| Abstract |
An updated status of European geothermal direct uses is presented. Production problem areas, particularly those related to (i) injection into clastic sedimentary reservoirs of the heat depleted brine, (ii) submersible pump reliability, (iii) corrosion and scaling of tubular goods and down hole pumps, and (iv) reservoir management issues, are reviewed with special reference to the Paris basin, the most recently developed resource to date. The prospective impact of the so called hydro energy route aimed at exploiting, via heat pumps, very low temperature sources, which contribute to diversifying the conventional geothermal heating spectrum, are also discussed. |