Yemen Geothermal Resources

Abstract

Yemen presents a number of high, medium and low enthalpy geothermal zones of interest. Some low enthalpy resources are exploited by the private sector in tourism activities: hotels, recreation and therapeutic applications. The present study is clearly high enthalpy geothermal energy, with a view to electricity generation, in response to the priority accorded to establishing whether geothermal power generation in Yemen would be feasible. The evaluation of the high enthalpy geothermal resources of the country and the selection of a site of prime interest were the main objectives of the study carried out recently by the author as a consultant of UNEP, complemented by field work for the Yemeni authorities. The present article integrates all pertinent geothermal information available and new scientific data recently collected and shows that Yemen represents a good prospect for geothermal resource exploration and feasibility and selects Dhamar area as a high geothermal target.