| Title | A new weighted model and quantification of the most favorable drilling targets of Berlín Geothermal Field using Leapfrog Geothermal |
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| Authors | Mayra Raquel Hernandez Cabrera, Gylfi Páll Hersir, Gudni Axelsson |
| Year | 2023 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Brittle/ductile transition, conceptual model, fault system, favorable areas, formation temperature, geothermal system, geothermal exploration, heat flow, leapfrog geothermal, magnetotellurics (MT), resistivity, seismic monitoring, thermal gradient, weight |
| Abstract | The Geothermal Field of Berlín is in the southern flank of the Central Graben and the northwest sector of the Berlín-Tecapa volcanic complex in El Salvador. The volcanic activity of the region is related to the tectonic interaction in the subduction zone between the Cocos and Caribbean plates (DeMets, 2001). Geoscientific studies began in the 1960s, and after that, the field went to commercial operation on a small scale in 1992 with two back pressure units of 5 MW each (Montalvo and Axelsson, 2000). During the following years, different multidisciplinary studies were carried out to characterize the geothermal system that permitted the finding of new target areas. As a result, there is currently a total installed electrical capacity of 109.2 MWe (without the back pressure units). However, it is essential to continue studying other types of information to observe anomalies supported by different correlations and datasets that permit quantitatively identifying the most promising drilling targets of the area. According to de above, a weighted model of the most favorable drilling areas for Berlín Geothermal Field has been developed. It is based on the last updated conceptual model (LaGeo, 2019), new interpretations, and new models created in the Leapfrog Geothermal program. Previous information has been interpreted and updated to a digital format to be integrated into a 3D model (Leapfrog, 2021). The various datasets provide the basis for the weighted model, which is primarily subdivided into four groups: 1. Surface data, 2. well data, 3) well logs, and 4) other data types like the 3D resistivity model. The 3D model results have been correlated and integrated into the weighted model, which purpose is to improve understanding of the nature and characteristics of the geothermal reservoir to minimize risks for future drilling targets. The resulting workflow describes how to bring together multidisciplinary interpretation results, highlighting areas of uncertainty and the required future work. According to the most favorable areas of the weighted model, eight different drilling places or areas are suggested. The best parameters converge from all 3D models created previously, indicating favorability equal to or higher than 85%. |