Oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in deep thermal waters from the South Meager Creek geothermal area, British Columbia, Canada

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geothermics (International Journal of Geothermal Research and its Applications); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-6505(93)90048-R· OSTI ID:7368799

Ghomshei, M M ^[1]; Clark, I D ^[2]

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1. Canadian Radon and Geothermal Research Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)
2. Univ. of Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

Deuterium and oxygen-18 ([sup 18]O) have been measured in deep thermal, shallow thermal and non-thermal water samples collected at various times between 1982 and 1989 from the Meager Creek area, with the aim of assessing the origin of the thermal waters. The isotopic composition of the reservoir waters ([delta][sup 18]O = [minus]13[per thousand] and [delta]D= [minus]114.8[per thousand]) was calculated from data on post-flash deep thermal waters, using a two-stage steam loss model. The reservoir composition shows an oxygen shift of 2.4[per thousand] relative to the local meteoric water line. The composition of the recharge, obtained by removing the oxygen shift, is isotopically heavier than the average local meteoric waters, suggesting that the recharge may be from an area to the west of Mt Meager where isotopically heavier ground-waters are likely to be found. The small [delta][sup 18]O shift of the deep high-temperature waters is indicative of dominance of fracture-related permeability in the reservoir. Analyses of the chemistry and the temperature of the waters from hot springs and shallow thermal wells suggests that these waters have evolved from the deep geothermal waters through dilution by meteoric waters and about 40C adiabatic cooling (steam loss).

• OSTI ID: 7368799
• Journal Information: Geothermics (International Journal of Geothermal Research and its Applications); (United States), Journal Name: Geothermics (International Journal of Geothermal Research and its Applications); (United States) Vol. 22:2; ISSN GTMCAT; ISSN 0375-6505
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150200 -- Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems
152004* -- Geothermal Data & Theory-- Isotope & Trace Element Studies
BRITISH COLUMBIA
CANADA
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DEUTERIUM
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
GROUND WATER
HOT SPRINGS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
METEORIC WATER
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORIGIN
OXYGEN 18
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
PERMEABILITY
RECHARGE
RESOURCES
STABLE ISOTOPES
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
THERMAL SPRINGS
WATER
WATER SPRINGS
WELLS