Northern database

Thermal, hydraulic and mechanical properties of rocks play a key role in geothermal-related research. Information about these properties is essential for the characterization of the subsurface and the parametrization of numerical models. Assessing the geothermal potential of a target site relies on the accurate knowledge of these reservoir properties. Furthermore, knowledge of the thermal, hydraulic and mechanical properties of reservoir rocks is crucial in the assessment of the technical feasibility of geothermal technologies and are the basis for an economic reservoir assessment.

As geothermal exploration grows in Canada, more subsurface information is becoming available that can help the development of future projects in areas with similar geological context but lacking data. In this context, a database was developed in Borealis Dataverse containing information about thermal and mechanical properties of core samples from different physiographic regions of Canada (i.e., Canadian Shield and Western Cordillera). The database also contains information about mineralogy and geochemistry of the rock samples. In this presentation and accompanying paper, we introduce the database, provide a description of the laboratory analyses performed, and present an overview of the data released for future research. The applicability of the data (e.g., heat flow assessments, parametrization of numerical models) and the advantages and limitations of this database for the end user will also be discussed. An important objective will be to keep this database updated as new information becomes available.