Type:
Research Report
Link:
Authors:
Dr. Stephen E. Grasby – Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada
Seyed Masoud Ansari – Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
Dr. René Barendregt – Professor, Department of Geography & Environment, University of Lethbridge
Antonina Calahorrano-Di Patre – PhD Candidate, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Zhuoheng Chen – Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada
James A. Craven – Academic Researcher, Geological Survey of Canada
Jan Dettmer – Associate Professor, University of Calgary
Hersh Gilbert – Associate Professor of Geoscience, University of Calgary
Dr. Cedar Hanneson – PhD Geophysics, University of Alberta
Martin Harris – MSc Geological Sciences, University of British Columbia
Fateme Hormozzade – Ph.D. Student, Carleton University
Sophie Leiter – Doctoral Candidate in Geology, Institut national de la recherche scientifique
Xiaojun (Jon) Liu – Physical Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada
Mahmud Muhammad – Ph.D. Candidate, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Steve Quane - Head Geologist, Sea to Sky Fire & Ice Geopark
Dr. James Kelly Russell - Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia
Dr. Rebecca O. Salvage – Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada
Dr. Geneviève Savard – PhD Geophysics, Earth Sciences, The University of Geneva
Dr. Victoria Tschirhart – Research Scientist, Geological Survey of Canada
Dr. Martyn Unsworth – Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics, University of Alberta
Dr. Nathalie Vigouroux-Caillibot – Instructor, Douglas College
Dr. Glyn Williams Jones – Professor, Department Chair, Co-director, Centre for Natural Hazards Research, Simon Fraser University
Andrew Williamson – Junior Field Geophysicist, University of Alberta
Zoë Vestrum – PhD Student, University of Alberta
Citation:
Grasby, S.E., Ansari, S.M., Barendregt, R.W., Borch, A., Calahorrano-DiPatre, A., Chen, Z., Craven, J.A., Demer, J., Gilbert, H., Hanneson, C., Harris, M., Hormozzade, F., Leiter, S., Liu, J., Muhammad, M., Quane, S.L., Russell, J.K., Salvage, R.O., Savard, G., Tschirhart, V., Unsworth, M.J., Vigouroux-Caillibot, N., Williams Jones, G., Williamson, A., Vestrum Z.E. Aug. 2021. Geoscience BC Report.
Abstract:
Canada seeks to meet a climate target of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, requiring developing new renewable-energy resources. Compared to other renewables, geothermal energy has numerous advantages, the most important of which is the ability to provide a stable baseload-power supply without the need for energy-storage solutions, as compared to intermittent sources such as wind or solar. However, this greater reliability of supply comes with much greater exploration risk. While it is relatively easy to determine where it is windy and sunny, defining a hot aquifer in the deep subsurface ultimately requires expensive drilling operations. Geoscience research is essential to develop new approaches to help reduce this exploration risk.
In response to the Energy Crises of the 1970’s, Canada initiated a Geothermal Energy Program that ran from 1975–1985, and provided the first insight into the thermal regime of Canada (Jessop, 2008; Grasby et al., 2011). This work included defining some of the highest temperature geothermal systems in Canada, those related to hot sedimentary basins (found in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, British Columbia [BC], Alberta and Saskatchewan), as well as volcanic belts (Yukon and BC). As part of this earlier program, geothermal-exploration wells were drilled in the Garibaldi volcanic belt of southwestern BC, near active thermal springs on the southern flank of Mount Meager. This drilling defined hightemperature geothermal resources, exceeding 250 °C (Jessop, 2008; Witter, 2019). However, the project was never economically viable because flow rates were too low to justify the power-transition cost over the distance required. While a technical success, in that the exploration program discovered a world-class thermal reservoir, development of the site was limited by the low permeability rocks at depth. Subsequent industry drilling defined higher permeability zones, but these have not been produced to date given the large hydraulic head differential for the well pads used (Witter, 2019).
With renewed interest in geothermal potential in Canada, a research project was initiated to help reduce exploration risk for geothermal energy associated with volcanic systems. The main aim of this work is to develop new techniques and tools that can be employed to predict the occurrence of hot and permeable aquifers in the sub-surface. To this end, a multidisciplinary geoscience field program, the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt Geothermal Energy Project, was initiated. The first phase reported on here was conducted at Mount Meager in the summer of 2019, with a reduced program in 2020 due to covid-19 restrictions. This report summarises the field program activities, the range of data collected as well as the raw data collected in Phase 1. Phase 2 of the project will integrate data reported here into new resource assessment models along with additional data collection in the broader Garibaldi Belt. Fully interpreted results will be presented in peer reviewed scientific journals.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of T. Jenkins and M. Bruce of Lil’wat First Nation in providing guidance in the field and logistical planning and wildlife monitoring. Pilots M. Accurrso, D. Vincent and R. Slinger of No Limits Helicopters provided expert service. Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. provided significant support to the field program through access to their field bunkhouse. Wayne Russell on Innergex was of great assistance throughout our field stay. Field assistance was provided by K. Biegel, R. Bryant, J. Smale, H. Su, A. Williamson and A. Wilson. Funding for this project was provided by Geoscience BC and Natural Resources Canada. The University of Alberta group was supported by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) through a Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) award (Future Energy Systems) and a Discovery Grant to M. Unsworth. The University of Calgary group was supported by funding from the Canada Research Co-ordinating Committee through a New Frontiers in Research Fund award and a Discovery Grant to J. Dettmer. Financial assistance was provided to R. Salvage by the Microseismic Industry Consortium. Heather King provided a helpful review and comments to improve this contribution.