Title
Subsurface temperature of the onshore Netherlands: new temperature dataset and modelling
Author
Bonté, D.
van Wees, J.D.
Verweij, J.M.
Publication year
2012
Abstract
Subsurface temperature is a key parameter for geothermal energy prospection in sedimentary basins. Here, we present the results of a 3D temperature modelling using a thermal-tectonic forward modelling method, calibrated with subsurface temperature measurements in the Netherlands. The first step involves the generation of a coherent dataset of temperature values for the calibration of the model. In the Netherlands, most of the available measurements (98.8%) are BHT measurements and therefore need to be corrected from the thermal perturbation created during drilling. The remaining 1.2% is composed of DST measurements, which closely resemble the formation temperature (i.e., ±5 °C). The resulting dataset, after correction, gives a total number of 1293 values in 454 wells. Included in this dataset are 412 highly reliable values corrected with the Instantaneous Cylinder Source (ICS) method and 829 values of a lower reliability corrected with the AAPG method. In addition to the corrected values, 52 DST values in 26 wells are available from the Dutch subsurface. The average thermal gradient of this whole dataset is 31.3 °C/km with a surface temperature of 10.1 °C. The second step in the modelling process was the generation of a 3D forward model that focuses on calculating the temperature distribution of the sedimentary basin fill, taking into account the basin evolution of the past 20 Myrs and thermal properties and processes of the whole lithosphere. From the 3D thermal model, we extracted 2D cross sections across well locations to compare model temperatures with calibration data. Furthermore, we present vertical profiles, isodepth maps and temperature projection on geological layers, to discuss the relationship between temperature and geology. Anomalies in this relationship can have several causes and include: 1) the extreme thermal conductivity and complex geometry of the Zechstein salt; 2) enhanced radiogenic heat production of the upper crust due to magmatic intrusions. In addition, our model supports earlier findings that shallow hydrothermal convection in highly permeable sediments can effectively lower thermal conductivity and temperatures in shallow sediments.
Subject
Basin modelling
BHT
Geothermal energy
Temperature
The Netherlands
Geological Survey Netherlands
Energy / Geological Survey Netherlands
Earth & Environment
PG - Petroleum Geosciences SGE - Sustainable Geo Energy
EELS - Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c5767b38-5e76-4929-b590-d5142997692a
TNO identifier
469179
Source
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw, 91 (91), 491-515
Bibliographical note
Commemorative volume on the centenary of KNGMG
Document type
article