NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: petroleum industry, permafrost, remote sensing, land use management

Objective(s): The focus of this research is to better understand the distribution of underground ice in hydrocarbon development areas. By identifying how much ice there is, we want to study how oil/gas activities and climate change could affect the land.

Project Description: The focus of this research is to better understand the distribution of underground ice in hydrocarbon development areas. By identifying how much ice there is, we want to study how oil/gas activities and climate change could affect the land. The reseracher plans to use non-destructive techniques like ground-penetrating radar to accomplish our surveys. March-April, 2010: plan is to conduct 1-2 weeks of fieldwork based out of Inuvik, NWT. Parsons Lake will be the main site under investigation, but we may also visit a nearby pingo (see location section for coordinates). July-August 2010: plan is to conduct 1-2 weeks of fieldwork based out of Inuvik, NWT. Site locations are identical to the February-April excursion. On both trips, field teams will consist of 3-5 individuals. Field methods include GPS mapping, aerial photography, shallow (< 2m) soil sampling, and geophysical surveys. Our survey methods include 3 geophysical tools used to help detect ground ice: capacitive-coupled resistivity (CCR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), and frequency domain electromagnetic sounding (FEM). Together, these three tools help to identify the materials in the ground (different types of sediment, ice-rich sediment, pure ground ice, etc.) and the depth at which they are located. The results of one system are used to help understand the results of the other systems. Ground-penetrating radar transmits electromagnetic waves into the ground and captures reflections that result from changes in the subsurface geology. CCR studies changes in resistivity with depth by injecting currents into the ground. Electromagnetic sounding also involves the transmission of currents below the surface, but it measures conductivity and is useful for detecting the base of the active layer. Sampling and related activities will be managed to the highest standards and are not expected to have any adverse impact on the environment. The samples collected will be approximately 100 centimetres cubed. The geophysical surveys involve lightweight equipment (< 30 kg) that is non-invasive and is simply pulled across the ground surface. No new technology is being used in this study. Geophysical tools and GPS technology are common methods of mapping shallow materials in permafrost environments. All results will be made available to local communities. This will assist students and/or senior researchers with projects regarding permafrost, massive ground ice distribution, as well as land management and resource development related to oil and gas. The data collected will provide educational benefits, and the exchange of knowledge between diverse communities is important for social and cultural reasons. Economically, the detection and assessment of massive ground ice distribution will reveal the potential costs associated with hydrocarbon development projects and the land changes that follow. The researcher plans to include data into more general studies related to massive ground ice and northern climate change. In addition, all the ground ice data will be incorporated into the Indian and Northern Affairs Committee's land management GIS for general use. If any groups are interested, we would be happy to give a presentation on our research. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from March, 2010 to December 31, 2010.