Validation of Chemical and Isotopic Geothermometers from Low Temperature Deep Fluids of Northern Switzerland

Abstract

During more than 30 years, chemical and isotopic geothermometers have been extensively used to calculate and estimate the temperature of geothermal reservoirs in various geological, petrographical and thermal conditions. In this evaluation, chemical analyses of deep boreholes from the Molasse Basin and the Tabular Jura in Northern Switzerland were used to estimate reservoir temperatures with geothermometers, and results were compared to measured temperatures at depth. The presence of thermal waters in subhorizontal formations with a temperature range of 12-112°C, is associated with various geological and petrographical settings (sedimentary, crystalline rocks).
Composition of geothermal fluids depends on various and sometimes competing processes, such as full or partial chemical equilibrium, mixing with shallow groundwater or trapped seawater, dissolution of evaporite, ionic exchange with clays, or residence time in the reservoir. These processes are constraining for the application of geothermometers. Moreover, some of them have a limited temperature range of application cannot be used in some petrologic environments. Thus, a range of possible reservoir temperatures is calculated depending on several assumptions and compared to measured temperature. Application of chemical and isotopic geothermometers, using several calibrations proposed in the literature, is discussed in this specific context.