3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France
Abstract Switzerland promotes the energy transition by supporting the development of geothermal energy. We built a 3D basin‐scale fluid flow model of the Geneva Basin, France‐Switzerland, using the open‐source Matlab Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST). The model is calibrated on available well and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009505 |
| _version_ | 1797638173608640512 |
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| author | Marion Alcanié Marine Collignon Olav Møyner Matteo Lupi |
| author_facet | Marion Alcanié Marine Collignon Olav Møyner Matteo Lupi |
| author_sort | Marion Alcanié |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Switzerland promotes the energy transition by supporting the development of geothermal energy. We built a 3D basin‐scale fluid flow model of the Geneva Basin, France‐Switzerland, using the open‐source Matlab Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST). The model is calibrated on available well and active seismic data. The goal of the numerical study is to investigate temperature and pressure distribution at the depth that could be used to identify large‐scale positive thermal anomalies. Previous and ongoing projects have assessed the geothermal potential of the region using static conductive models interpolated from bottom hole temperatures. However, a consistent basin‐scale fluid flow model of the Geneva Basin is still lacking. We perform 14 numerical models, articulated into three complementary studies to investigate how thermal properties, petrophysical parameters, and tectonic features affect fluid flow. We constrain our simulations by implementing a progressive degree of geological and petrophysical realism to study the physical processes driving fluid flow in the Geneva basin. We propose based on the simulation results a conceptual model showing that fluid flow is driven by the down‐welling of meteoric waters that cool down rocks at the edge of the Geneva Basin. In turn, this temperature drop promotes the up‐welling of warmer fluids in the center of the basin where we suggest that exploration for geothermal resources should focus. Finally, the approach presented in this study could be used for the first assessment of geothermal resources in other sedimentary basins. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:58:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77a1b8cd82f645569d90a5f8b852f89e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1525-2027 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:58:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-77a1b8cd82f645569d90a5f8b852f89e2023-11-03T16:55:31ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272021-05-01225n/an/a10.1029/2020GC0095053D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐FranceMarion Alcanié0Marine Collignon1Olav Møyner2Matteo Lupi3Department of Earth Sciences University of Geneva Geneva SwitzerlandDepartment of Earth Sciences University of Geneva Geneva SwitzerlandSINTEF Digital Oslo NorwayDepartment of Earth Sciences University of Geneva Geneva SwitzerlandAbstract Switzerland promotes the energy transition by supporting the development of geothermal energy. We built a 3D basin‐scale fluid flow model of the Geneva Basin, France‐Switzerland, using the open‐source Matlab Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST). The model is calibrated on available well and active seismic data. The goal of the numerical study is to investigate temperature and pressure distribution at the depth that could be used to identify large‐scale positive thermal anomalies. Previous and ongoing projects have assessed the geothermal potential of the region using static conductive models interpolated from bottom hole temperatures. However, a consistent basin‐scale fluid flow model of the Geneva Basin is still lacking. We perform 14 numerical models, articulated into three complementary studies to investigate how thermal properties, petrophysical parameters, and tectonic features affect fluid flow. We constrain our simulations by implementing a progressive degree of geological and petrophysical realism to study the physical processes driving fluid flow in the Geneva basin. We propose based on the simulation results a conceptual model showing that fluid flow is driven by the down‐welling of meteoric waters that cool down rocks at the edge of the Geneva Basin. In turn, this temperature drop promotes the up‐welling of warmer fluids in the center of the basin where we suggest that exploration for geothermal resources should focus. Finally, the approach presented in this study could be used for the first assessment of geothermal resources in other sedimentary basins.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009505 |
| spellingShingle | Marion Alcanié Marine Collignon Olav Møyner Matteo Lupi 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| title | 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France |
| title_full | 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France |
| title_fullStr | 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France |
| title_full_unstemmed | 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France |
| title_short | 3D Basin‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling as a Tool for Geothermal Exploration: Application to the Geneva Basin, Switzerland‐France |
| title_sort | 3d basin scale groundwater flow modeling as a tool for geothermal exploration application to the geneva basin switzerland france |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009505 |
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