Research Portal

Geoscience » Georges Bank Research & Data

Science and Socio-economic Review of the Georges Bank Prohibition Area 2020-2021

June – December 2021

Georges Bank is a large submarine platform located at the edge of the Atlantic continental shelf between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia. The Georges Bank Prohibition Area covers a significant portion of Georges Bank and is located on the Canadian side of the Canada-United States maritime boundary.

Geoscience » Source Rock & Depositional Environment

Microbial Genomics for De-Risking Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration in Nova Scotia

April 2016 – March 2021

The purpose of this $6.5M project is to develop, validate and deploy different genomics-based bioassay tools for offshore prospecting on the Scotian Slope.

How Does Sound Travel in High Energy Environments? Effectiveness of Acoustic Monitoring Systems and Turbine Audibility Assessment

April 2017 – December 2020

The researchers are designing and implementing a long-term acoustic monitoring program to support tidal energy development in the Bay of Fundy. Specialized acoustic instrumentation was deployed for a two-month period in Grand Passage to advance understanding how turbulence affects the ability to

Reducing Costs of Tidal Energy through a Comprehensive Characterization of Turbulence in Minas Passage

October 2017 – March 2020

Turbulence is a significant issue at every site being considered for in-stream tidal energy development.

Finite Element Analysis to Assess Fish Mortality from Interactions with Tidal Turbine Blades

February – December 2017

The research project used finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate the impact of a tidal turbine blade on fish, and assess whether mortality of marine life can be expected in such an event.

Turbulence Dissipation Rates from Horizontal Velocity Profiles at Mid-Depth in Fast Tidal Flows

December 2017

This study characterizes the turbulence in a tidal channel in the Bay of Fundy that has been identified for development as a tidal power resource.

Geoscience » Source Rock & Depositional Environment

Source Rock and Geochemistry of the Central Atlantic Margins

September 2014 – August 2017

This project evaluates known, probable and possible source rocks in the Nova Scotia shelf and deep water offshore areas with an emphasis On the Triassic– Jurassic time interval.

Geoscience » Play Fairway Analyses Atlases 2010–Present

Sydney Basin Play Fairway Analysis Atlas (2017)

July 2017

The objectives of this Play Fairway Analysis are to build a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the petroleum systems of the Sydney Basin and provide a resource evaluation based on the petroleum systems assessment.  The study concludes there is an effective petroleum system charged by mai

Drones and Drifters – The Great Pumpkin Race

October 2016 – July 2017

This project tested and developed a new low-cost approach to collecting oceanographic measurements for use in tidal initial site assessments. The plan combines one of the oldest tools in oceanography, the drifter, with one of the newest, the drone.

Tidal Turbine Marine Life Interaction Study: Fish

May 2016 – May 2017

This study at Dalhousie University’s Aquatron test tank monitored the behaviour of striped bass in the presence of an active tidal turbine.  The research drew on expertise and experience from different parts of Canada and Europe over a one year project period.