Country Update of the Slovak Republic

Abstract

The majority of the Slovak territory is occupied by the West Carpathian mountain system, only part of eastern Slovakia is assigned into the East Carpathians. The essential feature of the West Carpathians is their nappe structure composed of rock complexes ranging in age from the Precambrian to Tertiary. They are divided into several zones. Geothermal aquifers can be found only in the Inner Western Carpathians due to favorable geological conditions. Geothermal aquifers are largely associated with Triassic dolomites and limestones of the Krizna, Choc and Silicikum nappes, less frequently with Neogene sands, sandstones, conglomerates, andesites and related pyroclastics. Geothermal wells are located mostly in the intra-mountainous depressions or in lowlands bordering the Slovak territory in its southern part. Up today, 27 hydrogeothermal areas or structures have been identified in the Slovakian territory. Geothermal waters were proven by 165 geothermal wells with the depth of 9 m to 3 616 m. The temperature on the well head ranges from 18 to 129 °C, yields reach up to 70 l/s. Water is mostly of Na-HCO3-Cl, Ca-Mg-HCO3 and Na-Cl chemical type with the TDS value of 0.4 – 90.0 g/l. The total amount of 2,453 l/s of geothermal water were documented by realized geothermal wells. The total amount of geothermal water utilized in the last period was 441 l/s in average per year. This utilization makes only 18 % of approved amounts of geothermal water. Geothermal waters are widely used for recreational purposes, mostly in very popular aquaparks in many places of Slovakia. Space heating, greenhouses and fish farming belong to other ways of geothermal energy utilization.