Exploration of Geothermal Resources in Farafra Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract

The geothermal activity in Egypt is perceived in many areas, in terms of hot springs exposed at the surface or thermal deep wells. Harvesting the undiscovered geothermal resources could address local needs for energy. Farafra Oasis has been mentioned as the most interesting and promising geothermal resource for geothermal development in a protocol assigned between New and Renewable Energy Authority (Nrea) and Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope). An integrated regional geochemical and geophysical studies using remote sensing, seismicity, aeromagnetic and aerogravity data were done to evaluate the geothermal potential in the Farafra area. These provincial investigations show good correlations among high heat flow, shallow basement depths detected from gravity inversion and shallow Curie point depth obtained from magnetic data. Six zones of high geothermal probability are recognized in the Farafra oasis. These zones are southern Ain-Dalla, Bir-Sitta, eastern Qasr-Farafra, eastern Farafra, southern Farafra, and southern Abu Minqar. Geochemical analyses of thermal wells in farfara Oasis show that all the examined groundwater samples belong to good potable fresh water class for drinking and for irrigation purposes. Fluid geothermometer are not valid to be used.