Geological Conditions, Current Status and Near Future Possibilities of Geothermal Development in Kamchatka, Russia

Abstract

This study shows that geothermal resources development in Kamchatka is possible in two main applications: generation of electric energy at high-temperature geothermal fields and heat supply through the use of low-temperature geothermal fields. The Kamchatka geothermal resources are estimated to be sufficient for generating electricity with a capacity of up to 3,900 MWe. The geothermal resources for heat supply are estimated at about 1350 MWh. The use of numerical thermo-hydrodynamic TOUGH2-modeling with exploitation forecast of productive geothermal reservoirs with known reservoir and energy properties shows as follows: (1) The possibility of increasing the electrical productivity of the already exploited areas of the Mutnovsky geothermal field up to 105 MWe, the Pauzhetsky geothermal field to 11 MWe by using binary technologies; (2) The possibility of increasing heat generation during the operation of the Paratunsky geothermal field with submersible pumps up to 216 MWt, which ensures heat consumption for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky centralized heat supply systems. Further prospects for increasing geothermal electricity and heat supply in Kamchatka may also be associated with the exploration of partially explored Bolshe-Banny, Nizhne-Koshelevsky and Verkhne-Paratunsky geothermal fields. The use of geothermal resources of the latter for energy purposes in combination with the increase in capacity of the Mutnovsky GeoPP and the Pauzhetskaya GeoPP solves the problem of reliable and complete power supply of the Kamchatka south and center at the expense of geothermal energy sources. Geothermal reservoirs with hydrothermal circulation associated with the magmatic feeding systems of the Mutnovsky and Koryaksky volcanoes may also be considered as targets for exploratory drilling for geothermal energy.