Assessing a Modeling Standard in Volcanic-Geothermal Systems: the Effects of the Lower System Boundary

Sammanfattning: Geothermal energy consumption is projected to increase along with other renewable energy in the future. Therefore, it is important to have a better understanding on the evolution of geothermal systems to optimize the exploitation of such resources. Generally, numerical models are used as a fundamental tool to study a potential geothermal field. However, current modeling practices tend to focus on the shallow area around the heat source, while ignoring the deeper part below the heat source. The purpose of this project is to observe the influence of lower boundary at the bottom of intrusion towards the evolution of geothermal system, while changing the permeability and topography of host rock systematically, using a software from USGS called HYDROTHERM. Simulations differed in three main aspects: 1) having a layer below, or having the bottom boundary directly below intrusion, 2) different topographies with volcanic significance, and 3) varying permeabilities of the host rock. The study is based on a fossil geothermal system, the Cerro Bayo laccolith in Chachahuén volcanic complex (Neuquén Basin), Argentina. The input parameters were obtained in several ways. ILMAT Geothermometry analysis provide the temperature value related to the intrusion. The whole rock data is used to determined density of the intrusion by calculating partial molar volume of the oxides. The other parameters, e.g. densities of the host rock and the impermeable layer, permeability, porosity, and thermal conductivity were obtained from literature. The result from numerical modeling shows that the bottom boundary below intrusion strongly affect the entire system evolution. The added layer (with constant permeability) has strong influence on the life-span of the system. Additionally, while taking into account on the variation of topography and permeabilities, the models show two temperature anomalies: 1) A caldera volcano’s geometry “traps” heat below the caldera, whereas shield and strato-volcano geometries “push” heat away from below the volcanic edifice, and 2) a low temperature anomaly develops beneath the intrusion in all high permeability models with an added layer. Finally, this assessment could prove to be useful as prior knowledge for optimizing the extraction of heat from a given geothermal field, as well as future investigations towards geological applicability of numerical models of geothermal systems, hydrothermal alteration, and ore formation processes.