Geothermal Baseline Study for District Heating in the Metropolitan Area of Dresden (Germany)

Abstract

This paper addresses important aspects of a baseline study aimed at deciphering the subsurface geology and thermal conditions fundamental for the development of a geothermal project targeted at the use of geothermal resources in the metropolitan area of Dresden, Germany. The geological target is a low-permeable dioritemonzonitegranite igneous complex that needs to be developed as an EGS/HDR reservoir. The baseline study comprised (I) the generation of a conceptual geological model to drillable depth, (II) the modeling of the subsurface thermal conditions based upon surface heat flow and a large number of measured thermal rock properties (thermal conductivity, density, and U, Th and K bulk-rock concentrations to calculate radiogenic heat production), and (III) an assessment of the chemical reservoir integrity by evaluating the possible consequences of fluidrock interactions that may occur during deploying the geothermal reservoir at depth.