Coal Zones with CBM Potential in the Alberta Plains

The Energy Resources Conservation Board estimates 91 billion tonnes of coal resources exist at a depth suitable for mining. An additional 2 trillion tonnes of coal at depth exist in the Alberta Plains that may be suitable for coalbed methane (CBM) exploration. Coal in the Alberta Foothills and Alberta Mountains would also significantly add to this tonnage. In total, it is estimated that 14 trillion cubic metres (500 tcf) of gas in place exist in all of the coal in Alberta.

The Alberta Plains contains seven major coal zones:

• Ardley coal zone of the Scollard Formation
• Carbon-Thompson and Drumheller coal zones of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (the “Drumheller coal zone” is commonly used in older literature to describe a larger zone encompassing the Wayne, Rockyford-Standard, Drumheller and Basal coal zones of the lower part of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation)
• Lethbridge, Taber and McKay coal zones of the Belly River Group and the Mannville coal zone (which encompasses the Top and Medicine River coal zones) of the Mannville Group.

Our report on the regional evaluation of the coalbed methane potential of the foothills/mountains of Alberta describes the geology and CBM potential of the foothills and mountains of Alberta.

Two of our reports (Coalbed Methane Potential of Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary Strata, Alberta Plains and Production Potential of Coalbed Methane Resources in Alberta) describe the geology, chemistry and CBM potential of the major coal zones in the Alberta plains.

The below diagrams are from the above reports and a large coal database. They show the general coal distribution, net coal thickness and CBM potential for each major coal zone in the Alberta plains.

Coal Zones

Click on images to enlarge.