Alberta Hydrogeology Water Chemistry

Citation Information:

Originator: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
Originator: Alberta Geological Survey
Originator: Parks, Kevin
Originator: Lemay, Tony
Publication Date: 200307
Title: Shallow coal aquifer water chemistry Alberta Plains Region
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: document
Series Information:
Publication Information:

Abstract:

To evaluate the possibility that alternative disposal or beneficial uses of CBM-produced waters may exist for shallow coal seams in Alberta, high-quality chemical quality data for shallow coal beds are needed. Chemical analyses for formation waters captured in drillstem tests and production tests are on file with the EUB, and chemical analyses for potable groundwater from domestic water wells are on file with Alberta Environment. However, these analyses generally report only six major ions: sodium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate and chloride. They are of limited use when pre-screening water disposal or alternative beneficial use options that require knowledge of trace element concentrations, particularly when those trace elements are regulated for the protection of human health, soils, livestock or the aquatic environment. To provide such data to government and industry, Alberta Geological Survey, with support from the Alberta Energy Research Institute, has created a public-domain database of high-quality chemical analyses of groundwater from water wells known or strongly suspected to be completed in coal seams. Ongoing efforts will disseminate this information over the internet. These analyses came from a fall 2002 AGS field sampling program. AGS staff collected groundwater samples from domestic water wells with high-quality completions and coal in their screened or perforated intervals. Wells were selected based on their location and known or suspected stratigraphic interval, as determined from drillers’ reports on file with Alberta Environment. Water wells with only coal in their screened intervals are very rare because Alberta plains coals tend to be thin and interbedded with other rock types. However, it is reasonable to conclude that some portion of the water in these wells will come from coal seams. Details of the AGS sampling program will be forthcoming on this Web site in the near future. The water samples were analyzed in the laboratory to determine major-, minor- and trace-element concentrations, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, nonhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbon (BTEX) concentrations, hydrocarbon concentrations, phenol concentrations, adsorbable organic halide concentrations, stable isotopic composition (focusing on the O, H, C, B and S stable isotopes), and radiogenic isotopic composition (focusing on 87Sr/86Sr, 129I, 36Cl, 14C and naturally occurring radioactive materials).

Purpose:

Dissemination of water quality data for shallow coal aquifers in the Alberta Plains Region in support of CBM development

Supplemental Information: In English

Time Period Information:

Single Date/Time:

Progress: In work

Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed

Bounding Coordinates:

West Bounding Coordinate: -120
East Bounding Coordinate: -110
North Bounding Coordinate: 56
South Bounding Coordinate: 49

Theme:

Theme Keyword Thesaurus:
Theme Keyword: aquifer
Theme Keyword: cbm
Theme Keyword: coal
Theme Keyword: coalbed methane
Theme Keyword: disposal
Theme Keyword: environmental
Theme Keyword: geochemistry
Theme Keyword: groundwater
Theme Keyword: hydrogeology
Theme Keyword: water

Place:

Place Keyword Thesaurus:
Place Keyword: alberta plains

Contact Information:

Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Position: Information Specialist
Contact Address:
Contact Voice Telephone: (780) 422-3767
Contact Facsimile Telephone: (780) 422-1918
Contact Electronic Mail Address: eub.ags-infosales@gov.ab.ca
Hours of Service: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.