Authors / CoAuthors
Meixner, A.J. | Johnston, S. | Gibson, H. | Seikel, R. | Stuwe, K.
Abstract
Exploration models for Rot Rock geothermal energy plays in Australia are based primarily on high-heat producing granites (HHPG) in combination with overlying low-conductivity sedimentary rocks providing the insulator necessary to accumulate elevated temperatures at unusually shallow (therefore accessible) depths. Unknowns in this style of geothermal play include the composition and geometry of the HHPG and thermal properties, and the thickness of the overlying sediments. A series of 3D geological models have been constructed to investigate the range of geometries and compositions that may give rise to prospective Hot Rock geothermal energy plays. A 3D geological map of the Cooper Basin region which contains known HHPG beneath thick sedimentary sequences, has been constructed from gravity inversions and constrained by geological data. The inversion models delineate regions of low density within the basement that are inferred to be granitic bodies. Thermal forward modelling was carried out by incorporating measured and estimated thermal properties to the mapped lithologies. An enhancement of the GeoModeller software is to allow the input thermal properties to be specified as distribution functions. Multiple thermal simulations using Monte-Carlo methods would be carried out from the supplied distributions. Statistical methods will be used to yield the probability estimates of the in-situ heat resource, reducing the risk of exploring for heat. The two thermal modelling techniques can be used as a predictive tool in regions where little or no temperature and geological data are available.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
69307
Contact for the resource
Custodian
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Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- External PublicationConference Paper
- ( Theme )
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- 3D model
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- Hot Rocks
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- geothermal
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- gravity
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- geophysics
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2009-01-01T00:00:00
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geoscientificInformation
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[-29.0, -24.0, 139.5, 144.0]
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