Geothermal exploration of Paleozoic formations in Central Alberta

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 519-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Weides ◽  
Inga Moeck ◽  
Jacek Majorowicz ◽  
Dan Palombi ◽  
Matthias Grobe
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Geothermal Gradient ◽  
Rock Properties ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Geothermal Reservoirs ◽  
Geostatistical Methods ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Alberta Basin

This study explores the distribution of Paleozoic formations in the Central Alberta Basin and investigates rock properties with regard to their usability as geothermal reservoirs. The study area of this regional-scale investigation is about 160 km × 200 km in size and located around Edmonton where the basin depth ranges between 1.8 and 3.5 km. A three-dimensional (3D) geological model was developed based on stratigraphic tops from about 7000 wells from the database of the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS). Spatial distribution and thickness of deep formations were established in the 3D geological model. Porosity and permeability of four Devonian carbonate formations — Cooking Lake, Leduc, and Nisku formations, and Wabamun Group — were investigated using data from more than 50 000 core analyses. Average porosity of the Devonian strata in the study area ranges from 4.5% (Nisku) to 8.7% (Wabamun), average permeability is between 3.5 × 10−15 m2 (Wabamun) and 26 × 10−15 m2 (Leduc). The distribution of both parameters was analyzed using geostatistical methods. Based on an average geothermal gradient and the geometry of formations from the 3D modeling study, an estimation of formation temperatures for the Paleozoic formations is presented. Temperature in the Cambrian Basal Sandstone Unit ranges from 62 °C in the shallower northeast (1.8 km) to 122 °C in the deeper southwest (3.5 km); temperature in the Devonian strata ranges from 22 to 87 °C. With these new results, potential geothermal reservoirs can be delineated in the Alberta Basin around Edmonton, enabling future detailed exploration and field development.

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation of Mining-Induced Stress Evolution and Fault Slip Behavior in Deep Mining

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Zhenhua Jiao ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Jiong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Rock Burst ◽  
Underground Mining ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Elastic Strain Energy ◽  
Fault Reactivation ◽  
Reverse Fault ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Stress Evolution ◽  
3D Geological Model

The ground pressure distributes significant variation in underground mining near fault. Fault reactivation is an important factor to induce the rock burst. Therefore, characterizing geological settings in mining areas by the geological information can improve the accuracy of simulation. To investigate the characteristic of mining stress evolution and reactivation of the F16 reverse fault during the retreat Mining-Induced s in Yima coalfield, a three-dimensional digital elevation model based on GIS platform was applied. The 3D geological model includes three working faces, and F16 fault was constructed by AutoCAD software. Then, the 3D geological model was imported into the FLAC3D code to simulate the potential of mining-induced fault reactivation. The simulation results illustrate that the footwall of F16 fault is a high stress concentration area. Affected by F16 fault and the huge thick gravel rock in the roof, the coal seam near the fault accumulates a large amount of elastic strain energy, which increases the potential of rock burst hazards in the process of mining.

scholarly journals IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF FIELD DEVELOPMENT IN APPLYINGHIGH-RESOLUTION VOLUMETRIC SEISMIC AND GEOLOGICAL SUPPORT DRILLING IN THE STRUCTURAL UNCERTAINTY THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOLOGICAL MODEL

2015 ◽  
pp. 11-19
Author(s):  
R. M. Bembel ◽  
I. A. Schetinin
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Structural Uncertainty ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Maximum Increase ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Geologic Model

We consider a method of increasing the efficiency of field development through the use of high-resolution seismic building bulk maps at a scale of 1: 10,000 to isolate destruction subvertical zones that are potentially capable of producing a maximum increase in production when placing wells in these areas. Control test results showed high-resolution volumetric seismic confirmation of the results in 76% of cases. For maximum efficiency, the wiring holes at localized areas recommend the use of technology drilling geological support aimed at the most efficient collectors of penetration of the best quality. Control of the position of the barrel during drilling using the 3D geologic model allows tunneling in subvertical zones degradation.

scholarly journals Study on the Construction of 3D Geological Model of Quaternary Loose Sedimentary Strata Based on the Global Stratigraphic Discrete Points

Water ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Jixiang Zhu ◽  
Yan Lu ◽  
Guanghui Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyuan Zhou ◽  
Guangjun Ji
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Discrete Control ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Stratigraphic Sequence ◽  
3D Geological Modeling ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Variation Characteristics

Accurately depicting the spatial structure characteristics of Quaternary loose sedimentary strata is not only of great significance for the research of Quaternary geological evolution, but also for the analysis of spatial variation characteristics of the inner hydrogeological and engineering geological attributes of the strata. In this study, an approach for constructing a 3D geological model of Quaternary loose sedimentary strata is proposed based on global stratigraphical discrete points. The approach obtains the discrete control point set of each stratum by using limited borehole data for interpolation and encryption, and the contact relationships and intersection modes of adjacent strata can be determined via the analysis of stratigraphic sequence; finally, taking these as the professional basis, the construction of the 3D geological model of Quaternary loose sedimentary strata can be carried out. This application can not only accurately describe the three-dimensional spatial distribution characteristics of the Quaternary loose sedimentary strata, it can also be used to perform a layered simulation of the spatial variation characteristics of the inner geological properties of the Quaternary loose sedimentary strata, such as lithology, porosity, and water content, by taking the three-dimensional spatial framework of each stratum as the simulation boundary. Finally, this study takes the citizen center of Xiong’an new area as an example in order to verify the reliability and advancement of the 3D geological modeling scheme.

scholarly journals New regional stratigraphic insights from a 3D geological model of the Nasia sub-basin, Ghana, developed for hydrogeological purposes and based on reprocessed B-field data originally collected for mineral exploration

Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elikplim Abla Dzikunoo ◽  
Giulio Vignoli ◽  
Flemming Jørgensen ◽  
Sandow Mark Yidana ◽  
Bruce Banoeng-Yakubo
Keyword(s):  
Field Data ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Electromagnetic Data ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Airborne Electromagnetic

Abstract. Reprocessing of regional-scale airborne electromagnetic data is used to build a 3D geological model of the Nasia sub-basin, northern Ghana. The resulting 3D geological model consistently integrates all the prior pieces of information brought by electromagnetic data, lithologic logs, ground-based geophysical surveys, and geological knowledge of the terrain. The geo-modeling process is aimed at defining the lithostratigraphy of the area, chiefly to improve the stratigraphic definition of the area, and for hydrogeological purposes. The airborne electromagnetic measurements, consisting of GEOTEM B-field data, were originally collected for mineral exploration purposes. Thus, those B-field data had to be (re)processed and properly inverted as the original survey and data handling were designed for the detection of potential mineral targets and not for detailed geological mapping. These new geophysical inversion results, compared with the original conductivity–depth images, provided a significantly different picture of the subsurface. The new geophysical model led to new interpretations of the geological settings and to the construction of a comprehensive 3D geo-model of the basin. In this respect, the evidence of a hitherto unexposed system of paleovalleys could be inferred from the airborne data. The stratigraphic position of these paleovalleys suggests a distinctly different glaciation history from the known Marinoan events, commonly associated with the Kodjari formation of the Voltaian sedimentary basin. Indeed, the presence of the paleovalleys within the Panabako may be correlated with mountain glaciation within the Sturtian age, though no unequivocal glaciogenic strata have yet been identified. Pre-Marinoan glaciation is recorded in rocks of the Wassangara group of the Taoudéni Basin. The combination of the Marinoan and, possibly, Sturtian glaciation episodes, both of the Cryogenian period, can be an indication of a Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth. Hence, the occurrence of those geological features not only has important socioeconomic consequences – as the paleovalleys can act as reservoirs for groundwater – but also from a scientific point of view, they could be extremely relevant as their presence would require a revision of the present stratigraphy of the area.

scholarly journals Using a multiple variogram approach to improve the accuracy of subsurface geological models

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 786-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey MacCormack ◽  
Emmanuelle Arnaud ◽  
Beth L. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Regional Model ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Model Domain ◽  
Geological Models ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Data Points

Subsurface geological models are often used to visualize and analyze the nature, geometry, and variability of geologic and hydrogeologic units in the context of groundwater resource studies. The development of three-dimensional (3D) subsurface geological models covering increasingly larger model domains has steadily increased in recent years, in step with the rapid development of computing technology and software, and the increasing need to understand and manage groundwater resources at the regional scale. The models are then used by decision makers to guide activities and policies related to source water protection, well field development, and industrial or agricultural water use. It is important to ensure that the modelling techniques and procedures are able to accurately delineate and characterize the heterogeneity of the various geological environments included within the regional model domain. The purpose of this study is to examine if 3D stratigraphic models covering complex Quaternary deposits can be improved by splitting the regional model into multiple submodels based on the degree of variability observed between surrounding data points and informed by expert geological knowledge of the geological–depositional framework. This is demonstrated using subsurface data from the Paris Moraine area near Guelph in southern Ontario. The variogram models produced for each submodel region were able to better characterize the data variability, resulting in a more geologically realistic interpolation of the entire model domain as demonstrated by the comparison of the model output with preexisting maps of surficial geology and bedrock topography as well as depositional models for these complex glacial environments. Importantly, comparison between model outputs reveals significant differences in the resulting subsurface stratigraphy, complexity, and variability, which would in turn impact groundwater flow model predictions.

scholarly journals New regional stratigraphic insights from a 3D geological model of the Nasia Sub-basin, Ghana, developed for hydrogeological purposes and based on reprocessed B-field data, originally collected for mineral exploration

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elikplim Abla Dzikunoo ◽  
Giulio Vignoli ◽  
Flemming Jørgensen ◽  
Sandow Mark Yidana ◽  
Bruce Banoeng-Yakubo
Keyword(s):  
Field Data ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Electromagnetic Data ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Airborne Electromagnetic

Abstract. Re-processing of regional-scale airborne electromagnetic data is used in building a 3D geological model of the Nasia Sub-Basin, Northern Ghana. The resulting 3D geological model consistently integrates all the pieces of information brought by the electromagnetic data, lithologic logs, ground-based geophysical surveys and the prior geological knowledge of the terrain based on previous research. The geo-modelling process is aimed at defining the lithostratigraphy of the area, chiefly to improve the stratigraphic definition of the area as well as for hydrogeological purposes. The airborne electromagnetic measurements, consisting of GEOTEM B-field data, were originally collected for mineral exploration purposes. Thus, those B-field data had to be (re)processed and properly inverted as the original survey and data handling were designed for the detection of potential mineral targets and not for detailed geological mapping. These new geophysical inversion results, compared with the original Conductivity Depth Images, provided a significantly different picture of the subsurface. The new geophysical model led to new interpretations of the geological settings and to the construction of a comprehensive 3D geomodel of the basin. In this respect, the evidences of a hitherto unexposed paleovalley could be inferred from the airborne data. The stratigraphic position of these paleovalleys suggests a distinctly different glaciation history from the Marinoan events, commonly associated with the Kodjari formation of the Voltaian sedimentary basin. Indeed, their presence may be correlated to mountain glaciation within the Sturtian period though no unequivocal glaciogenic strata have yet been identified. This pre-Marinoan glaciation is recorded in rocks of the Wassangara group of the Taoudeni basin. The combination of the Marinoan and, possibly, Sturtian glaciation episodes, both of the Cryogenian period, can be an indication of a Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth. Hence, the occurrence of those geological features, do not only have an important socio-economic consequences – as the paleovalleys can act as reservoirs for groundwater – but, also from a scientific point of view, could be extremely relevant – as their presence would require a revision of the present stratigraphy of the area.

scholarly journals Evaluating quality of 3D geological models: a case study of horizon US2 in the Latitudinal Ob region

2019 ◽  
pp. 45-51
Author(s):  
Uliana Yu. Solopakhina
Keyword(s):  
Western Siberia ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
3D Geological Model ◽  
Geological Models ◽  
Hydrocarbon Reserves

In recent years, there has been a downward trend in easily recoverable hydrocarbon reserves in the Cretaceous sediments of Western Siberia. In this regard, interest in the horizon US2 has increased. Collectors of this horizon have a complex structure, which leads to the appearance of significant errors in geological models. The development of the methodological basis for the analysis of the accuracy of geological models, in particular three-dimensional, can solve this issue.The article gives a technique for analyzing the quality of a 3D geological model: a case study of horizon US2. As a result of the work, the following conclusions were drawn: firstly, there is the need to update geological models after drilling each well; secondly, the possible causes of the discrepancy between the actual and forecasted indices are revealed; thirdly, usage a map of the residuals of the absolute elevations of the horizon US2, as additional information, can minimize risks when drilling wells and increase the reliability of 3D geological model.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document