The Atlas Project

The compilation of the Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin was a complex endeavour involving scores of individuals and dozens of corporations and institutions - project sponsors, project staff, data donors, advisors and committee members, and authors and their employers. These pages identify all of the parties and, in an inadequate but nonetheless genuine way, attempt to acknowledge their enormous individual and collective contributions to the success of the Atlas project.

Project Sponsors

Project sponsors are institutions that were formally committed to the success of the Atlas project. Collectively, they bore financial responsibility for core support. Representatives of each of the four project sponsors made up the Atlas Management Committee. Without the unfailing support of the project sponsors and the inventive good will of their Management Committee representatives, the Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin could not have been conceived, let alone produced.

Geological Survey of Canada

Management committee representatives for the Geological Survey of Canada (Institute of Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology) consisted of: W.W. Nassichuk (1987-90); R.W. Macqueen (1991); and G.D. Mossop (1992-94).

Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists

Management committee representatives for the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists consisted of: J. Dixon (1985-91); A.V. Payne (1992-94).

Alberta Research Council

Management committee representatives for the Alberta Research Council (Alberta Geological Survey) consisted of: J.A. Boon (1985-90); R.S. Harrison (1991); and J.A. Boon (1992-94).

Alberta Department of Energy

Management committee representatives for the Alberta Department of Energy consisted of: M.J. Day (1986-93); F.D. Coombs (1991-94).

Project Staff

The headquarters of the Atlas project was located at the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) in Edmonton. The AGS is co-managed by the Alberta Research Council and the Alberta Department of Energy. Gratitude is extended to the management of both for their support of the Atlas project and for their enlightened investment of resources.

Two staff members were dedicated to the Atlas project from its inception in 1986:

Grant Mossop(1986-94) - Project Manager and Senior Geologist
Irina Shetsen(1986-94) - Computing Specialist and Map Compiler

As co-compilers of the Atlas, they were responsible for the scientific work associated with the building of the Atlas database and the production of the contour and lithofacies maps. Atlas computer programming (over 100,000 lines of code) was done by Irina Shetsen.

All aspects of project coordination, including liaison with external parties, management of manuscript flow, and many facets of editing and proofing, were directed and discharged by:

Mika Madunicky (1988-1994) - Project Coordinator

Her dedication and congenial efficiency were essential ingredients in the project's success.

Grateful appreciation is extended to all of the other dedicated members of the Atlas project staff:

Stefan Bachu (1992-94) - AGS Internal Project Manager
Andre Lytviak (1989-93) - Computer Cartographer
John Kramers (1991-93) - Graphics Reviewer
Kelly Roberts (1989-93) - Project Technician - Data Entry and Plotting
Jiri Losert (1986-88) - Project Geologist
Janok Bhattacharya (1989-91) - Project Geologist
Don McPhee (1991-92) - Project Geologist
Parminder Lytviak (1990-91) Data Entry Clerk Plotter Technician
Leslie Henkelman (1990) - Data Entry Clerk
Barry Fildes (1991-93) - Plotter Technician
Dermot O'Shea (1988) - Student Geologist
Scott Luger (1989) - Student Geologist
Sheila Stewart (1989-90) - Project Technician
Joe Olic (1990-91) - Digitizer
Margaret Booth - Project Secretary

The project used the AGS in-house cartographic system (AGSSYS), developed by Andre Lytviak, to set cartographic images and transfer data for graphics processing. Final digital cartography and graphics compilation of the Atlas figures were undertaken in the offices of the Alberta Research Council (ARC) and the Alberta Department of Energy (AE), with supplemental contract drafting done by Northwest Industries, using Auto-trol equipment and software.

The project is indebted to all of the Atlas graphics specialists:

Lorne Bradley (1989-93) - Graphics Supervisor (ARC)
Jim Matthie (1991-94) - Graphics Technician (ARC)
Erwin Po (1991-93) - Graphics Technician (ARC)
Dan Magee (1992-94) - Graphics Technician (ARC)
Brian D. Edwards (1991-93) - Graphics Technician (AE)
Simon Lee (1992-93) - Graphics Technician (AE)
Kathy Coxson (1992-93) - Graphics Technician (AE)

Atlas design, layout and production were creatively and conscientiously carried out by project staff:

Dale Hite (1990-94) - Graphic Designer and Publishing Coordinator
Karen Parrish-Hite (1992-94) - Typesetter and Layout Artist