| Title | Elliðaárdalur Low Temperature Field, Reykjavík, Iceland – 3D Modelling and Well Siting in an Urban Environment |
|---|---|
| Authors | Helga Margrét Helgadóttir, Arthurthon Travis Elvean Bellot, Kjartan Marteinsson, Gunnar Þorgilsson, Helga |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Since the 1930s the utilisation of low temperature geothermal fields in Iceland has greatly improved the inhabitants’ quality of life. There is a long history of research, utilisation, and monitoring of low temperature fields within the capital, leaving vast information which could benefit other countries in their management of such fields. This has been recognized within the RESULT project subsidized through the ERANET Cofund GEOTHERMICA. The Elliðaárdalur geothermal field in Reykjavík is an example of a low producing area, which has been used for district heating since 1968 by Reykjavík Energy. The vast data available from wells drilled in the late 1960s through the 1980s have been compiled and partly digitized, followed by both geological and temperature modelling of the field. The field is close to a volcanic zone, just a few kilometres west of the Krýsuvík fissure swarm which belongs to one of the volcanic systems of the Reykjanes peninsula. Rock formations in the area consist of quaternary basalt lava flows at surface. At depth are alternating basalt lava flows and hyaloclastite formations with evolved rocks deep in the system. Formation temperature model was constructed as well as a time dependent temperature model consisting of all temperature logs from the wells. The resulting models provide a qualitative representation of the temperature changes in the system from 1968 to 2020. The 3D model of the area, along with other data, will serve as a foundation for work regarding the location of new wells in 2025. |