Type:
Research Report
Link:
https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/4845/
Authors:
Karine Bédard -
Félix-Antoine Comeau -
Emmanuelle Millet -
Dr. Jasmin Raymond - Professor, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
Michel Malo -
Erwan Gloaguen -
Citation:
Bédard, K., Comeau, F., Millet, E., Raymond, J., Malo, M., and Gloaguen, E. 2016. Évaluation des ressources géothermiques du bassin des Basses-Terres du Saint-Laurent. Rapport de recherche (R1659). INRS, Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec. https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/4845
Abstract:
Deep sedimentary basins are targeted worldwide for geothermal resource exploration. It is in this context that the St. Lawrence Lowlands basin was studied in this study. The use of a 3D geological model of the basin enabled geothermal parameters to be modelled at all points in the model. In fact, thermal conductivity and heat generation constant were evaluated for all the basin's geological units and were subsequently integrated into the 3D model. In addition, downhole temperature data were used as the basis for modelling of the temperature at depth in the basin. These temperatures were corrected for the effect of drilling operations as well as for paleoclimatic variations. These equilibrium-corrected data were used to calculate the geothermal gradient associated with each measurement. The integration of all these data into the 3D model enabled us to calculate the surface heat flux according to three scenarios pessimistic, average and optimistic scenarios. This heat flux was interpolated over the entire territory of the St. Lawrence Lowlands using sequential Gaussian simulations. The temperature at depth was then was calculated at every point in the 3D model. The temperature distribution at depth identified two positive temperature anomalies that could indicate regions more conducive to the development of deep geothermal energy. These are the Montreal South Shore and Arthabaska-Érable anomalies. Temperatures within these anomalies reach 120°C at depths of around 4,000 metres and 150°C at around 5,000 metres. Temperatures in excess of 120°C are reached in the Precambrian basement within the Rive-Sud de Montréal anomaly. However, temperatures of 120 and 150°C are found in sedimentary rocks in the Arthabaska-Érable anomaly. Finally, we note that the electrical power available from all the BTSLs is of the order of 45,000 MWe with a recovery factor of 20%. However, only 4% of this electrical power is contained in sedimentary rocks sedimentary rocks, at depths of around 4 to 7 kilometers. What's more, only 1% of the available available is contained in the Potsdam Group at over 150°C, mainly at depths of 6 to 7 kilometers.
Acknowledgements:
We would like to thank Marc-André Richard of the Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ) for his collaboration in understanding the concepts of geothermal resources and electrical power. We would also like Maher Nasr of INRS for sharing his laboratory data acquired as part of his master's degree. This research project benefits from the financial support of the FRQNT with a research project on strategic initiatives pour l'innovation (FRQNT) and the Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ).
Keywords:
3D temperature model; St. Lawrence Lowlands basin; geothermal resources; regional scale