"Asia Geothermal Database" as a DCGM-4 Project of CCOP

Abstract

The Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP) devotes to coordination and cooperation in scientific activity related to coastal and offshore geological and geophysical surveys, regional map compilation, database construction, human resources development and technology transfer. Activity of CCOP covers four sectors: energy, mineral resources, coastal zone management and geohazards.

In East-Southeast Asia, demands of energy are increasing, and establishment of clean energy infrastructure in the region is needed for preservation of global environments. Fortunately, East-Southeast Asia is in the Circum-Pacific and Himalayan continental collision volcanic zones, and has potential of geothermal energy, which is one of clean energies, available to local electrical power supply and direct use.

Maturity of geothermal development is various among CCOP countries. One country is already well matured and other country is just starting to develop, and geothermal setting is also different from immature island arcs to continental collision zones. Therefore, as a first step to understand and develop geothermal resources in each member country, a geothermal database under common criteria should be built. Under these circumstances, the three-year (2001-2003) multi-lateral international project "Asia Geothermal Database" was proposed in the 36th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting at Bangkok, October 2000, and has met with the approval of the meeting.

The geothermal database was made through compilation of various data sets of each countries with a GIS software, and includes data of geothermal power plants, drillholes, hot springs, Quaternary volcanoes, thermal gradient and disastrous earthquakes with magnetic and Bouguer anomaly maps are shown on base geological maps in the East-Southeast Asia area.