| Title | Numerical Simulation of ATES Systems Performance in the Permo-Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sodiq Oguntade, Ulrich Ofterdinger, Jean-Christophe Comte, Ryan Gee, Myles Kynaston, Robert Raine |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Low-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage systems (LT ATES) have the potential to contribute significantly to the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions related to heating and cooling. In the United Kingdom (UK), the ATES system is part of seasonal geothermal energy resources that have recently gained increasing interest for decarbonising the heating and cooling sector. The Permo-Triassic Sherwood Sandstone (SSG) is a significant aquifer across several basins in the UK, exhibiting good hydrogeological and thermal properties for ATES system installations. This study investigates the thermal recovery efficiency of ATES systems for the SSG in Northern Ireland using numerical modelling, building on previous field studies that determined the hydrogeological and thermal properties of the SSG in three boreholes completed in the lower part of the formation. 2D and 3D numerical models were developed using FEFLOW to determine the amount of heat that can be stored/extracted over a ten-year period across these boreholes. The results of the numerical modelling indicated that the ratio of heat extracted from the aquifer to the injected heat is over 60% each year. This implies that the installation of ATES systems is moderately viable and may be suitable for heating spaces with low energy demands. However, there is potential for optimisation to improve its efficiency and reduce operational costs. |