By googling “Muriel Lake” we found the Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited’s Hydrogeological Modelling Information Technical Report for the Hangingstone Expansion Project. This report was written in February 2011! The purpose of this report was to see if water could be taken from the Muriel Lake groundwater aquifer for Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage for their expansion project near Fort McMurray!
Purpose of the report stated on on page 1:
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“Japan Canada Oil Sands (JACOS) operates a heavy-oil recovery operation approximately 45 km south-southwest of the town of Fort McMurray, Alberta. JACOS uses an oil recovery process known as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) to extract bitumen from the McMurray Formation. In order to operate the proposed SAGD facility, a source of make-up water will be needed. To satisfy this need, JACOS completed and tested wells in a deep Quaternary aquifer as part of a water source exploration program. In this numerical model-assisted study, the deep Quaternary aquifer (Muriel Lake Formation) was further investigated as a candidate aquifer.”
The reports conclusions are on page 14:
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“1) Pumping at 1400 m3/d from the Muriel Lake Formation Aquifer appears sustainable for the Project life pursuant to AENV’s Groundwater Conservation and Allocation Guideline.
2) Pumping at 2800 m3/d from the Muriel Lake Formation Aquifer is projected to exceed drawdown criteria of 35% of available head in first year and 50% over the Project life.
3) A pumping rate somewhere between 1400 and 2800 m3/d would still satisfy the drawdown criteria based on model projections.
4) Recovery to 99.9% is projected to occur within 9 years for Scenario 1 and 14 years for Scenarios 2 and 3.”
This report is found at:
http://www.jacos.com/Documents/supplemental_submission/App%20F_Hydrogeology%20Modeling%20Information-Technical%20Rpt.pdf
Does anyone know if this project has gone ahead?! The JACOS website does not have much other information. Will taking water from the Muriel Lake Formation Aquifer have an impact on the surface water in our lake? Do we know how the Muriel Lake Formation Aquifer is connected to the lake’s surface water?! Does anyone have any other information? This report was found by googling “Muriel Lake”. For more information on Japan Oilsands Limited go here: http://www.jacos.com/
Connection between Surface and Groundwater?
This simple diagram shows the hydrogeological cycle. It seems to suggest that all surface and groundwater are connected at least in some ways.
Learn more about groundwater here: http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=3F93145A-1
