The BGR supports the Government of Uganda in the geoscientific investigations at the Buranga geothermal prospect since 2004. The objective of the project is to raise the knowledge about Buranga to a level (pre-feasibility status) that can be the base for planning of exploration wells.
Geochemical findings, which have been achieved in the framework of the joint project, proofed the existence of a magmatic body that most likely serves as the heat source of the hot springs. Hence the task of active ground geophysics was detecting and delineating this magmatic intrusion. The known high seismicity (about 500 local earthquakes per month) suggested that Buranga provides excellent requirements to apply seismology.
4185 earthquakes have been localized in the period January to August 2006 with 15 stations. This huge data set was suitable to apply an inversion method called seismological tomography. The results of the tomography clearly reveal definite low velocity anomalies in the subsurface. The strongest P-wave velocity anomaly (-9 %) in 10 km depth is located directly south of the Buranga hot springs. Taking the findings of geochemistry into account, the most plausible conclusion for the observed velocity reductions are high temperature anomalies. These temperature anomalies could be a result of a hot actively degassing magma intrusion, which is the heat source for the hot springs.
By combining all findings a conceptual model for the Buranga geothermal prospect was developed and on the basis of this model a possible drilling location was suggested. Assuming favourable conditions a decentralized ORC power plant might be feasible in this area.

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