| Title | Deep Heat Mining in the Austrian Alps - a Prelimenary Look on Possibilities and Limitations |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bernhard Salcher and Gregor Goetzl |
| Year | 2007 |
| Conference | Stanford Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | Eastern Alps, hydrodynamic systems, geothermal utilization, EGS |
| Abstract | Due to intensive hydrocarbon exploration activities in the surrounding basins and partly in the area of the Alpine Thrust Zone, an acceptable density of deep drillings is available. Borehole and seismic data were provided by the OMV Cooperation. Nevertheless geothermal reservoir conditions at the Austroalpine Orogen are still poorly investigated. Already published studies show that the thermal regime in the Eastern Alps is poor to moderate containing temperature gradients between 15? to 30? C / km. In our study temperature information has been gained from 30 hydrocarbon drillings situated within the Alpine Thrust Zone and nearby regions. Synthesized temperature profiles based on bottom-hole temperature- (BHT) formation test- (FT) and logging data exhibit decreased thermal conditions heading southwards toward the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA), strongly influenced by crustal thickening and surface-water inflow. Due to low density of population within the areas of investigation thermal utilization should focus on electric power generation. Required formation temperatures therefore range between 90?C (ORC-process application) to > 150?C (direct use). In a subsequent working step, sections of expectable formation-temperatures ("thermal windows") could preliminary be defined. Preliminary results suggest a possible thermal use for electric power generation at the Alpine Thrust Zone and its nearby vicinity, although the economical premises are suboptimal. |