Research Portal

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.

Geoscience » Play Fairway Analyses Atlases 2010–Present

Greater North Atlantic Liassic Petroleum Systems Synthesis

October 2019 – February 2020

In the absence of definitive, direct evidence for a Liassic (i.e. Lower Jurassic) petroleum system offshore Nova Scotia, information is required on source rock analogs around the greater North Atlantic region.

Geoscience » Source Rock & Depositional Environment

Piston Coring Geochemistry Program

January 2015 – January 2020

Confirming the presence of hydrocarbons from an oil-prone Jurassic age source rock would encourage exploration in the deep water portion of Nova Scotia’s offshore.

Geoscience » Source Rock & Depositional Environment

Predictive Modelling of Sandstone Reservoir Quality in the Scotian Basin

May 2016 – December 2018

This project uses existing knowledge of inferred drainage basin areas and paleoclimate to model multiple river inputs to the Scotian Basin. The modelled sedimentary succession is compared with actual sediment thicknesses in the basin.

Going with the Flow II: Using Drifters to Address Uncertainties in the Spatial Variation of Tidal Flows

October 2017 – June 2018

Drifters are one of the oldest, simplest and most reliable methods for measuring ocean currents. Drifters also provide a simple, low risk platform from which to gather acoustic information along flow streamlines or ‘drift tracks’.

Numerical Modeling of Tidal Turbine Behaviour under Real Turbulent Tidal Flow Conditions

December 2015 – December 2016

Researchers investigated and numerically quantified the behaviour of a tidal turbine under turbulent unsteady tidal flow, using flow data collected in the lower Bay of Fundy (Digby area).

Turbulence in Grand Passage Nova Scotia: Measures of Intermittency

April – December 2016

Turbulence research is very important to advancing the in-stream tidal energy sector, however turbulence in general is not well understood.  Measurement at prospective turbine locations is essential prior to development, given the high degree of spatial variability between sites.

Geoscience » Play Fairway Analyses Atlases 2010–Present

Central Scotian Slope Atlas (2016)

January – August 2016

The objective of this project was to identify and technically evaluate any significant exploration leads and prospects in the area of interest.  The study used integrated 3D basin modelling analysis to assess the timing of maturation of source rocks, transformation ratios, hydrocarbon entrapment,

Geoscience » Source Rock & Depositional Environment

Direct Hydrocarbon Indicator (DHI) Mapping, Offshore Nova Scotia

January – May 2016

This project reviewed existing seismic data to identify and catalogue Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators (DHIs) in offshore Nova Scotia, particularly in the Laurentian and Georges Bank Sub-basins.

Characterizing Tidal Flows and Turbine Power Production in Petit Passage using Oceanographic and CFD Models

September 2015 – March 2016

The goal of this project was to identify potential turbine deployment locations in Petit Passage Nova Scotia, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite volume coastal ocean models (FVCOM).