Possibilities of Petrogeothermal Energy Resources Utilization in Central Part of Poland

Abstract

Abstract. The current utilization of geothermal energy in Poland consists in development of geothermal waters for needs of heating systems and balneotherapeutic and recreational centres. In Poland, possibility of using the energy accumulated not in waters but in rocks deep-lying below the earth surface represents a new problem. The paper presents results of estimating the petrogeothermal energy resources accumulated in sedimentary rocks of central Poland. This region was distinguished as the most prospective in Poland for the possibility of locating systems that utilize petrogeothermal energy accumulated in sedimentary rocks, with regard to criteria of temperature and depth of occurrence of reservoir rocks.The carried out assessment of petrogeothermal energy resources accumulated in sedimentary rocks has shown a significant potential for using the heat from sedimentary rocks and has enabled indication of the best prospective locations for Enhanced Geothermal Systems. The most abundant resources occur in three locations of central Poland: Kutno area (the Lower Triassic reservoir), Pleszów (the Lower Carboniferous reservoir) and Konin area (the Upper Rotliegend reservoir). In these areas the potential for builiding system based on petrogeothermal energy was identified.

Petrogeothermal energy resources within low-temperature areas of Iceland

“…Media (usually water) introduced through wells into heated rock formations (HDR) are heat carriers in systems that utilize this type of energy. for this reason, the resource assessment refers only to energy accumulated in the rocks (Sowiżdżał 2016).…”

“…Current utilization of geothermal energy in Poland is related only to resources of geothermal water, and is managed in different sectors (Tomaszewska & Hołojuch 2011, Gancarz 2015, Górecki et al 2015, Korzec 2016. Nevertheless, for several years the development of energy accumulated in hot dry rock (petrogeothermal resources) remains the subject of the comprehensive research , Wójcicki et al 2013, Bujakowski et al 2015, Sowiżdżał 2016, Sowiżdżał & Kaczmarczyk 2016, Sowiżdżał & Semyrka 2016.…”

Environmental aspects of the geothermal energy utilisation in Poland

“…Geothermal energy resources in Poland are related to the underground waters of different stratigraphic layers occurring at different depths, within geological units in the Polish Lowland, the Sudetes and the Carpathians. The information about their size is widely known thorough results of numerous research projects [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. The recognition of geological structures for direct or indirect applications of the geothermal energy is an important direction of carried geological research.…”

Recognition of Lower Cretaceous geothermal potential of Central Poland with the application of geophysical methods

“…Moreover, geothermal energy can be utilized for many other purposes, e.g., timber seasoning, undersoil heating of football pitches or fish farming. In many regions of Poland, consecutive research projects were recently run dealing with the effective utilization of geothermal energy and geothermal waters resources (e.g., Górecki et al 2015;Miecznik et al 2015;Sowiżdżał et al 2013;Sowiżdżał 2015Sowiżdżał , 2016. Despite many successful results of R&D studies leading to the publication of guidebooks for investors, the progress in development of geothermal energy resources in Poland is very slow.…”