MD of Bighorn Innovative Water Source & Geothermal Projects

WATER SOURCE WELL

The project began with a plan to drill a groundwater source well capable of producing 25,000 m³/year, necessary due to the facility’s distance from existing infrastructure. Early investigations identified the Bow River Aquifers gravels as a feasible groundwater source, leading to the selection of the Calgary Buried Valley Aquifer (CBVA) as the primary target.

Project Highlights:

• Site Investigation and Planning: Groundwater potential was assessed, and internal consultation led to the strategic decision to pursue the Calgary Buried Valley Aquifer (CBVA) due to the high cost of transporting water and the moratorium on licences in the South Saskatchewan River Basin.

• The Calgary Buried Valley Aquifer (CBVA): The CBVA is an ancient, glacially carved river channel filled with sand and gravel, that stores and transmits groundwater beneath Canmore, Exshaw and extends towards the Calgary region. This aquifer could play a crucial role in providing water resources for both municipal and industrial uses, supporting local water supply needs in the area.

• Result: The project officially commenced in August 2023 with drilling efforts. The drilling process resulted in a successful well installation at 190 meters of depth, yielding 2.5–3.0 m³/min (equivalent to 4000 m³/day) of high-quality groundwater. Testing revealed an impressive performance of 86 m³/day with minimal drawdown at the pumping and observation wells.

GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

By early 2024, additional funding enabled the expansion of the project to incorporate geothermal technology for sustainable heating and cooling of the operations facility, aligning with MD Bighorn’s commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency. The design included an 8-inch source well paired with a 6-inch recirculation well, placed strategically downgradient and offset vertically for optimized performance. The MD plans to use this system for a geothermal heat pump, a method that taps into the stable temperatures underground to provide an efficient and renewable heating and cooling source.

• How It Works: A geothermal heat pump system extracts heat from the groundwater during colder months and transfers it indoors to warm the facility. Conversely, in warmer months, it reverses the process, drawing heat from the building and dissipating it back into the ground through the recirculation well. This closed-loop system does not consume any water and leverages the consistent subsurface temperature to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and improve efficiency significantly.

• Execution and Challenges: The geothermal drilling phase employed dual rotary drilling techniques, extending approximately 50 metres into surficial deposits connected to the Bow River. Despite severe snowstorms impacting site accessibility and progress, Waterline successfully completed the drilling by May 2024. The system was tested rigorously, showing a flow rate of 105 imperial gallons per minute with minimal drawdown. A proof-of-concept test confirmed the system's functionality by transferring water between the source and recirculation wells for several days.

OPERATIONAL SUCCESS AND OBSERVATIONS

One of the key findings was the groundwater behavior, closely influenced by the adjacent Bow River, which created complexities in data interpretation but underscored the sustainable water supply. This integration of geothermal and water supply solutions showcased Waterline’s adaptability and technical expertise in blending conventional and renewable systems for multifaceted infrastructure needs.

FUTURE OUTLOOK

This project reinforced Waterline Resources' capability to innovate under challenging conditions and deliver sustainable solutions tailored to evolving project scopes. As regulatory approvals and supplemental information requests (SIRs) are processed, the project stands as a model of groundwater management integrated with renewable energy solutions.