Play Elements of the Chidley Basin, Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador Canada

The underexplored Chidley Basin off the Labrador coast of Newfoundland Labrador, Canada is being investigated for oil and gas prospectivity after new seismic data acquisition. We present here how the geology and geophysics data were integrated into a comprehensive 3D stratigraphic model which allowed the play elements of a potential petroleum system to be tested. Regional geodynamic and sequence stratigraphic work facilitated the understanding of the basin architecture and infilling through the Labrador sea opening and transform fault zone activities. This provided the inputs of Gross Depositional Environment maps that ultimately enabled a forward stratigraphic model (DionisosFlow™) to be built. This forward numerical model simulates the stratigraphic record of the basin through calibration of well record and integration of seismic data. The model helps to resolve the extension of known, hypothetical, and/or speculative source rocks, reservoirs, carrier beds and seals at the basin scale. Based on this regional stratigraphic understanding, the source rocks, reservoir, and seal presence seven main plays in the basin were identified, defining a complete petroleum system that shall be now tested offshore in the light of the past shelf discoveries.