| Title | Development of the electrical power generation and geothermal exploration in Colombia: Country Update |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yenny Paola Casallas, J. Camilo Matiz-Leon |
| Year | 2023 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Colombia, Country Update, geothermal potential, development power generation, geothermal gradient holes, geothermal exploration, Nereidas-Botero Londono |
| Abstract | Since 2020 the most relevant issues for the development of geothermal in the two most essential aspects (power generation and exploration of the resources) are the definition of the geothermal potential, the energy generation from co-production with oil and gas, the drilling of two geothermal gradient holes for the validation of the resource in Paipa geothermal area, the advanced with the regulatory frame and the participation of the country for first time in the Geothermal Training Programme in Iceland. The estimation of the total electrical power in Colombia is 1170.20 ± 31.39 MWe, with a stored heat of 138.60 ± 1.84 EJ. This calculation is based on a volumetric method using hot springs in the whole Colombian territory. The greatest resources are associated with hydrothermal volcanic systems contained in the northern blocks of geothermal areas, but the resource found not associated with volcanic systems is not negligible. The first generation for geothermal power has been carried out from a pilot of co-produced fluid between geothermal power production and oil and gas production in the Llanos Orientales sedimentary basin (oil producing region). The kind of technology used is a modular Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) that produces electrical power at temperatures below 100°C generating 70kWe net of baseload. The Servicio Geológico Colombiano from 2020 to 2022 geothermal exploration was focused on five geothermal areas. San Diego, Cerro Machín, Santa Rosa and Nereidas-Botero Londoño, associated to Nevado Del Ruiz Volcano Complex, in the northern of the Cordillera Central. On the other hand, two geothermal gradient holes were drilled in the Paipa Geothermal Area to confirm the conceptual model and geological structure. According to the direct measurements of the subsurface taken, the thermal anomaly was confirmed, the geothermal gradient calculated is 180°C/km and 78°C/km with depths of 433 m and 454 m respectively. Additionally, was registered well logs (GR, SP, resistivity, among others) with the intention to calculate heat flux. Regarding the evolution of the regulatory frame, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (Minenergia) generated a series of working sessions with the various governmental stakeholders that directly impact the development of the geothermal industry in Colombia. These workshops were accompanied by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) and as a result, Colombia has Draft Resolution By which the technical requirements that will govern the registry of exploration and registry of exploitation of the Geothermal Resource for the purpose of generating electrical energy are established. In 2021, for the first time Colombia is included in the long-standing and recognized geothermal education program worldwide, the GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme (GTP) under the auspices of UNESCO in Iceland, continuing the dynamic in 2022. About the establishment of the Colombian geothermal community, the Colombian Geothermal Association (Ageocol, for its acronym in Spanish) continues with the Reunión Nacional de Geotermia (RENAG), the annual geothermal meeting for 2021 that congregated national and international experts from different topics about geothermal and its incidence in the Colombian scenario. |