Horn River Basin Shale

Shales in the Horn River basin appear to be prime exploration targets. The Muskwa and Horn River formations form a 600-foot-thick package of organic rich, siliceous shales found at reasonable depths of some 6,500 feet. This wedge of sediment is thermally mature, loaded with total organic carbon, and contains high percentages of silica. Additionally, areal extent of the play is vast: researchers have pinpointed an area of 2,404 square miles where all the elements needed for commercial shale-gas production appear to coincide.