Geological Procedures For A Preproduction Evaluation Of the Thermal Coal Deposit At Coal Valley, Alberta
CIM Bulletin, Vol. 70, No. 779, 1977
W. K. Smith, Chief Geologist, Luscar Ltd., D. C. Mulder, Senior Geologist, Lexco Testing Ltd., and V. P. Krueger, Geophysicist, Lexco Testing Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta
This paper describes the geological procedures used to evaluate two mineable high-volatile C bituminous coal seams at Coal Valley, heated in the outer foothills belt of the Rocky Mountain Eastern Slopes in west-central Alberta. Lexco Testing Ltd., the exploration arm of Luscar Ltd., owns and operates an all-weather geophysical logging system which provides gamma, focused density, single-point resistance and caliper logs in a single pass. A mathematical analysis for a theoretical interpretation of the single-point resistance log confirms empirical research that bed boundaries are located at a point 10% from the bottom of the curve. A unique and efficient triple-tube, wireline rotary coring system cuts an undisturbed 0.076-m-diameter core in a plastic liner at recoveries exceeding 90%. Although only 10% of the total footage is cored, it provides vital analytical and geotechnical data, and, when integrated with the geophysical logs, improves the quality and extends the usefulness of interpreting both sets of data. All data are programmed to produce computerized structure contour, isopach, isoratio and isoquality maps, and volume calculations.
Mots Clés:
Energy resources, Thermal coal, Coal deposits, Coal Valley, Luscar Ltd., Geophysical logging, Drilling, Coring, Sampling, Mapping, Resistance logs.