The Iceland Deep Drilling Project: a search for deep unconventional geothermal resources

Friðleifsson, G. Ó.; Elders, W. A.

doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2004.11.004

Cited by 105 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The Reykjanes geothermal fluid is seawater, chemically modified due to boiling and fluid/rock interaction (Tómasson and Kristmannsdóttir, 1972;Arnórsson, 1978;Ólafsson and Riley, 1978;Arnórsson, 1995;Bird and Spieler, 2004;Friðleifsson and Elders, 2005;. Compared to seawater, hydrothermal fluids in the Reykjanes geothermal system have similar concentrations of Na and Cl; increased concentrations of K, Ca, SiO 2 , Fe, and Al; and decreased concentrations of SO 4 and Mg indicating that mineral precipitation, and significant water rock interaction have occurred (Lonker et al, 1993;Arnórsson, 1995;Pope et al, 2009).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of fluid–rock interaction in the Reykjanes geothermal system, Iceland: Evidence from Iceland Deep Drilling Project core RN-17B

Fowler

Zierenberg

Schiffman

et al. 2015

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

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We describe the lithology and present spatially resolved geochemical analyses of samples from the hydrothermally altered Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) drill core RN-17B. The 9.3 m long RN-17B core was collected from the seawater-dominated Reykjanes geothermal system, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland. The nature of fluids and the location of the Reykjanes geothermal system make it a useful analog for seafloor hydrothermal processes, although there are important differences. The recovery of drill core from the Reykjanes geothermal system, as opposed to drill cuttings, has provided the opportunity to investigate evolving geothermal conditions by utilizing in-situ geochemical techniques in the context of observed paragenetic and spatial relationships of alteration minerals. The RN-17B core was returned from a vertical depth of~2560 m and an in-situ temperature of~345°C. The primary lithologies are basaltic in composition and include hyaloclastite breccia, fine-grained volcanic sandstone, lithic breccia, and crystalline basalt. Primary igneous phases have been entirely pseudomorphed by calcic plagioclase + magnesium hornblende + chlorite + titanite + albitized plagioclase + vein epidote and sulfides. Despite the extensive hydrothermal metasomatism, original textures including hyaloclastite glass shards, lithic clasts, chilled margins, and shell-fragment molds are superbly preserved. Multi-collector LA-ICP-MS strontium isotope ratio ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) measurements of vein epidote from the core are consistent with seawater as the dominant recharge fluid. Epidote-hosted fluid inclusion homogenization temperature and freezing point depression measurements suggest that the RN-17B core records cooling through the two-phase boundary for seawater over time to current in-situ measured temperatures. Electron microprobe analyses of hydrothermal hornblende and hydrothermal plagioclase confirm that while alteration is of amphibolite-grade, it is in disequilibrium and the extent of alteration is dependent upon protolith type and water/rock ratio. Alteration in the RN-17B core bares many similarities to that of Type II basalts observed in Mid-Atlantic Ridge samples.

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Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of fluid–rock interaction in the Reykjanes geothermal system, Iceland: Evidence from Iceland Deep Drilling Project core RN-17B

Fowler

Zierenberg

Schiffman

et al. 2015

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

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“…Eventually, at the very highest categories of temperature and pressure there are the supercritical resources, which currently remain in the realms of research (e.g. Fridleifsson & Elders 2005). If the considerable hydrogeological and engineering challenges associated with drilling into supercritical reservoirs can be overcome, the rewards are potentially enormous, with projected well yields an order of magnitude greater than those achieved from high-enthalpy reservoirs using flash processes.…”

Section: The Hydrogeology Of Mid-to Highenthalpy Geothermal Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogeological challenges in a low-carbon economy

Younger

2013

QJEGH

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Hydrogeology has traditionally been regarded as the province of the water industry, but it is increasingly finding novel applications in the energy sector. Hydrogeology has a longstanding role in geothermal energy exploration and management. Although aquifer management methods can be directly applied to most high-enthalpy geothermal reservoirs, hydrogeochemical inference techniques differ somewhat owing to peculiarities of high-temperature processes. Hydrogeological involvement in the development of ground-coupled heating and cooling systems using heat pumps has led to the emergence of the sub-discipline now known as thermogeology. The patterns of groundwater flow and heat transport are closely analogous and can thus be analysed using very similar techniques. Without resort to heat pumps, groundwater is increasingly being pumped to provide cooling for large buildings; the renewability of such systems relies on accurate prediction and management of thermal breakthrough from reinjection to production boreholes. Hydrogeological analysis can contribute to quantification of accidental carbon emissions arising from disturbance of groundwater-fed peatland ecosystems during wind farm construction. Beyond renewables, key applications of hydrogeology are to be found in the nuclear sector, and in the sunrise industries of unconventional gas and carbon capture and storage, with high temperatures attained during underground coal gasification requiring geothermal technology transfer.

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“…This high gradient thermal energy can be commercially used for Power generation, Space heating, Greenhouse effect etc. (Fridleifsson and Elders, 2005;Fridleifsson et al, 2007;Elders and Fridleifsson, 2010). The initial attempt was made in Reykjanes peninsula (RN-7) where the first exploratory well of about 3.1 km depth was drilled after going through the sufferings of wellbore collapse during flow testing; therefore this well was not deepened.…”

Section: …………………………………………………………………………………………………… Introduction:-mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the greater hydrostatic pressure to prevent the well from blowout the lower portion of the well was plugged with a gravel plug. This well escorted the concept of deliberately seeking out supercritical temperatures as a part of Deep Vision initiative in Iceland in 2000, which was further transformed to Iceland Deep Drilling Project (Fridleifsson and Elders, 2005;Fridleifsson et al, 2007).…”

Section: …………………………………………………………………………………………………… Introduction:-mentioning

confidence: 99%