Geochemical methods in geothermal

exploration and exploitation

Magns lafsson
Iceland GeoSurvey (SOR)
 The focus in the talk will be on the role of geochemistry in
exploring and exploiting high-temperature geothermal
systems (T > 180C)
I will emphasis the need of careful sampling of geothermal
fluids
And say a few words about data interpretation
Geothermometers
Fluid qualities, scaling

Geochemical methods are extensively

used and play a major role in geothermal
exploration and exploitation!

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Geothermal exploration and development

At the onset of a geothermal exploration project

it is uncertain whether or not the results will be
economically, technically and environmentally
feasible.

Geothermal exploration and development,

therefore, invariably necessitate risk money.

Because of the uncertainty involved it has become

common practice to divide the preparatory work
into several phases in order to minimize cost and
maximize information for each phase.

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Geothermal project strategy

The main phases are

(in a simplefied way) :

Surface exploration
Exploration drilling
Production drilling
Preliminary power plant design
Financing, additional production drilling, construction
Operation, monitoring

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In a more sophisticated way we can divide each phase
into several phases and we can put a time scale on the project!

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 Geochemistry and geochemical methods are
extensively applied in all phases of geothermal
exploration and development !

The basic philosophy behind using geochemical methods in

geothermal exploration is that fluids on the surface
(aqueous solutions or gas mixtures) reflect physico-
chemical and thermal conditions in the geothermal
reservoir at depth !

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Geochemical studies of geothermal fluids essentially
involve three steps:

Sampling
Analysis
Data interpretation

Obtaining representative samples of geothermal fluids require

specific sampling techniques and containers

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In the exploratory phase the task of
geochemistry is mainly to >

Estimate subsurface temperatures by using

chemical and isotope geothermometers as well
as mixing models
Identify the origin of the geothermal fluid,
mainly with isotopic techniques
Define chemical properties of the fluid with
respect to environmental issues, scaling ....
Provide data to a conceptional model of the
geothermal system

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In the phase of exploration drilling the
main task of geochemistry is to >

Provide information on water to steam ration in

the reservoir
Assess the quality of the geothermal fluid with
respect to the intended use
Assess the quality of the geothermal fluid with
respect to the environment
Provide information on scaling tendencies of the
fluid in production as well as injection wells and
surface equipment
Provide additional information to a conceptional
model of the geothermal reservoir

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In the phase of production drilling and
operation of a power plant the main task
of geochemistry is to >

Identify recharge into the reservoir of shallow

groundwater or deeper hot water
Assess boiling processes in production aquifers
Identify changes in the chemistry of the
geothermal fluid
Quantify changes in scaling and corrosion
tendencies
Monitor the quality of the geothermal fluid
with respect to the environment

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 Chemical and isotopic analyses are expensive and tedious
and all is wasted if the sampling is incorrect

Chemical data interpretation becomes meaningless or

even worse, misguiding, if the sampling is incorrect

Important to emphasise the need of careful sampling

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Sampling in a high temperature field
Safety first
Selection of suitable sites
Fumaroles
Hot springs
Sample thermal and non-thermal fluids

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Collection of sample from a fumarole

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Sampling from :
Exploration wells
Production wells
Power stations

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Sampling spot

Webre separator

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Collection of sample from a two-phase geothermal well

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Data Interpretation - Geothermometers
Chemical and isotope geothermometers probably constitute
the most important geochemical tool for the exploration and
development of geothermal resources.

They are used to :

Estimate subsurface temperatures of a geothermal
reservoir
Monitor temperature changes of the reservoir during
production

Geothermometers have been classified into three groups:

Water or solute geothermometers
Steam or gas geothermometers
Isotope geothermometers

Water and steam geothermometers are generally referred

to as chemical geothermometers

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Water or solute geothermometers

Mostly developed from mid-1960s to mid 1980s

The most important once are :

Silica
Na/K
Na-K-Ca

And less important are e.g.:

Na/Li, Li/Mg and Na-K-Mg

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Silica geothermometer a bit of history

Suggested by Bvarsson in 1960 and developed

further by Bvarsson & Plmason 1961
Fournier & Rowe, 1966, 120 - 330C
Arnrsson, 1975; Chalcedony
Fournier, 1977. Silica-enthalpy mixing model
Fournier & Potter 1982 new equation 20 - 330C
and salinity accounted for

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Silica geothermometer, contd

Several known silica polymorphs in nature

Quartz, amorphous silica, moganite, tridymite,
cristobalite, coesite, stichovite.
Chalcedony is a variety of quartz, composed of
very fine quartz crystals, so fine that their
surface energy contributes to their solubility and
therefore explaining why chalcedony is more
soluable than quartz.
The Icelandic experience is that geothermal
waters equilibrate with chalcedony below 180C
and with quartz at higher temperatures.

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The solubility of quarts, chalcedony, opal
and amorphous silica in water at 1 bar Silica geothermometers, examples
below 100C and at the vapour pressure
of the solution at higher temperatures. S represents silica conc. as SiO2 in mg/kg

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Cation geothermometers a bit of history
Na+, K+, Li+, Ca+2, Mg+2 are mostly used
The Na/K ratio in geothermal water were initially
used to locate upflow zones in Wairakei by Ellis
and Wilson 1961
At that time is was already proposed that the
Na/K ratios were probably controlled by
equilibrium between geothermal water and alkali
feldspars and depended on temperature
Many empirical calibrations have been proposed
Recently Arnrsson et al. have retrieved a new
calibration based on experimental thermodynamic
data

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 Na-K geothermometers, examples
Proposed temperature curves for
the Na-K geothermometer

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Steam (gas) geothermometers
The first gas geothermometer developed was that
of DAmore & Panichi (1980)

Essentially three types of steam geothermometers

Gas gas equilibria
Mineral gas equilibria involving H2S, H2 and CH4 and
assuming CO2 to be externally fixed
Mineral gas equilibria

The first two groups require only data on the relative

abundance of gaseous components in the gas phase
The third group calls for information on gas concentration
in steam

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Torfajkull, Iceland
CO2 / N2 gas geothermometer

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Isotope geothermometers

Fractionation of isotopes of the light

elements is quite significant and
temperature dependent
Possible to use the distribution of the
stable isotopes of H, C and O between
aqueous and gaseous compounds as
geothermometers
Several isotopic geothermometers have
been developed and are quite extensively
used

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Examples of isotope geothermometers (SA, 2000)

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 Mixing models are used to
estimate temperatures in
geothermal reservoirs
800

600
Maximum steam loss
SiO2 (mg/kg)

800.00

400

Fournier and Potter (1982)

200
. Quartz solubility
600.00

22 Ragnarsdttir and Walther (1983)

SiO2 mg/kg
19

25 400.00
0
221 C
0 400 800 1200 191 C
Enthalpy (kJ/kg)
200.00

0.00

0.00 1000.00 2000.00 3000.00 4000.00

CO2 mg/kg

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Scaling, corrosion
Wellhead diameter in inches
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Depth m

500
7 down to 503 m

510
6 nibbles
down to
520 510 m

530

540

550 6 stick at
552 m and
557m
560

570 6 stops at
567 m
RN-9

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Some future geochemical tasks associated with
e.g. UGR or IDDP (dealing with super critical
fluids), EGS, CO2 capture and storage, etc
Many unsolved chemical problems may be associated with
mining geothermal fluids from very deep and very hot
reservoirs, IDDP-project, UGR, EGS etc.
Hostile fluid super critical fluids!
Precipitation, scaling, corrosion etc.
Geochemical methods are heavily involved in a present
project involved in capturing and geological storage of CO2 at
Hellisheii, SW-Iceland
New methods and new technologies might be needed
It is necessary to strengthen the thermodynamic database
for computer programmes used for data evaluation and
modelling

Geochemical methods will be involved in many future

geothermal projects

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Thank you !

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