Distribution and origin of lithium-enriched formation waters in … · 2020. 3. 16. · AGS 16...
Transcript of Distribution and origin of lithium-enriched formation waters in … · 2020. 3. 16. · AGS 16...
Distribution and origin of
lithium-enriched formation
waters in Alberta
G. Lopez, J. Weiss and R. Huff
March 28, 2018
AGS
Outline
AGS history on lithium-rich formation waters
Lithium in Alberta Interactive Minerals Map
Distribution of lithium-enriched formation waters
Characteristics of lithium-enriched formation
waters
Origin of lithium-rich formation waters (Huff,
2016)
2
AGS
AGS history on Li-enriched
formation waters
Hitchon (1993-95):
• Search elements of
potential economic
interest
• 130,000 analyses of
formation waters (708 for
Li)
• Li up to 140 mg/L in
Devonian formation
waters in west-central AB
3 Modified from Hitchon et al, 1993
Hitchon, B., Underschultz, J.R. and Bachu, S. (1993): Industrial mineral potential of Alberta formation waters; Alberta Research Council, ARC/AGS Open File Report 1993-15, 92 p.
AGS 4
Eccles et al. (2010, 2011):
• 1,511 analyses
• Li up to 140 mg/L in Devonian formation waters
AGS history on Li-enriched
formation waters
From Eccles & Berhane, 2011
Eccles, D.R. and Berhane, H. 2011: Geological introduction to lithium-rich formation water with emphasis on the Fox Creek area of west-central Alberta
(NTS 83F and 83K); Energy Resources Conservation Board, ERCB/AGS Open File Report 2011-10, 22 p.
AGS
AGS history on Li-enriched
oilfield brines
Huff (2011, 2012,
2016, report in
progress):
• Saline aquifer project
Edmonton-Red Deer
• Lithium in Devonian
carbonate formation
waters
• Sampling in west-
central AB in 2016
5
AGS
Alberta Interactive Minerals Map
6
AGS
Alberta Interactive Minerals Map:
lithium hits
7
2017 2018
AGS
Sample location
and sources
8
Total of 1,683 samples
with lithium analysis
AGS
Distribution of
Li-enriched
samples
9
172 ≥ 50 mg/L
74 ≥ 75 mg/L
17 ≥ 100 mg/L
AGS
Distribution of
Li-enriched
samples
10
AGS
Distribution of lithium-enriched
formation waters
Li ≥ 100 mg/L: Devonian
carbonate formation waters of the
Swan Hills, Leduc and Nisku
Fms.
Li ≥ 50 mg/L:
• Cambrian, Triassic, Devonian, and
Carboniferous-Mississippian units
• Two samples in Jurassic and
Cretaceous units.
11
Dev
on
ian
(w
est-
cen
tral
pla
ins)
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Wright et al., 1994
D D’
D
D’
AGS
Li vs TDS
13
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000 350000
Other
Nisku
Leduc
Beaverhill Lake
Li (m
g/k
g)
TDS (mg/kg)
AGS
Li vs K
14
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
Other
Nisku
Leduc
Beaverhill Lake
Li
(mg
/kg
)
K (mg/kg)
AGS
Origin of Li-enriched oilfield brines in
Devonian carbonates
15 Huff, G.F. (2016): Evolution of LI-enriched oilfield brines in Devonian carbonates of the south-central Alberta Basin; Canada. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum
Geology, Vol. 64, No3, p. 438-448.
Study
area
Alberta
Basin
Modified from Huff, 2016
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Samples from Carbonates
Evaporites
Dolomitized Carbonates
Non-Dolomitized Carbonates
Gas Pools
Oil Pools
Eccles and Berhane (2011)
AGS OFR 2011-10
Huff et al. (2011, 2012)
AGS DIG 2011-07
AGS DIG 2012-01
Origin of Li-enriched (≥ 50 mg/L) oilfield
brines in Devonian carbonate
Huff, G.F. (2016): Evolution of LI-enriched oilfield brines in Devonian carbonates of the south-central Alberta Basin; Canada. Bulletin of
Canadian Petroleum Geology, Vol. 64, No3, p. 438-448.
From Huff (2016)
AGS
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
NiskuLeducSwan HillsOther
Na/Br (mass)
Cl/
Br
(mas
s)
17
Na-Cl-Br systematics
Modified from Huff, 2016
AGS 18
Li vs Cl/Br
Modified from Huff, 2016
0
25
50
75
100
125
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Nisku
Leduc
Swan Hills
Other
Cl/Br (mass)
Li (
mg/
kg)
modern seawater (Drever, 1982)
Modified from Huff, 2016
Evapoconcentration
of seawater beyond
halite saturation
Halite dissolution
AGS
0
50
100
150
0.705 0.710 0.715 0.720 0.725 0.730
Nisku
Leduc
Swan Hills
Other
87Sr/86Sr
Li (
mg/
kg)
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Origins of Li-enriched oilfield brines in
Devonian carbonates of south-central AB
Modified from Huff (2016)
Li enrichment from
crustal fluids and
possibly formed
through halite
dissolution
AGS
Problem: how to explain Li
enrichment in Leduc and Nisku
20
Leduc and Nisku brines show:
• No 87Sr/86Sr evidence of Li derived from silicates
• Oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios are
characteristic of evaporation
• Cl/Br ratios indicate a degree (but not enough)
evapoconcentration
From Huff, 2016
AGS 21
Modified from Wright et al. (1994)
D D’ Step 1 – Concentrate Br and Li
D D’
Potash mineralization
• Sylvite
• Carnallite
Concentrate Br and Li
in potash minerals (Huff, 2016)
AGS
Step 2 – Remobilize late-stage evaporites
into evaporated middle Devonian seawater
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Remobilizing brine under-saturated with
regard to potash minerals
• Storm events?
Collect the Li and Br enriched brines in
underlying permeable carbonate
(Winnipegosis/Contact Rapids)
From Huff, 2016
AGS 23
Step 3 – Tip the carbonates westward and
allow the dense Li-enriched brines flow west
Modified from Wright et al. (1994)
D D’
D D’
Dense Li-enriched brine
migrated downward into
underlying formation and
then westward in response
to tilting beginning in the
Jurassic (Huff, 2016).
AGS 24
Step 4 – Establish deep penetration of meteoric
water due to topography caused by Laramide
Orogeny
Modified from Wright et al. (1994)
D D’
D D’
Li-enriched brine diluted by
mixing with meteoric water
into Devonian formations in
response to hydraulic
gradients - Laramide
tectonics (Huff, 2016).
AGS
Summary
Li ≥ 100 mg/L: Devonian carbonate formation
waters of the Swan Hills, Leduc and Nisku.
Two brines with distinct chemistry/evolution
histories (Huff, 2016):
• Swan Hills Formation brines: dissolution of halite and
mixing basement-derived fluids.
• Nisku and Leduc formations brines: preferential
dissolution of lithium-enriched late-stage evaporite
minerals, likely from the middle Devonian Prairie
Evaporite, into evapoconcentrated late Devonian
seawater. 25
Thank you!