| Title | Seismic Assessment of Geothermal Potential of Crystalline Crust |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rabbel, Szalaiova |
| Year | 2013 |
| Conference | European Geothermal Conference |
| Keywords | Geothermal prospecting, site evaluation, Continental Deep Drillhole KTB. |
| Abstract | On the basis of seismic and petrophysical data collected at the 9.1 km deep Continental Deep Drillhole (KTB) we are presenting a stochastic approach to estimate geothermal and hydraulic properties of deeply fractured crystalline crust. The work is an approach to realistically estimating the geothermal potential of faulted crystalline crust. Its seismic part consists of applying new techniques of data analysis to 3D seismic reflection data in order to identify and statistically quantify complex networks of fractures and their relation to major fault planes. Concentrating on a 10x10x10 km crustal cube this analysis is combined with vertical seismic profiling, geophysical logging, petrophysical laboratory and mineralogical data in order to estimate crack porosity values in situ. In order to determine model uncertainties distribution functions are derived for all geophysical properties involved on the basis of borehole measurements and seismic modelling. Attributing the resulting crack porosities and permeabilities to the 3D seismic fracture patterns leads to a hydraulic model of the brittle upper crust which is evaluated and calibrated in two ways: (1) by the outcome of the hydraulic injection experiments performed previously at the KTB site, and (2) by geothermal modelling. |