The Tibetan Section of the Global Geothermal Zone, with Special Reference to Yangbajain Geothermal Field

Abstract

This paper present the preliminary results of a geothermal project executed by the United Nations through its Department of Technical Cooperation for Development. The Himalayan geothermal zone is one of the most important components of the global geothermal framework. The Yangbajain are located in Tibet, China is a typical examples of this type of geothermal flied. Research performed in the past years, and particularly during the Chinese-Italian geothermal project, promoted by the United Nations, has provided extensive knowledge on the geological structure, geophysics and geochemistry of the Yangbajain geothermal field. The temperature and pressure in the reservoir are slightly lower than the average values recorded in the other remain geothermal field in the world. Geological, geochemical an geophysical features indicate that the geothermal system is connected to a fairly deep heat source and to convective circulation passing though a fault system. This heat source could be situated in the melting zone between the double crust formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates.