Geothermal Energy for Northern Canada: Is it Economical?

Majorowicz, Jacek; Grasby, Stephen E.

doi:10.1007/s11053-013-9199-3

Cited by 25 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…10f), the BMB is more comparable to the Slave Craton with q < 70 mW m À ² than to the Canadian Cordillera (59-64°N) or the Wopmay Orogen region, both with q > 90 mW m À ² (Lewis et al, 2003;Majorowicz & Grasby, 2013). 10f), the BMB is more comparable to the Slave Craton with q < 70 mW m À ² than to the Canadian Cordillera (59-64°N) or the Wopmay Orogen region, both with q > 90 mW m À ² (Lewis et al, 2003;Majorowicz & Grasby, 2013).…”

Section: Influence Of the Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Considering the heat flow at the base of permafrost (q = 33-57 mW m À ²; Fig. 10f), the BMB is more comparable to the Slave Craton with q < 70 mW m À ² than to the Canadian Cordillera (59-64°N) or the Wopmay Orogen region, both with q > 90 mW m À ² (Lewis et al, 2003;Majorowicz & Grasby, 2013). The reason for that primarily lies in the amount of radiogenic heat produced by the upper crust and sediments, which -according to our temperature-validated thermal model -does not exceed S = 1.5 lW m À ³ in the BMB (Table 1), reaches S = 2.3 lW m À ³ in the Slave Craton and is as high as S = 3.2 lW m À ³ and S = 4.8 lW m À ³ in the Cordillera and Wopmay provinces, respectively (Lewis et al, 2003).…”

Section: Influence Of the Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Deep vs. shallow controlling factors of the crustal thermal field – insights from 3D modelling of theBeaufort‐MackenzieBasin (ArcticCanada)

et al. 2014

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Significant lateral variations in observed temperatures in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin raise the question on the temperature-controlling factors. Based on the structural configuration of the sediments and underlying crust in the area, we calculate the steady-state 3D conductive thermal field. Integrated data include the base of the relic permafrost layer representing the 0°C-isotherm, public-domain temperature data (from 227 wells) and thermal conductivity data. For >75% of the wells the predicted temperatures deviate by <10 K from the observed temperatures, which validates the overall model setup and adopted thermal properties. One important trend reproduced by the model is a decrease in temperatures from the western to the eastern basin. While in the west, a maximum temperature of 185°C is reached at 5000 m below sea level, in the east the maximum temperature is 138°C. The main cause for this pattern lies in lateral variations in thermal conductivity indicating differences in the shale and sand contents of the different juxtaposed sedimentary units. North-tosouth temperature trends reveal the superposition of deep and shallow effects. At the southern margin, where the insulating effect of the low-conductive sediments is missing, temperatures are lowest. Farther north, where the sub-sedimentary continental crust is thick enough to produce considerable heat and a thick pile of sediments efficiently stores heat, temperatures tend to be highest. Temperatures decrease again towards the northernmost distal parts of the basin, where thinned continental and oceanic crust produce less radiogenic heat. Wells with larger deviations of the purely conductive model from the temperature observations (>15 K at 10% of the wells) and their basin-wide pattern of misfit tendency (too cold vs. too warm temperature predictions) point to a locally restricted coupling of heat transport to groundwater flow.

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Section: Influence Of the Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Influence Of the Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep vs. shallow controlling factors of the crustal thermal field – insights from 3D modelling of theBeaufort‐MackenzieBasin (ArcticCanada)

et al. 2014

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“…Geothermal energy is a renewable, clean, and sustainable energy stored in the form of heat beneath the earthÕs surface (Procesi et al 2013;Majorowicz and Grasby 2014). Geothermal power plants convert the energy of hot rocks into electricity using water in place to absorb heat from the rock and transport it to the earthÕs surface, where it is converted to electrical energy through turbine generators (Gallup 2009;Pathak et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of Power Production from Dry Geothermal Well Using Down-hole Heat Exchanger in Sabalan Field, Northwest Iran

2015

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In this research, a simulation was performed for evaluating power production from an abandoned geothermal well as an enhanced geothermal system by injecting a secondary fluid. Abandoned wells, due to lack of fluid or very low transmissivity, are regarded among the low-to moderate-temperature resources that have the potential for heat production without any cost for deep drilling. Accordingly, they are taken as suitable sources of energy. In the present paper, an abandoned geothermal well at Meshkinshahr geothermal field in Sabalan district, northwestern Iran, with 3176 m depth was simulated. The bottom-hole temperature of 148°C, as well as well casing size, and real thermal gradient for well were applied in the model. A 3D heat transfer simulation model was designed by considering a coaxial pipe as a down-hole heat exchanger between surrounding rocks of the well and injected fluid. Injected fluid to the well with specified pressure and temperature receives heat from rocks surrounding the well, until it reaches the bottom of the well and converts to vapor. The vapor returns to the surface from inner pipe with very low heat loss during its return. The inner pipe is isolated by a thin layer having a low heat conductivity to prevent heat loss from the returned fluid. It was observed that obtained heat in the well depends on temperature profile of the well, injection velocity, and fluid mass flow rate. The model results were optimized by selecting suitable parameters such as inlet injection speed and fluid flow rate to achieve the highest temperature of the fluid returned from the well. A binary power plant was also modeled to determine the extractable power using returned fluid as input using ammonia and isobutene, as working fluids in binary cycle. Finally, electric power of 270 kW was generated from well NWS3 using designed down-hole heat exchanger.

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“…Low heat flow density found in the continental part of Northern Québec Q = 40 mW/m 2 is some 20 mWm 2 lower than that to the south in the Platform (Majorowicz and Minea 2012;Blackwell and Richards 2004). The lack of a sedimentary, low conductive thermal blanket above a high conductive crystalline granitic crust in Precambrian crystalline rocks within the Canadian Shield (Majorowicz and Grasby 2013), and particulalrly in Northern Québec (Majorowicz and Minea 2012), is another factor.…”

Section: Deep Temperature Regime Deep Heat Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous geothermal potential studies across Canada focused mainly on the Western Sedimentary Basin, Mackenzie Corridor, Canadian Arctic and Northern Canadian Cordillera (Majorowicz and Grasby 2013;Majorowicz and Moore 2014). The first preliminary heat flow density and temperature-at-depth maps developed for southeastern Quebec in eastern Canada (Minea and Majorowicz 2011;Majorowicz and Minea 2012) showed areas that could potentially provide temperatures above 120°C from deep hydrothermal aquifers located at depths varying from 4 to 5 km in southern Quebec.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shallow and deep geothermal energy potential in low heat flow/cold climate environment: northern Québec, Canada, case study

Majorowicz¹,

Minea

2015

Environ Earth Sci

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Northern Québec, a large and cold climate territory located north of the 49th parallel, has low average heat flow density (40 ± 9 mW/m 2 ) typical of the Canadian Shield. The lack of the thermal blanket otherwise provided by sediments in the platform of southern Québec results in deep drilling requirements for potential mining heat (80°C at some 5 km). Drilling doublet or triplet well systems at such depths into low-enthalpy granitic rocks would be expensive; however, in some cases of heat flow higher by one standard deviation of the mean and fracked permeability allowing flow rates [30 kg/s may make this heat useable in the future. Other options in providing heat are more likely to be applied earlier. These would include shallow geothermal energy use with heat pumps in granites by placement of artificial heat exchanges by directional loop drilling. These systems may have promise in Northern Québec due to its very cold climate and extremely high energy cost based on diesel oil heating for remote communities and mining areas. Findings show that recent industrial age climatic warming increased the mean underground temperatures in the upper circa couple hundred meters. This has resulted in temperature gains and energy ground storage.

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Geothermal Energy for Northern Canada: Is it Economical?

Cited by 25 publications

References 12 publications

Deep vs. shallow controlling factors of the crustal thermal field – insights from 3D modelling of theBeaufort‐MackenzieBasin (ArcticCanada)

Deep vs. shallow controlling factors of the crustal thermal field – insights from 3D modelling of theBeaufort‐MackenzieBasin (ArcticCanada)

Simulation of Power Production from Dry Geothermal Well Using Down-hole Heat Exchanger in Sabalan Field, Northwest Iran

Shallow and deep geothermal energy potential in low heat flow/cold climate environment: northern Québec, Canada, case study

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