Hot springs and geothermal gradients in northern Thailand

Barr, Sandra M.; Ratanasathien, B.; Breen, Dan; Ramingwong, Tavisakdi; Sertsrivanit, Somsri

doi:10.1016/0375-6505(79)90002-6

Cited by 19 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…High geothermal gradients (74-133 °C/km) and high heat flow (68-168 mWm −2 ) are reported over much of the Fang basin in the shallow sediments (< 500 m) (Barr et al 1979;Thienprasert and Raksaskulwong 1984), and these high values are commonly cited in recent literature Petersen et al 2006 Barr et al (1979) measured gradients in two wells at the Mae Soon and the Chai Prakarn oil fields ( Fig. 8).…”

Section: Fang Sedimentary Basin Geothermal Gradientsmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Inversion profiles are common in geothermal wells (Bodvarsson 1973;Ziagos and Blackwell 1986). These long-normal resistivity (ohm-meters) gamma (API units) Barr et al (1979) from wells which are located in oil fields shown in Figs.2, 3 (detailed locations were not published). Dashed lines are gradients in wells (locations in Figs.…”

Section: Crystalline Rock Geothermal Gradientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2,3,8), Thienprasert and Raksaskulwong (1984) calculated heat flow values 94-150 mW m −2 (mean value of 114 ± 23, n = 5), using measured core conductivities of 1.19-1.70 W m −1 °C −1 . For the deeper sections of the two wells profiled in the sediments by Barr et al (1979), heat flow values of 93 and 168 mW m −2 were calculated using an assumed conductivity of 1.26 W m −1 °C −1 . These values are higher than those from estimates of lithospheric parameters (Table 4) and much higher than 39 or 56 mW m −2 calculated from the temperature gradient of the 1200-m-deep well (32.8 °C/km) using either a conductivity of 1.19 or 1.70 W m −1 °C −1 .…”

Section: Heat Flow To Estimate the Geothermal Gradient In Crystallinementioning

confidence: 99%

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Geologic framework of the Fang Hot Springs area with emphasis on structure, hydrology, and geothermal development, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand

2018

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Geologic mapping, a magnetotelluric survey, well data, and earlier reports are integrated to guide further development of the Fang geothermal system. The Fang Hot Springs originally flowed ~ 20 l s −1 of 90-99 °C water from a 10-hectare area of crystalline rocks presumed to be of Triassic age. Four wells 92-500 m deep now flow ~ 20 l s −1 of 110-115 °C water and generate 115-250 kWe from the 1989 Ormat binary power plant. Wells are not pumped nor is the spent water re-injected. Temperatures of 130 °C occur in some wells and water chemistry indicates reservoir temperatures of 150 °C. The springs now flow ~ 10 l s −1. The Fang geothermal area is at the west end of the active left-lateral strike-slip Mae Chan fault (MCF). MCF transitions to extensional faulting along the western boundary of the Cenozoic Fang basin. The hot waters emanate from crystalline rocks 0.7 km north of the MCF. Permeable fractures may be tensile fractures at the right-stepping fault tip. The less permeable MCF fault core and Cenozoic sediments of the Fang basin to the SW are not considered to be drilling targets. Unrelated to the fracture system is the Doi Kia detachment fault which places Paleozoic sediments over crystalline rock with a low-angle contact. Electrical resistivity surveys detect low resistivity (< 60 Ωm) only within the upper 50-100 m of the hot springs area. Deeper crystalline rock is > 100 Ωm. Low resistivity is caused mostly by conductive minerals of hydrothermal alteration, and not by the geothermal water of resistivity 5.6 Ωm. No deep resistivity anomaly is detected beneath the seeps or producing wells, although resolution of past surveys would not have imaged narrow zones of alteration. High-resolution resistivity surveys focused on detecting the deeper fracture system are recommended over the hot well area and south over the area underlain by crystalline rocks. Future development should focus on drilling wells (≤ 500 m) with diameters large enough to install submersible pumps to increase flows. Development of several MWe may be possible and should include a designed re-injection well system to sustain pump levels.

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Section: Fang Sedimentary Basin Geothermal Gradientsmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Crystalline Rock Geothermal Gradientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Heat Flow To Estimate the Geothermal Gradient In Crystallinementioning

confidence: 99%

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Geologic framework of the Fang Hot Springs area with emphasis on structure, hydrology, and geothermal development, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand

2018

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“…Within the Tertiary formations of northern Thailand, the stratigraphical and regional diagenetic patterns are variable (Miki and Aizawa, 1995). Northern Thailand is a thermally active region characterized by present-day high geothermal gradients (around 70o-90°C/km) and high heat flow values (higher than 2.5 HFU in maximum) (Thienprasert and Raksaskulwong, 1984;Barr et al, 1979). These high geothermal environments may be the result of sea-floor spreading in the Andaman Sea and subsequent basaltic intrusions during late Cenozoic time (Barr et al, 1979).…”

Section: Diagenesis Of Coals and Coal-bearing Formations And Paleo-gmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accumulation and diagenesis of Tertiary coals in some marginal areas of the Asian continent

Miki¹

1999

BGSM

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Tertiary coals and coal-bearing formations are sporadically distributed in marginal areas of the Asian continent. Their economical qualities and quantities are inferior to continental Paleozoic coals, but their geological significance should be emphasized for studies of accumulation and transformation mechanisms of coal-bearing formations in continental margins. This paper attempts to discuss the geological processes that occurred during accumulation and diagenesis of the Tertiary coal-bearing formations in Kyushu, Japan and other Asian regions.

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“…Northern Thailand is one of the areas where the potential for geothermal power plants is very high (Barr et al, 1979;Chuaviroj, 1988;Owens, 2012;Singharajwarapan et al, 2012). Many of the hot springs in northern Thailand (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A pilot magnetotelluric survey for geothermal exploration in Mae Chan region, northern Thailand

2015

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There are many potential sites for geothermal power plants in Thailand. After many years of geological and geophysical surveys, a pilot magnetotelluric (MT) survey was made to assess the reservoir of the Mae Chan geothermal area, northern Thailand, which is one of the key areas for geothermal development. Seven MT sites were deployed in a 3 km × 4 km area around the Mae Chan district covering the Mae Chan hot springs. The MT data were acquired at low and high frequency ranges and were inverted using a 3-D MT inversion to yield the 3-D resistivity structure of the area. The results show that there are two conductive zones near the surface associated with the hot fluid of the Mae Chan hydrothermal system. The hot fluid reservoir mostly resides at less than 500 m below the surface in weathered and fractured granite and in the overlying sedimentary deposits. Its source rock is imaged as a resistive zone corresponding to the hot granite batholith below it. The hot fluid rises up along the Mae Chan fault. The fault is clearly observed as a resistivity contrast extending from the surface to depth. It dips at a moderate angle. From the measured temperature of the fluid from a drill hole and the estimated temperature of the granite rock from the resistivity structure we conclude that the Mae Chan geothermal area is likely to be suitable for immediate development of a small scale geothermal power plant.

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Hot springs and geothermal gradients in northern Thailand

Cited by 19 publications

References 9 publications

Geologic framework of the Fang Hot Springs area with emphasis on structure, hydrology, and geothermal development, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand

Geologic framework of the Fang Hot Springs area with emphasis on structure, hydrology, and geothermal development, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand

Accumulation and diagenesis of Tertiary coals in some marginal areas of the Asian continent

A pilot magnetotelluric survey for geothermal exploration in Mae Chan region, northern Thailand

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