Terrestrial heat‐flow density estimates for the Jeanne D’Arc Basin, offshore eastern Canada

Abstract

Corrected bottom‐hole temperatures from 35 wells, together with measured and assumed rock thermal conductivities, are used to estimate linear geothermal gradients and effective thermal conductivities in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin in offshore eastern Canada. Heat‐flow density values calculated for each well location indicate that heat‐flow density is slightly higher in the deeper northern part of the basin than in the southern part. It appears that the heat‐flow density distribution is affected by fluid motion within the sediments and not by heat generation or basement topography. Dehydration is suggested as the mechanism that produces the fluid flow pattern that influences the heat‐flow density distribution in the basin, and a simple fluid flow model of the Jeanne d’Arc Basin is presented.