| Title | Journey from Hot Spring Use to Drilling and Utilizing a Production Well in Laugarvatn Iceland |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sveinborg H. Gunnarsdóttir, Magnús Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson, Jón Einar Jónsson, Finnbogi Óskarsson, Helga |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Laugarvatn, a lakeside village in South Iceland, has long relied on its abundant geothermal activity—residents bake rye bread in the earth’s warmth and enjoy natural steam baths. Its chief hot spring supplies roughly 30 L/s of boiling (100 °C) water for district heating, and a modern spa draws both tourists and locals. As the village is growing and visitor numbers climb, demand increases, prompting the municipality to investigate drilling a dedicated production well. Geothermal surface features—hot springs, altered ground, and steam vents—are found on a north–south alignment along the lakeshore, with smaller heat anomalies to the west, some only uncovered during excavations. Vegetation obscures the faults and fractures critical for well siting. Lineaments were mapped on Mount Laugarvatnsfjall, aerial photographs analyzed, and soil temperatures surveyed across likely sites. Drilling of six ≈60 m exploration wells delivered key subsurface data for the siting of a 270 m production well (with 115 m of casing) which was drilled in 2025. This well produces about 50 L/s of 116 °C water. Well logs revealed two main feed zones associated with previously unidentified ENE–WSW fractures. Ongoing studies include testing of ground-penetrating radar’s ability to delineate these structures as well as the monitoring of the response of the hot spring to production from the new well, offering insights into field permeability. Fluid sampling will ensure safe operation and has indicated a reservoir temperature near 130 °C. Together, these efforts aim to secure a reliable, safe geothermal supply for Laugarvatn’s future. |