Nick Harris is Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, where he has taught since January 2010, and directs the Integrated Energy Geosciences program. He worked 15 years as a researcher for Conoco Inc., then held research positions for 15 years at Penn State University and Colorado School of Mines before coming to University of Alberta. Dr. Harris’s research interests focus on the application of sedimentology, geochemistry and basin modeling to problems in resource geology and on geothermal resources in sedimentary basins. He led a major multidisciplinary study of Devonian shale formations in western Canada that related reservoir properties to sedimentological controls. As an industry and academic geologist, he has also carried out research studies in the U.S. Rocky Mountains, Texas, Gulf of Mexico, East and West Africa, the North Sea and offshore Norway.
Abstract:
The development of low enthalpy geothermal resources in sedimentary reservoirs in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) has captured public attention and economic investment by small start-up companies, generally with significant government funding. Yet no projects have yet been successful, and the oil and gas companies that know the basin best have remained on the sidelines.In this talk, I explore the potential for geothermal development in the WCSB, the economic and technical obstacles that have slowed development of this resource, and the science and engineering that will be required if geothermal developments are likely to be successful. One critical step will be the development of a systematic approach to estimating net present value for specific projects; this will enable investors to make systematic decisions with regard to financial opportunities. Approaches taken in the oil and gas industry that are based on petroleum system analysis may be adaptable to the appraisal of geothermal resources