Alberta Geological Survey

The Alberta Geological Survey (AGS), of the Energy Resources Conservation Board, was formed in Edmonton in 1920. From its earliest beginnings, the survey and its related predecessor departments have been charged with delivering geological knowledge to Albertans about their land, resources and environment. The AGS today delivers knowledge through 6 programs:

Geological Mapping

AGS provides geological mapping at a scale of 1:250,000 or larger, geochemical surveys and thematic studies across Alberta. Maps, reports and databases are available to industry, government and the public for resource management and economic development. A main goal of the program is to produce a digital geological atlas of the upper 500 metres of Alberta’s subsurface.

Resource Geology

This program focuses on appraisals and geological studies of earth resources in Alberta, notably industrial minerals, sand and gravel, diamonds, metals, and uranium. We also add to our geological knowledge of Alberta’s unconventional gas and coal resources.

Groundwater Inventory

AGS is working in partnership with Alberta Environment to map and inventory Alberta’s groundwater resources in support of Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy. This program builds on the success of past partnerships to understand groundwater geology of Alberta’s oil sands regions and define Alberta’s base of groundwater protection.

Geological Hazards

On-site investigation techniques and remote-sensing technology are used to understand geological hazards associated with land movement in Alberta’s mountains, foothills, along major river valleys and in areas of melting permafrost. We also use advanced petroleum geomechanical techniques to understand and evaluate cap rock integrity, as well as surface heave and subsidence impacts of subsurface fluid injection, production and storage. AGS also operates the monitoring system at the Turtle Mountain Geological Field Laboratory, site of the historic Frank Slide.

Earth Systems

With this program, we study the natural circulation of heat, water, petroleum and dissolved elements in the Alberta Sedimentary Basin. This knowledge will help us understand the long-term potential of deep horizons to be used as sources of water for industry, aquifer storage and retrieval, geothermal energy, and long-term, safe sequestration of CO2 and other industrial wastes.

Knowledge Management

Our staff is devoted to managing and archiving our province’s growing geological survey data and information holdings. You can obtain geological reports and maps from our Information Centre and view interactive GIS maps online.

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