Distribution of total dissolved solids in McMurray formation water in the Athabasca oil sands region, Alberta, Canada: Implications for regional hydrogeology and resource development

AAPG Bulletin

Volumn 99, Issue 1, 2015, Pages 77-90

  Cowie, Benjamin R ^a,b   James, Bruce ^c   Mayer, Bernhard ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY   (Canada)

^b HARVARD UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^c SUNCOR ENERGY INC   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AQUIFERS; DISSOLUTION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; FLOW OF WATER; GLACIAL GEOLOGY; HYDROGEOLOGY; OIL SANDS; PRODUCED WATER;

ATHABASCA OIL SANDS; FORMATION-WATER SALINITY; GOVERNMENT REPORTS; MCMURRAY FORMATIONS; PARTIAL DISSOLUTION; REGIONAL HYDROGEOLOGY; RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT; TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS;

WATER RESOURCES;

AQUIFER; CONCENTRATION (COMPOSITION); CRETACEOUS; DEVONIAN; DISSOLUTION; DISSOLVED LOAD; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT; EVAPORITE; FORMATION WATER; GLACIATION; HYDROGEOLOGY; KARST; OIL SAND; PRAIRIE; RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT; SALINITY; TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING;

ALBERTA; ATHABASCA; CANADA;

EID: 84923972680     PISSN: 01491423     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1306/07081413202     Document Type: Article

References (40)

1. Andriashek, L. D., and N. Atkinson, 2007, Buried Channels and Glacial-Drift Aquifers in the Fort McMurray Region, Northeast Alberta, Energy and Utilities Board: Alberta Geological Survey, Earth Sciences Report no. 2007-01, 170 p.
2. Anfort, S., S. Bachu, and L. Bentley, 2001, Regional-scale hydrogeology of the Upper Devonian-Lower Cretaceous sedimentary succession, south-central Alberta basin, Canada: AAPG Bulletin, v. 85, no. 4, p. 637-660.
3. Archie, G. E., 1942, The electrical resistivity log as an aid in determining some reservoir characteristics: Petroleum Transactions of AIME, v. 146, p. 54-62, doi:10.2118/942054-G.
4. Bachu, S., 1995, Synthesis and Model of Formation-Water Flow, Alberta Basin, Canada: AAPG Bulletin, v. 79, no. 8, p. 1159-1178.
5. Bachu, S., and J. R. Underschultz, 1993, Hydrogeology of formation waters, northeastern Alberta: AAPG Bulletin, v. 77, no. 10, p. 1745-1768.
6. Barson, D., S. Bachu, and P. Esslinger, 2001, Flow systems in the Mannville Group in the east-central Athabasca area and implications for steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), operations for in-situ bitumen production: Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, v. 49, no. 3, p. 376-392, doi:10.2113/49.3.376.
7. Broughton, P. L., 2013, Devonian salt dissolution-collapse breccias flooring the Cretaceous Athabasca oil sands deposit and development of lower McMurray Formation sinkholes, northern Alberta Basin, Western Canada: Sedimentary Geology, v. 283, p. 57-82, doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2012.11.004.
8. Christiansen, E. A., D. J. Gendzwill, and W. A. Meneley, 1982, Howe Lake: a hydrodynamic blowout structure: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 19, no. 6, p. 1122-1139, doi:10.1139/e82-097.
9. Connolly, C., L. Walter, H. Baadsgaard, and F. Longstaffe, 1990, Origin and evolution of formation waters, Alberta basin, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. 1. Chemistry: Applied Geochemistry, v. 5, no. 4, p. 375-395, doi:10.1016/0883-2927(90)90016-X.
10. Cooper, D., 2011, Oil sands leak turned mine to pond: Shell finds innovative fix for a never-before-seen problem: Edmonton Journal, October 15, 2011, p. B1.
11. Ford, D., and P. Williams, 2007, Karst Hydrogeology and Geomorphology: John Wiley and Sons Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 576 p.
12. Formolo, M. J., J. M. Salacup, S. T. Petsch, A. M. Martini, and K. Nusslein, 2008, A new model linking atmospheric methane sources to Pleistocene glaciation via methanogenesis in sedimentary basins: Geology, v. 36, no. 2, p. 139-142, doi:10.1130/G24246A.1.
13. Fustic, M., S. M. Hubbard, R. Spencer, D. G. Smith, D. A. Leckie, B. Bennett, and S. Larter, 2012, Recognition of down-valley translation in tidally influenced meandering fluvial deposits, Athabasca Oil Sands (Cretaceous), Alberta, Canada: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 29, no. 1, p. 219-232, doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2011.08.004.
14. George, R., 2013, Water - policy and government regulation for heavy oil and oil sands development: Geoconvention: 2013, Calgary, Alberta: accessed December 11, 2014, http://geoconvention.org/archives/2013abstracts/228-GC2013-Water-policy-and-government-regulation.pdf.
15. Government of Alberta, 2013, Oil Sands Information Portal: accessed August 22, 2013, http://www.osip.alberta.ca.
16. Grasby, S., and Z. Chen, 2005, Subglacial recharge into the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin - Impact of Pleistocene glaciation on basin hydrodynamics: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 117, no. 3-4, p. 500-514, doi:10.1130/B25571.1.
17. Griffiths, M., A. Taylor, and D. Woynillowicz, 2006, Troubled Waters, Troubling Trends: Pembina Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, p. 1-171.
18. Grobe, M., 2000, Distribution and thickness of salt within the Devonian Elk Point Group, Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Alberta Geological Survey: Earth Sciences Report 2000-02, 35 p.
19. Gue, A., 2012, The geochemistry of saline springs in the Athabasca oil sands region and their impact on the Clearwater and Athabasca Rivers: M.Sc. thesis, University of Calgary, 173 p.
20. Hayes, B. J., 2013, The changing role of water in the petroleum geologist's "unconventional world": Geoconvention: 2013, Calgary, Alberta: accessed December 11, 2014, http://geoconvention.org/archives/2013abstracts/223-GC2013-Changing-Role-of-Water.pdf
21. Hackbarth, D. A., and N. Nastasa, 1979, Groundwater Observation Well Network: Athabasca Oil Sands Area: Alberta Research Council, Information Series no. 69, p. 1-1272.
22. Jasechko, S., J. J. Gibson, S. J. Birks, and Y. Yi, 2012, Quantifying saline groundwater seepage to surface waters in the Athabasca oil sands region: Applied Geochemistry, v. 27, p. 2068-2076.
23. Ko, J., 2012, Accidents Do Happen: Shell Muskeg Tailings Pond. Water Matters Web Log: accessed June 10, 2014, http://www.water-matters.org/blog/465.
24. Lemay, T., 2002, Geochemical and Isotope Data Formation Water from Selected Wells, Cretaceous to Quaternary Succession, Athabasca Oil Sands (In-situ) Area, Alberta: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board: Alberta Geological Survey Geo-Note 2002-02, 71 p.
25. Martini, A. M., J. M. Budai, L. M. Walter, and M. Schoell, 1996, Microbial generation of economic accumulations of methane within a shallow organic-rich shale: Nature, v. 383, p. 155-158, doi:10.1038/383155a0.
26. Martini, A. M., L. M. Walter, J. M. Budai, T. Ku, C. J. Kaiser, and M. Schoell, 1998, Genetic and temporal relations between formation waters and biogenic methane: Upper Devonian Antrim Shale, Michigan Basin, USA: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 62, no. 10, p. 1699-1720, doi:10.1016/S0016-7037(98)00090-8.
27. Martini, A. M., L. M. Walter, T. C. W. Ku, J. M. Budai, J. C. McIntosh, and M. Schoell, 2003, Microbial production and modification of gases in sedimentary basins: A geochemical case study from a Devonian shale gas play, Michigan basin: AAPG Bulletin, v. 87, no. 8, p. 1355, doi:10.1306/031903200184.
28. McIntosh, J. C., G. Garven, and J. S. Hanor, 2011, Impacts of Pleistocene glaciation on large-scale groundwater flow and salinity in the Michigan Basin: Geofluids, v. 11, p. 18-33, doi:10.1111/gfl.2011.11.issue-1.
29. McIntosh, J., L. Walter, and A. Martini, 2002, Pleistocene recharge to midcontinent basins: Effects on salinity structure and microbial gas generation: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 66, no. 10, p. 1681-1700, doi:10.1016/S0016-7037(01)00885-7.
30. McIntosh, J. C., L. M. Walter, and A. M. Martini, 2004, Extensive microbial modification of formation water geochemistry: Case study from a Midcontinent sedimentary basin, United States: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 116, no. 5, p. 743, doi:10.1130/B25371.1.
31. McIntosh, J. C., and L. M. Walter, 2005, Volumetrically significant recharge of Pleistocene glacial meltwaters into epicratonic basins: Constraints imposed by solute mass balances: Chemical Geology, v. 222, no. 3-4, p. 292-309, doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2005.07.010.
32. Michael, K., H. Machel, and S. Bachu, 2003, New insights into the origin and migration of brines in deep Devonian aquifers, Alberta, Canada: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 80, no. 2-3, p. 193-219, doi:10.1016/S0375-6742(03)00191-2.
33. Nexen Inc. and OPTI Canada Inc., 2007, Application for the Approval of the Long Lake South Project: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta Environment, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 5 v.
34. Petro Canada, 2001, Application for the Approval of the Meadow Creek Project: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta Environment, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
35. Robertson, J., 2013, How produced water and source water qualities influence the operation and environmental footprint of SAGD surface facilities: Geoconvention, 2013, Calgary, Alberta: accessed December 11, 2014, http://geoconvention.org/archives/2013abstracts/438-GC2013-Produced-Water.pdf.
36. Teck Resources Ltd., 2011, Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project Environmental Impact Assessment: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta Environment, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
37. Waxman, M. H., and L. J. M. Smits, 1968, Electrical conductivities in oil-bearing shaly sands: Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, v. 8, no. 2, p. 107-122, doi:10.2118/1863-A.
38. Wills, J., 2013, Hydrogeology 101 for the petroleum geologist: Geoconvention 2013, Calgary, Alberta: accessed December 11, 2014, http://geoconvention.org/archives/2013abstracts/407-GC2013-Hydrogeology-101-for-Petroleum-Geologists.pdf.
39. WorleyParsons, 2010a, Regional Groundwater Quality Study and Monitoring Network Design in the Athabasca Oil Sands: Phase 1 (No. 2007-0039) Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo: Cumulative Environmental Management Association, Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, 157 p.
40. WorleyParsons, 2010b, Regional Groundwater Quality Study and Monitoring Network Design in the Athabasca Oil Sands: Phase 2: Program Summary, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo: Cumulative Environmental Management Association, Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, 493 p.