Government of Alberta Announces Plan to Introduce Regulatory Framework for Geothermal Projects

Oct. 7, 2020- This morning, the Government of Alberta announced that discussions will be held this fall to introduce legislation to create a policy and regulatory framework for the geothermal energy industry. Currently, geothermal projects in Alberta are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and the Government of Alberta has recognized that a framework specifically designed for for geothermal projects is necessary for the future of the industry. This geothermal policy will help projects develop in Alberta while protecting landowners and mineral rights owners, as well as establish an approach to land use and liability management.

There are currently 3 active geothermal projects in Alberta:

• Eavor: Eavor-Lite demonstration project near Rocky Mountain House

• Razor Energy: Oil-geothermal co-production project near Swan Hills

• Alberta No. 1: Direct heat use and power project south of Grande Prairie

UNESCO Project IGCP636 Webinars

The UNESCO project IGCP636, of which the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), CanmetENERGY, and Université Laval are cooperating institutions, is organizing a series of webinars.

The first presentation of this series occurred September 28, 2020, and the recording can be found through this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yoONYdXhpN6VMOp0Rw1S7AOLKYA8Pxgl/view

The following presentations are planned:

- Monday October 26th: Hamza (Ecole Nationale Polytechnique de Constantine)
- Monday December 14th: Ignasi (Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia)

Geoconvention 2020 - Geothermal Session

Geoconvention 2020
Sept. 21-23, 2020
Virtual Event

Geoconvetion 2020 begins today with over 600 technical presentations. There will be a full-day geothermal session on Tuesday, titled “Latest advances in geothermal exploration and development in Canada”, chaired by Stephen Grasby and Grant Ferguson.

Schedule

Tuesday Morning (Sept. 22):

8:35-9:00 Williston Basin Geothermal Power Project Development - Kirsten Marcia

9:00-9:25 Renewing and Rethinking the University of Regina Geothermal Test Well Project of 1979 - Janis Dale

9:25-9:50 Alberta No. 1 ‐ the Province's first conventional deep geothermal power project - Catherine Hickson

9:50-10:35 COFFEE BREAK

10:35-11:00 Geothermal Resource Characterization of the Middle Devonian Carbonate Reef Reservoir at Clarke Lake Field, Fort Nelson, B.C., Canada - Matthew Minnick

11:00-11:25 Bedrock fracture study of the Mount Meager Area: implications to geothermal reservoir characterization - Stephen Grasby

11:25-11:50 Geothermal drilling and well completions in comparison to oil and gas practices in low temperature - Catherine Hickson

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Tuesday Afternoon (Sept. 22):

1:25-1:50 Coupled Thermo‐Hydro‐Mechanical (THM) model for Geothermal Energy Extraction from Fractured Rock Masses - Maurice  Dusseault

1:50-2:15 Thermo‐hydro‐mechanical (THM) modeling of borehole breakouts for in‐ situ stress determination in geothermal exploration - Shunde Yin

2:15-2:40 Subsurface Characterization Methods for Multilateral Closed Loop Geothermal Systems. Case Study of Field Scale Technology Demonstration Project in Alberta, Canada - Jeanine Vany

2:40-3:20 COFFEE BREAK

3:20-3:45 Post‐Eocene kinematics of faults that host potential geothermal systems in southeastern British Columbia - Theron Finley

3:45-4:10 Resource Estimations for Conventional Deep Geothermal Projects -Katie Huang

4:10-4:35 Alberta Precambrian Basement: Implications for EGS Development - Spencer Poulette

The Narwhal: Why Canada’s geothermal industry is finally gaining ground

About a year after a Narwhal article outlined why geothermal is not taking off in Canada, the industry in Canada is more active and gaining more traction. There are several geothermal projects across the country in various stages of development and geothermal energy is now commonly considered when politicians and the public discuss renewable energy options.

The Narwhal’s recent article, “Why Canada’s geothermal industry is finally gaining ground” provides an excellent overview of the current political and economic climate that has been favourable for the geothermal industry. Read about the DEEP project in Saskatchewan, the Alberta No. 1 project outside of Grande Prairie, the Clarke Lake project in northeast British Columbia, and the Razor project near Swan Hills, Alberta. The author also touches on the history of the industry in Canada, recent federal funding granted to several projects, the importance of geothermal heat, and synergies with the oil and gas industry