Numerical model of the Tikitere geothermal system

Abstract

The Tikitere geothermal field is one of the 21 high-enthalpy geothermal fields in the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) in New Zealand. The field is renowned for the tourist attraction Hell’s Gate, which consists of many natural geothermal surface features. Based on geoscientific data from the open-source literature, a conceptual model was set up in Leapfrog Geothermal.
A corresponding natural state reservoir model was then set up and calibrated using temperature and heat flux data from fourteen thermal areas. The calibrated numerical model
matches the higher temperatures at the locations of some of the surface thermal features but does not match the estimated heat flows. set up in Leapfrog Geothermal.