Type:
Presentation/Poster
Link:
Alberta #1: The Province’s First Electrical Geothermal Project
Authors:
Catherine Hickson, Mark Kumataka, Payam Akto, Darrell Cotterill, Dick Benoit, Roy Eccles, Marc Colombina, and Sean Collins. Terrapin Geothermics Ltd. 10707 100 Ave NW #750, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5J 3M1
Citation:
Hickson, C., Kumataka, M., Akto, P., Cotterill, D., Benoit, D., Eccles, R., Colombina, M., Collins, S. GRC Annual Meeting 2019. (Poster) Sept. 2019
Abstract:
The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) is known to have warm to hot brines in large extractable volumes from permeable, hydrocarbon-bearing units. The WCSB encompasses the Municipal District of Greenview (MDGV), located in Alberta’s northwestern region. Preliminary resource investigations indicated that there was an economically viable resource under the MDGV. Alberta #1, as the project has been named, will provide the Tri-Municipal Industrial Park (TMIP) with electrical and thermal energy. The research suggests that temperatures above 120°C are attainable at depths of 3,500 m and below. The target formations at these depths are the Swan Hills, Granite Wash, Gilwood, the basement unconformity, and the basement itself, all which lie below the hydrocarbon and shale-rich Duvernay Formation. Very few wells within the TMIP have been drilled to the basement or below the Duvernay Formation. There is limited flow rate test data on the target formations but, extrapolating from similar target formations elsewhere, flow rates in 7-inch pipe are anticipated to exceed 30 l/s, with 300 l/s required for 8MWe (gross) generation. Fluid chemistry modelling of existing analytical data suggests that there will be no major issues with mixing of formation waters and proposed injection into the Leduc Formation. The project is poised to begin the exploration phase as, in August 2019, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources announced funding of $25.45 million for the project from Natural Resources Canada’s Emerging Renewable Power Program.