Abstract
A successful utilization of deep geothermal resources requires accurate predictions about the distribution of reservoir temperature as well as of the hydraulic processes exerting a direct influence on the productivity of geothermal reservoirs. The aim of this study was to investigate and quantify the influence that regional thermo-hydraulic processes have on the geothermal configuration of potential reservoirs in the German Federal State of Hesse. Specifically, we have addressed the question of how the regional thermal and hydraulic configuration influence the local hydro-thermal reservoir conditions. Therefore, a 3D structural model of Hesse was used as a basis for purely hydraulic, purely thermal and coupled 3D thermo-hydraulic simulations of the deep fluid flow and heat transport. As a result of our numerical simulations, Hesse can be differentiated into sub-areas differing in terms of the dominating heat transport process. In a final attempt to quantify the robustness and reliability of the modelling results, the modelling outcomes were analyzed by comparing them to available subsurface temperature, hydraulic and hydrochemical data.
Highlights
IntroductionThe Federal State of Hesse is located in central Germany being geologically situated at the border between the North German Basin (north Hesse) and the European Cenozoic Rift System (south Hesse)
The Federal State of Hesse is located in central Germany being geologically situated at the border between the North German Basin and the European Cenozoic Rift System
As the focus of the modelling results lies on deep fluid flow processes, we considered only Darcy’s law for confined aquifers and neglect Richards law for unsaturated zones in the uppermost layer
Summary
The Federal State of Hesse is located in central Germany being geologically situated at the border between the North German Basin (north Hesse) and the European Cenozoic Rift System (south Hesse). As part of this active rift system, the Upper Rhine Graben is an area of geothermal exploration. In Hesse, deep geothermal exploration was unsuccessful so far, despite favorable predictions beforehand [9,10] This demonstrates that predictions of the deep geothermal potential are associated with large uncertainties. In particular the effects of cold recharge and convective upflow of heated fluids on a regional scale [11] need to be better quantified in order to predict geothermal potentials
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