| Title | Forward Stratigraphic Modelling of Mesozoic Geothermal Carbonate Reservoirs in Central Europe: Sedimentological Constraints, Eustatic Controls and Permeability Heterogeneity |
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| Authors | Nadezda Meier |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Forward Stratigraphic Modelling; Geothermal Carbonate Reservoir Characterization; Central Europe; Permeability Heterogeneity; Machine Learning |
| Abstract | Carbonates constitute key geothermal reservoir formations for the exploitation of deep geothermal resources in Central Europe, as demonstrated by lighthouse projects in the metropolitan regions of Paris and Munich. A major challenge in understanding the stratigraphic architecture and the distribution of petrophysical properties in the subsurface originates from the diversity of carbonate factories that control reservoir compartmentalization within each basin. The investigated carbonate factories include Upper Jurassic microbial-algal bioherms and Middle Triassic ooid shoal systems. We analyze their subsurface facies distribution, reservoir thicknesses, and lateral continuity using Forward Stratigraphic Modelling. For each basin, a comprehensive AI-supported assessment of the intrinsic sedimentological processes and palaeoecological constraints during deposition provides essential input parameters for the development and calibration of the stratigraphic models. In addition, the influence of eustatic sea-level changes on depositional architecture is examined. While carbonate deposition is often controlled by climate-induced sea-level fluctuations, differential subsidence of discrete sub-basinal compartments exerts a more significant control on facies distribution and reservoir architecture in certain case studies. Depending on primary depositional textures, subsequent diagenetic overprint, and syn- to post-depositional fracturing, various types of zones with enhanced fluid flow properties can develop. In this study, we not only present a systematic comparison of the different carbonate factories forming geothermal carbonate reservoirs in Central Europe but also outline exploration strategies to improve reservoir characterization and the identification of permeable fluid flow zones through Forward Stratigraphic Modelling. |