State-ofState-of--thethe--art of thermal water art of thermal water

utilization utilization

in the TRANSENERGY region: in the TRANSENERGY region:

current state, potentials and challenges current state, potentials and challenges Nina Rman1

Nóra Gál2, Daniel Marcin3, Katarína Benková3, Julia Weilbold4, Gerhard Schubert4, Tadej Fuks1, Dušan Rajver1, Andrej Lapanje1, Annamária Nádor2

1 Geological Survey of Slovenia2 Geological and Geophysical Institute of Hungary

3 State geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Slovakia4 Geological Survey of Austria

Vienna, 24.6.2013

Aim of this overview

• geothermal energy utilization in the project area (year 2011)

• recognition of possible transboundary aquifers

• impact of exploitation on regional hydrogeological conditions

• potential for increased exploitation

• challenges of sustainable geothermal energy utilization

Geothermal energy resource

(http://pubs.usgs.gov)DRAWDOWN

What is so special about

regional and transboundary water resouces?

Thermal water users

Twellhead > 20°C

Country Users Wells

Slovenia 20 35

Slovakia 44 59

Austria 20 48

Hungary 129 259

Total 213 401

Maximum wellhead temperature

Twellhead (°C)

Thermal water utilization

Foto: S.M., K.M., T.F.

Bathing and balneology Heating

Thermal water utilization

P = 180 kWe net T = 110°CQ = 20 l/s M = 18 g/l

Exploited geothermal aquifers

11 different aquifers

0.5 to 2 km depth

Q = 20-30 l/slots of CO2 → carbonates scaling → inhibitors

Q = 5-10 l/slots of H2S, CO2 → carbonates scaling → inhibitors

Q = 10-35 l/shigh abstraction → pump failures due to sand clogghing

Monitoring of geothermal wells

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

SI SK A HU SI SK A HU SI SK A HU SI SK A HU SI SK A HU

annual data continuous & daily data

occasional measurements

no monitoring no data

data is not saved

data is saved

No.

of b

oreh

oles

Groundwater level (m)

Momentary yield (l/s)

Cumulative quantity (m3)

Water temperature (°C)

Chemical monitoring

Identify anomalous changes

Sustainable management

Benchmarking indicators

Groundwater level monitoring

Thermal water production

Exploitation characteristics

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Paleozoic metamorphic rocks

Mesozoic carbonate rocks

Middle Miocene clastic rocks and sediments

Pannonian-Pontian clastic rocks and

sediments

Pliocene clastic rocks and sediments

changes

yiel

d, te

mpe

ratu

re a

nd w

ater

leve

l dec

eras

e

yiel

d an

d w

ater

leve

l dec

eras

e

wat

er le

vel d

ecer

ase

tem

pera

turec

hang

es, w

ell c

yclin

g,

yiel

d an

d w

ater

leve

l dec

eras

e

tem

pera

ture

and

wat

er le

vel d

ecer

ase

Waste thermal water management

locationwellhead

outletwellheadi TT

TT

sewage

Future geothermal development

Technical potential

65 inactive users 94 inactive wells +7 mio m3 annually:

Upper Miocene clastic rocks: +2.8 million m3 MZ carbonates: +1.7 million m3

Others: app. + 2.8 million m3

Future geothermal development

Hydrogeological potential

regional and transboundary aquifers → interferences → numerical models

Legislative potential

Applications for or granted water concessions (AT, SI, SK):

+30 mio m3 annually

Heat extraction: reinjection with doublets

Management of resources: benchmarking

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2007 2008 2009 2010 water permits

HU

A

SK

SI

An

nu

al e

xtra

ctio

n o

f th

erm

al w

ater

(mio

m3/

y) 70% data72% data

71% data

25% data

6% data

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2007 2008 2009 2010 water permits

HU

A

SK

SI

An

nu

al e

xtra

ctio

n o

f th

erm

al w

ater

(mio

m3/

y) 70% data72% data

71% data

25% data

6% data

Future geothermal development

Conclusions

Utilization status in 2011 : 148 users with 307 active wells

Low temperature resources: direct use and 1 binary electricity power plant

2 most favourable geothermal aquifers: MZ carbonates & Upper Miocene sand

Indications of overexploitation

Cascade use: improves thermal efficiency and reduces water demand

Inactive geothermal wells

Low and intermediate temperature potential for new drillings

Limited hydrogeological potential can be expanded by reinjection

• Monitoring system: comparable and systematic, public data

Sustainable development: pilot models, benchmarking and strategy paper

http://transenergy-eu.geologie.ac.at/

http://akvamarin.geo-zs.si/users

Wellbore database

Geological maps

Utilization maps

Geothermal mapsCombination of layers

!!! Scale !!!!

Thermal water temperature and surface heat flow density

Most tapped geothermal aquifers andextent of the Upper Miocene sand

Temperature at 1000 m and thermal water users

Interactive webmaps and database of users