Throughout September, Loes Buijze and Hans Veldkamp will be sharing a series of posts about underground temperatures and notable temperature measurements from the Geo4all research programme.
Since 2010, TNO has been working on detailed 3D temperature modelling of the Netherlands via the ThermoGIS platform. This involves combining various data sources to obtain as accurate a picture as possible of the temperature distribution in the subsurface. This temperature model is important for estimating where geothermal energy is most profitable in the Netherlands.
However, there is still a need for more and, above all, better temperature measurements, because the current measurements behind the temperature model contain uncertainties. In addition to the initial temperature of the subsurface, data on geothermal cooling — the cooling of the reservoir during production — are also scarce. Yet this information is essential for estimating:
- the lifespan of a geothermal project,
- the integrity of the covering rock layers,
- and the risk of reactivation of fractures.
This issue is central to work package 4 (WP4) of the Geo4all project.
New measurements in progress
This week, temperature measurements (temperature logs) are being carried out at a geothermal project run by Gaia Energy, a partner in Geo4all. Temperature measurements have also been taken at partner Ennatuurlijk Aardwarmte. The results will make an important contribution to the development of knowledge about geothermal systems in the Netherlands.
