Geo-Note 2002-03

Carbon-14 Dating of Groundwater from Selected Wells in Quaternary and Quaternary-Tertiary Sediments, Athabasca Oil Sands (In Situ) Area, Alberta

Authors: Lemay, T.G.

Executive Summary

The Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) collected samples of groundwater for ¹4C-age dating at three sites within the Athabasca Oil Sands (in situ) Area of Alberta. Each site has a nest of piezometers completed at various depths in Quaternary or Quaternary-Tertiary aquifers. Not all of the piezometers at each site were sampled for ¹4C-age dating, however. The three Quaternary intertill/intratill aquifer water samples at the first site possess ages of 1558 ± 91 radiocarbon years at 41 m depth, 2402 ± 110 radiocarbon years at 76m depth and 2532 ± 58 radiocarbon years at 120 m depth. A basal Quaternary aquifer at a second site has a calculated age of 30 880-± 257 radiocarbon years at a depth of 158 m below ground. A groundwater sample from a Quaternary-Tertiary buried channel aquifer water sample at a third site has a calculated age of 11 186-± 79 radiocarbon years at 230 m depth.

Place Keywords: 73l; 73m; 74d; 74e; 83i; 83o; 83p; 84a; 84b; 84g; 84h

Theme Keywords: athabasca oil sands; quaternary