. It indicates that a majority of sediments from the Windsor, Mabou, and Cumberland Group lie within the “oil window” and the Horton Group in the late phase of “oil window” or within the “gas window’ in onshore Nova Scotia. Major thermal anomalies were detected in the area south and north of the major fracture zone. The major source and reservoir rocks occur within cyclic sequences of the marine and nonmarine carbonates and clastic sequences of the Horton, Windsor, Mabou, and Cumberland Groups. Biomarker data of crude oil, oil stains, and numerous seeps suggested the presence of three distinct families of hydrocarbons. Major expulsion of hydrocarbons possibly occurred between the Permian to Cretaceous time. Numerous oil and gas seeps, the past drilling activities, comprehensive geochemical data, and 1D modeling data delineate the presence of potential oil and gas plays within the Carboniferous reservoirs from selected basins in onshore Nova Scotia.

The high CO2 monolayer capacity of selected coals and oil shales may indicate future prospects of CO2 sequestration and concomitant release of CH4 from these sedim