Groundwater temperatures in the Athabasca Oil Sands area, Alberta

1978 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1689-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Hackbarth
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Geophysical Logs ◽  
Devonian Age ◽  
Observation Wells ◽  
Made In

Bottom-hole temperatures were measured in groundwater observation wells in the Athabasca Oil Sands area of Alberta. Depth of observation varies from 6–581 m in rocks of Holocene, Cretaceous, and Devonian age. Observations of temperature at various depths at a particular location were made in individual wells.At depths of 300 and 400 m, a correlation of both hydraulic head-loss and temperature with the elevation of the land surface at the observation well indicates that groundwater flow is the dominant parameter controlling subsurface temperatures. The control of groundwater flow on temperature and the location of observation wells in different positions in the groundwater flow system means that temperatures are not well correlated with depth.Bottom-hole temperatures from geophysical logs made in the area are significantly higher than values observed nearby at similar depths during this study. Published thermal gradient maps based upon information from geophysical logs give values which are about twice as high as those calculated with the present data.At depths less than about 60 m temperatures varied widely and at many well sites declined with depth. The average temperature of shallow groundwater was 5.9 °C at an average depth of 12.7 m. This fact indicated that the mean annual air temperature of −0.6 °C should not be used to approximate the temperature of shallow groundwater.

scholarly journals WRF Model Simulations of the Influence of the Athabasca Oil Sands Development on Convective Storms

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Brown ◽  
Gerhard Reuter
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Initiation Time ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Surface Disturbance

Abstract The Athabasca oil sands development has created a land surface disturbance of almost 900 km2 in northeastern Alberta. Both through industrial processes and the removal of boreal forest vegetation, this surface disturbance impacts meteorology in the vicinity by releasing waste heat, raising the surface temperature, and lowering the surface humidity. To investigate the effects of the Athabasca oil sands development on thunderstorm intensity, initiation time, and duration, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model was employed to simulate the effect of the surface disturbance on atmospheric conditions on 10 case study days. The results suggested the oil sands surface disturbance was not associated with substantial increases in thunderstorm intensity on any of the case study days. On two case study days, however, the WRF Model simulations differed substantially from the observed meteorological conditions and only approached the observations when the oil sands surface disturbance was included in the model simulation. Including the oil sands surface disturbance in the model simulations resulted in thunderstorm initiation about 2 h earlier and increased thunderstorm duration. Data from commercial aircraft showed that the 850–500-mb temperature difference was greater than 30°C (very unstable) only on these 2 days. Such cases are sufficiently rare that they are not expected to affect the overall thunderstorm climatology. Still, in these very unstable cases, the oil sands development appears to have a significant effect on thunderstorm initiation time and duration.

Natural temporal variations in the chemistry of shallow groundwater, Athabasca Oil Sands area, Alberta

1981 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 1599-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Hackbarth
Keyword(s):  
Coefficient Of Variation ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Total Dissolved Solids ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Dissolved Solids ◽  
Dissolved Carbon ◽  
Pattern Of Variation

Significant natural variation of the chemistry of shallow groundwater was observed from 1977 through 1979 in three wells located in the Athabasca Oil Sands area, Alberta. The wells are between 5 and 8 m deep and are located in boreal forest far from any direct influence by man.The coefficient of variation of total dissolved solids for the well sampled monthly for 35 months was 34%, while those for the two wells sampled bi-monthly were 21 and 11%. The coefficient of variation for individual constituents was generally higher than the above values.An annual pattern of variation in shallow groundwater chemistry is recognized. Calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate reach lowest annual concentration in the spring and rise rapidly by early summer. Concentration of these ions gradually decreases through fall and winter. This cycle is related to the abundance of dissolved carbon dioxide in recharge water and is controlled to a great extent by the abundant muskeg.Spring and fall are typically times of highest sulfate concentrations. This is coincident with recharge events and is related to leaching of sulfur compounds. High chloride during winter is related to slower rates of groundwater flow and the consequent increased opportunity for release of ions from chloride-bearing minerals.Information from other wells in the Athabasca Oil Sands area indicates that the coefficient of variation of total dissolved solids with respect to time generally decreases with depth. Coefficients of variation might be expected to be as high as 35% at depths of 10 m; the range declines to a relatively constant 4% at depths greater than 150 m.

Regional aquifer parameters evaluated during mine depressurization in the Athabasca Oil Sands, Alberta

1980 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Hackbarth
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Type Curve ◽  
Pumping Tests ◽  
Oil Saturation ◽  
Aquifer Parameters ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Observation Wells ◽  
Regional Aquifer

Withdrawal of groundwater for depressurization of the "water sands aquifer" under a test pit in the Athabasca Oil Sands of Alberta caused declines in hydraulic heads in two observation wells located 3700 and 6600 m away. Analysis of these declines over a 6 month period by the time–drawdown method indicated transmissivity values of 68 m2/day for both wells. Pumping tests of 24 h duration had previously indicated that transmissivities at the two observation wells were 1.2 and 118 m2/day.Geological assessment of the water sands aquifer revealed that it is discontinuous between the test pit and the observation wells. Variations in lithology and heavy oil saturation as well as relief on the underlying limestone indicate that the water sands aquifer does not meet the "homogeneous and isotropic" criteria necessary for application of the Theis method of analysis. Nevertheless, the excellent fit of the time–drawdown data to the type curve and the identical values obtained for transmissivity indicate that the method can be used for pumping tests of long duration, which reflect conditions over extensive areas of the water sands aquifer.

scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical and Isotopic Constraints on the Pattern of a Deep Circulation Groundwater Flow System

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiting Long ◽  
Keneng Zhang ◽  
Ruiqiang Yuan ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Zhenling Liu
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Hot Spring ◽  
Flow System ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Geothermal Reservoir ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Groundwater Flow System ◽  
Deep Circulation

Characterization of a deep circulation groundwater flow system is a big challenge, because the flow field and aqueous chemistry of deep circulation groundwater is significantly influenced by the geothermal reservoir. In this field study, we employed a geochemical approach to recognize a deep circulation groundwater pattern by combined the geochemistry analysis with isotopic measurements. The water samples were collected from the outlet of the Reshui River Basin which has a hot spring with a temperature of 88 °C. Experimental results reveal a fault-controlled deep circulation geothermal groundwater flow system. The weathering crust of the granitic mountains on the south of the basin collects precipitation infiltration, which is the recharge area of the deep circulation groundwater system. Water infiltrates from the land surface to a depth of about 3.8–4.3 km where the groundwater is heated up to around 170 °C in the geothermal reservoir. A regional active normal fault acts as a pathway of groundwater. The geothermal groundwater is then obstructed by a thrust fault and recharged by the hot spring, which is forced by the water pressure of convection derived from the 800 m altitude difference between the recharge and the discharge areas. Some part of groundwater flow within a geothermal reservoir is mixed with cold shallow groundwater. The isotopic fraction is positively correlated with the seasonal water table depth of shallow groundwater. Basic mineral dissolutions at thermoneutral conditions, hydrolysis with the aid of carbonic acid produced by the reaction of carbon dioxide with the water, and hydrothermal alteration in the geothermal reservoir add some extra chemical components into the geothermal water. The alkaline deep circulation groundwater is chemically featured by high contents of sodium, sulfate, chloride, fluorine, silicate, and some trace elements, such as lithium, strontium, cesium, and rubidium. Our results suggest that groundwater deep circulation convection exists in mountain regions where water-conducting fault and water-blocking fault combined properly. A significant elevation difference of topography is the other key.

scholarly journals The Effects of Plume Episodes on PAC Profiles in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 117014
Author(s):  
Narumol Jariyasopit ◽  
Tom Harner ◽  
Cecilia Shin ◽  
Richard Park
Keyword(s):  
Oil Sands ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands Region

scholarly journals Identifying Reservoir Features via iSOR Response Behaviour

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 427
Author(s):  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Ian Gates
Keyword(s):  
Oil Sands ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Athabasca Oil Sands ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Heterogeneous Reservoirs ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Response Behaviour

To extract viscous bitumen from oil sands reservoirs, steam is injected into the formation to lower the bitumen’s viscosity enabling sufficient mobility for its production to the surface. Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is the preferred process for Athabasca oil sands reservoirs but its performance suffers in heterogeneous reservoirs leading to an elevated steam-to-oil ratio (SOR) above that which would be observed in a clean oil sands reservoir. This implies that the SOR could be used as a signature to understand the nature of heterogeneities or other features in reservoirs. In the research reported here, the use of the SOR as a signal to provide information on the heterogeneity of the reservoir is explored. The analysis conducted on prototypical reservoirs reveals that the instantaneous SOR (iSOR) can be used to identify reservoir features. The results show that the iSOR profile exhibits specific signatures that can be used to identify when the steam chamber reaches the top of the formation, a lean zone, a top gas zone, and shale layers.

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