A key requirement for a further production of geothermal energy, by increasing the number of projects as well as the variety of uses, is to clearly identify and rank resources and opportunities. In this work we provide a practical analytical framework for the systematic capture of information relevant to the assessment of the geothermal resources of Sicily (mainland). Any geothermal assessment necessitates an extensive search of the existing data. In Italy the most relevant existing information regarding the geothermal resources includes temperature data measured in oil and gas exploration boreholes and physical and chemical data from wells and natural thermal springs. The data analysed in this study are those gathered in the 1980s by an inventory of the geothermal resources of Italy, which was organized in the National Geothermal Database (Barbier et al., 2000) and is available online (IGG-CNR 2012). In the frame of the GEOTHERMAL ATLAS OF SOUTHERN ITALY Project, we organized and integrated a subsurface data set, and we provided a methodology to establish a hierarchy of the geothermal areas based on their potential for conventional power production. In particular, we deal with exploitation of moderate to high-enthalpy geothermal resources. Our fully integrated analysis classified the hydrothermal resources hosted by regional reservoirs suitable for power production and was applied to Sicily (Montanari et al., 2014). Besides the geological and thermal data, the parameters used are: i) the unconventional new parameter "effective reservoir" (based on temperature constrain), ii) the permeability indication and iii) the geochemical favourability. These parameters have been integrated by Geographic Information System (GIS) models. The result is a geothermal favourability map of Sicily where locations are ranked in five classes from "very low" to "very high". Our tool is highly flexible: with a simple reclassification it can show future scenarios taking into account new technologies and possibly lower costs. Besides contributing to reduced exploration risk, we have made the first step towards a more detailed and systematic resource reporting system in Italy. A reporting method is the basis for the portfolio management of geothermal resources and the selection of specific locations for geothermal power production projects.
Geothermal data integration and favourability maps: a tool for discovering geothermal systems in Sicily, southern Italy
Trumpy E;Botteghi S;Caiozzi F;Donato A;Gianelli G;Gola G;Minissale A;Montanari D;Santilano A;Manzella A
2015
Abstract
A key requirement for a further production of geothermal energy, by increasing the number of projects as well as the variety of uses, is to clearly identify and rank resources and opportunities. In this work we provide a practical analytical framework for the systematic capture of information relevant to the assessment of the geothermal resources of Sicily (mainland). Any geothermal assessment necessitates an extensive search of the existing data. In Italy the most relevant existing information regarding the geothermal resources includes temperature data measured in oil and gas exploration boreholes and physical and chemical data from wells and natural thermal springs. The data analysed in this study are those gathered in the 1980s by an inventory of the geothermal resources of Italy, which was organized in the National Geothermal Database (Barbier et al., 2000) and is available online (IGG-CNR 2012). In the frame of the GEOTHERMAL ATLAS OF SOUTHERN ITALY Project, we organized and integrated a subsurface data set, and we provided a methodology to establish a hierarchy of the geothermal areas based on their potential for conventional power production. In particular, we deal with exploitation of moderate to high-enthalpy geothermal resources. Our fully integrated analysis classified the hydrothermal resources hosted by regional reservoirs suitable for power production and was applied to Sicily (Montanari et al., 2014). Besides the geological and thermal data, the parameters used are: i) the unconventional new parameter "effective reservoir" (based on temperature constrain), ii) the permeability indication and iii) the geochemical favourability. These parameters have been integrated by Geographic Information System (GIS) models. The result is a geothermal favourability map of Sicily where locations are ranked in five classes from "very low" to "very high". Our tool is highly flexible: with a simple reclassification it can show future scenarios taking into account new technologies and possibly lower costs. Besides contributing to reduced exploration risk, we have made the first step towards a more detailed and systematic resource reporting system in Italy. A reporting method is the basis for the portfolio management of geothermal resources and the selection of specific locations for geothermal power production projects.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
