Using Oil and Gas Data to Assess Geothermal Resources Within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta

The Alberta No. 1 Project is a planned geothermal plant in the province of Alberta that will produce 5MWe net of power and supply direct heat to offtakers. To constrain areas most feasible for the project, we identified areas where (1) the temperature gradient is sufficiently high for power production, (2) there are formations at the depths targeted with known high fluid flows, and (3) there is adequate existing infrastructure that supports low-cost power grid connection as well as direct use applications. Nine such areas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin within Alberta were identified and assessed for these three constraining factors. This paper focuses on temperature studies that were undertaken for each area. A fluid temperature of at least 120°C at depths of 4,500m or less is required to profitably operate the plant. Here, we use the extensive oil and gas database in the province and compare several methods of interpreting this data in an effort to determine true gradient and bottom-hole temperature.