Environmental Impact by Spill of Geothermal Fluids at the Geothermal Field of Tuzla, Canakkale-Turkey

Abstract

Tuzla geothermal field is located in northwestern Anatolia 80 km south of Canakkale and 5 km from the Aegean Sea. Tuzla is an active geothermal area in northwest Turkey hosted by rhyolite lavas and pyroclastic deposits. Geothermal studies of the Tuzla field have been ongoing since 1966. Ten thermal gradient wells were drilled from 50 to 100 m depth in 1974, and two deep exploration wells (with a depth range of 814 m - 1020 m) were drilled in 1982 and 1983 by General Director of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA). Temperatures up to 145?C were observed at 50 m depth in some of these wells. The reservoir depth is in the range of 333 to 553 m in volcanic rock with a temperature of 173?C.
This paper presents results from an environmental assessment study conducted on the subterranean and surface hydrological system of the geothermal field of Tuzla, «anakkale. Monitoring of surface water and shallow aquifers inside and outside of the Tuzla geothermal field during the period August 2003 to May 2004 led to the detection of some contamination of surface water and shallow aquifers due to geothermal fluid. The study includes information about the main contamination sources within the geothermal field, the type of contaminants most abundant, the lateral and quantitative distribution of contaminants within and outside of the geothermal field, as well as an evaluation of the risk potential for the environment and some practical remediation proposals.