Fluid/Rock Interactions in Canada’s Geothermal Systems

The purpose of this project is to understand physical and chemical interactions between geothermal fluids and geothermal reservoir rocks.  Geothermal fluids include hydrothermal water, basin brines and engineered geofluids such as captured supercritical CO2.  Reservoir rocks of interest are carbonates, sandstones and crystalline rocks.  Research will involve determining the kinetics of fluid/rock chemical reactions at reservoir conditions, the effects these reactions will have on the long term productivity of the reservoir, and the risks these reactions may pose to industrial infrastructure.  

Research is focused on specific reservoirs in the Western Canadian Sedimentary, with a view towards global applicability.  Fluid/rock interactions are studied in the context of specific reservoir models that also being built in the context of this project.


Faculty and academic staff involved in this project include:

Jonathan Banks (EAS): experimental geochemistry; geochemical modeling

Nick Harris (EAS): Reservoir Modeling


Victor Liu (Petroleum and Mining ENG): Numerical simulations


Dan Alessi (EAS): Brine geochemistry; brine analytical chemistry


Rick Chalaturnyk (CivE): Geomechanics; cross-over to CO2 theme

Characterizing Deep Basin Siliciclastic Reservoirs for Geothermal Use Near Hinton, Alberta

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris, Christopher Noyahr

Conference/Workshop

Completed Lab Renovations

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris

Misc: Lab Development

Geothermal resource characterization of the Slave Point Formation at Clarke Lake Field, B.C., Canada

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris, Evan Renaud

Conference/Workshop

Geothermal resource characterization of the Slave Point Formation at Clarke Lake Field, B.C., Canada

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris, Evan Renaud

Conference/Workshop

Hired Therme Adminstrator

Jonathan Banks, Martyn Unsworth

Misc

Petrophysical Characterization of a Geothermal Reservoir near Hinton, Alberta

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris, Christopher Noyahr

Conference/Workshop

Ross River Geothermal Well Drilling

Jonathan Banks

Misc: Research

APEGA Summit Award

Lianne Lefsrud

Award

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Analysis of Alberta Precambrian Basement core and modelling the fracture characteristics necessary to for operating and Enhanced Geothermal System in the Alberta Precambrian Basement

Jonathan Banks, Samuel Johnson

Bachelors Thesis

Dynamic geothermal reservoir modeling in the Clarke Lake Gas Field, NE British Columbia

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris, Evan Renaud

Research Report

Estimating parasitic loads related to brine production from a hot sedimentary aquifer geothermal project: a case study from the Clarke Lake gas field, British Columbia

Jonathan Banks, Evan Renaud, Arif Rabbani

Scholarly Refereed Journal

Geothermal Theme Website

Jonathan Banks, Shyra Craig

Website

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Identifying potential scale-forming minerals minerals from Leduc brines during geothermal power production

Jonathan Banks, Ashley Went

Bachelors Thesis

Lab Equipment Installation

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris

Misc: lab Development

Long-term Prediction on a Tube-and-annulus Geothermal Production Model via Abandoned Oil/gas Wells in Hinton, Alberta, Canada

Jonathan Banks, Wei Victor Liu, Alex Hu

Scholarly Refereed Journal

Resource Assessment of Geothermal Reservoir in Western Alberta and Evaluation of Utilization Options Using Non-Renewable Energy Displacement

Casey Lavigne

Masters Thesis

Sedimentary Basin Geothermal Favourabiity Mapping and Power Generation Assessments.

Jonathan Banks

Scholarly Refereed Journal

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Techno-economic Assessment of Geothermal Energy Resources in the Sedimentary Basin in Northeastern British Columbia

Jonathan Banks

Research Report

Thermodynamic equilibrium models of geochemical risks associated with geothermal energy production and storage in the Upper Rhein Graben, Germany

Jonathan Banks

Scholarly Refereed Journal

Using Oil and Gas Data to Estimate Geothermal Resources in Sedimentary Basing: A Case Study from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

Jonathan Banks, Nick Harris

Scholarly Refereed Journal