MalVonian

Alberta's high demand for heat energy is mainly covered by oil. To attain environmental targets and to reduce CO -emissions, a positive 2 potential assessment will be appreciated to possibly provide geothermal energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. Recent studies using data from several ten thousands of drillings point out to the Upper Devonian carbonate systems (Majorowicz & Weides, 2014) for geothermal utilization. Previous studies hardly involve measurements of geothermal rock properties. The MalVonian project's objective is to explore geothermal potentials of two carbonate aquifer systems, which – in spite of different ages – indicate similarities in tectonical structures and hydrogeological conditions. The project is in cooperation with University of Alberta and funded by DAAD. The Upper Jurassic Malm aquifers within the Southern German Molasse Basin have already been well researched and proven to be suitable geothermal reservoirs, so far with 20 ongoing or completed projects (Bundesverband Geothermie, 2016). Reservoir exploration was accomplished by predominantly using the analogue study concept (e.g. Homuth et al., 2015). Analogue studies determine and correlate facies related rock properties of surface outcrops to facies related reservoir rocks. Experience from the completed projects within the Molasse Basin should then serve as reference for the exploration of up to now unexposed and potential reservoirs. The Upper Devonian Leduc Formation within the west central part of the Canadian Alberta Basin has been exploited for oil production since the early 1950's. Outcrops containing rocks of stratigraphically equivalent formations are located in the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This study focuses on the comparison between analogue and reservoir samples of the Devonian carbonate complexes of the Rimbey-Meadowbrook Reef Trend, serving as verification for the transcontinental analogue concept.