Oxygen isotope systematics in an evolving geothermal system: Coso Hot Springs, California

Abstract

Oxygen isotope and clay mineralogy studies have been made on whole rock samples and feldspar separates from three wells along the high temperature West Flank of the Coso geothermal system, California. The reservoir rocks have experienced variable 18O/16O depletion, with δ18O values ranging from primary values of +7.5‰ down to −4.6‰. Spatial patterns of clay mineral distributions in the three wells are not closely correlated with the distributions expected from measured, pre-production temperature profiles, but do correlate with spatial patterns of 18O/16O depletion, indicating that the stability of clay minerals in the three wells is a function of fluid-rock interaction in addition to temperature. Detailed δ18O measurements in the three wells identify a limited number of localized intervals of extensive 18O/16O depletion. These intervals document localized zones of higher permeability in the geothermal system that have experienced significant fluid infiltration, water-rock interaction and oxygen isotopic exchange with the geothermal fluids. The local zones of maximum 18O/16O depletion in each well correspond closely with current hot water production zones. Most feldspar separates have measured δ18O values too high to have completely attained oxygen isotope exchange equilibrium with the reservoir fluid at pre-production temperatures. In general, the lower the δ18O value of the feldspar, the closer the feldspar approaches exchange equilibrium with the geothermal fluid. This correlation suggests that fracture-induced increases in permeability increase both fluid infiltration and the surface area of the host rock exposed to geothermal fluid, promoting fluid-rock interaction and oxygen isotope exchange. The two most 18O/16O-depleted feldspar samples have δ18O values too low to be in exchange equilibrium with the pre-production reservoir fluid at pre-production temperatures. These discrepancies suggest that the reservoir fluid in the West Flank of the Coso geothermal system was hotter and/or had a lower δ18O value (due to fluid-rock interaction at higher permeability) in the past.