Prospecting of potential geothermal resources from the east to the Moroccan Sahara

Abstract

Geothermal energy exploration is an old technique, updated in recent years and expected to develop strongly in the near future. Its potential is inexhaustible. Indeed, it is an energy drawn from the heat of the basement and is renewed permanently. Its uses are many and varied: individual heating, collective heating, networks of heat, production of electricity, storage of calories, exchanges of temperature.In this research, we will study, using GIS (Geographic Information System) and remote sensing, to detect potential geothermal reservoir areas. Three of satellite images types were used namely MODIS, ASTER and LANDSAT to detect and extract geothermal energy zones in the Sahara, the high Altas, the Middle Atlas and the Rif of Moroccan territory. Significant indices were calculated from satellite images to prospect for potential deposits, namely diurnal and nocturnal surface temperature, hydrothermal alteration indices and lineaments density layer. The present results include images of hydrothermal alteration indices, maps of lineaments and cracks for each zone studied and the surface temperature on the whole territory of Morocco. The good correlation between these three maps leads us to conclude that the Moroccan Sahara zone is considered as one of the most potential geothermal reservoir zone.