The thermal conductivity and heat flow density of the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, offshore eastern Canada

Abstract

Abstract In an effort to understand the present-day thermal structure of the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, we derive matrix thermal conductivity values, using a geometric mean model, from thermal conductivity values of thirteen lithologic end-members (of which seven are measurements on materials from the Jeanne d'Arc Basin) and lithological data. Temperature corrections to thermal conductivity are made for both matrix and pore water. In-situ thermal conductivities were obtained after correcting for the effect of porosity, which we estimated from both lithological information and digital well logs. Calculated thermal conductivities of the formations range from 1.46 to 2.65 W m −1 K −1 . The heterogeneity of formation thermal conductivity is caused by at least two factors. The first is lithological variation due to facies change. The second is due to different degrees of compaction. Under-compacted intervals (overpressure zones) are characteristically of lower thermal conductivity. The surface heat flow density calculated with an inverse method in seventeen wells varies from 37.8 to 60.7 mW/m 2 . This study indicates that surface heat flow density values estimated without porosity corrections may be 15% higher than those with porosity corrections. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of modelled timing of maturation to thermal conductivity estimations.