Thermal and hydrocarbon-charge history and the relationship between diagenesis and reservoir connectivity: Venture field, offshore Nova Scotia, eastern Canada¹Geological Survey of Canada Contribution 20100418.

Abstract

Fluid inclusions in diagenetic cements in Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous sandstones offshore Nova Scotia provide constraints on the fluid migration history in gas reservoirs of the Scotian basin. Diagenetic minerals from six wells in the Venture field were analysed by optical petrography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron microprobe. A total of 122 primary and secondary fluid inclusions were analysed from different cements. Primary aqueous inclusions in quartz overgrowths have homogenization temperatures (T h ) of 111.8 ± 7.1 °C (1σ) and in later carbonate cements 126.5 ± 2.1 °C; inclusions in both cements are highly saline (16–26.1 wt.% NaCl equivalent). Secondary aqueous and hydrocarbon-bearing inclusion trails crosscutting silica cement and detrital quartz have T h of 121.6 ± 13.6 °C and low salinities (8.7 ± 6.0 wt.%). Secondary carbonic inclusions have CO 2 melting temperatures (–56.6 ± 0.1 °C) and T h (–9.3 ± 0.8 °C) indicating a high-density carbonic phase. Late carbonate cements in the same sandstone units vary in chemical composition in different wells, and connected reservoirs show similar late carbonate assemblages, suggesting that the late carbonate cementation may be partly controlled by the reservoir fill and spill sequence. Silica and late carbonate cementation involved highly saline fluid flow, likely at about ∼135 Ma. Hydrocarbon migration postdated silica cementation and was associated with secondary fracturing, suggesting that it corresponded to the onset of overpressure.