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Update and Review of Continental Conductive Surface Heat Flow Measurements in México: An Analysis of Deep Boreholes

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Abstract

Conductive heat flow is an important parameter that is used to explain, directly or indirectly, several geological, geophysical and geochemical processes in the Earth´s interior. It is also one of the main input parameters for reliable estimations of resources related with geothermal and petroleum systems. That is because heat flow is used to describe subsurface temperature profiles and heat transfer mechanisms, thereby enabling the establishment of heat storage reserves in the case of geothermal systems and conditions of thermal maturation of organic matter in petroleum genesis. Since 2014, collection of data to estimate new continental conductive heat flow values in México has been an exhaustive scientific task. As a result, data from 4159 sites have been compiled, mostly from deep geothermal and petroleum boreholes. In this context, only 3,888 new geothermal gradient data were compiled and used to estimate new heat flow values. These new values complement the 702 continental heat flow values compiled and published between 1974 and 2021. Traditionally, all efforts to measure geothermal gradient in México have focused on the five high enthalpy geothermal fields under exploitation. Therefore, this continuous updating of the continental heat flow database would be an excellent input for Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, enabling to define areas at a regional level with thermal anomalies and discovering new prospects, resulting in better knowledge of Mexican geothermal resources. Finally, the obtained data will help interested private and public entities to improve the geothermal exploration techniques in collaboration with academic institutions. Moreover, the scientific community interested in Earth science studies will benefit from this information with application to diverse research that involves the thermal evolution of the crust.

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Availability of data and materials

https://github.com/omespinozaojeda/Mexico_HF_database.git.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express gratitude to Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) and Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) for providing data. This work received support from projects: PN2015-01-388 “Aprovechamiento de pozos petroleros abandonados/inoperantes como fuente sustentable de energía para sistemas híbridos Geotermia/Concentrador Solar,” from the national program Proyectos de Desarrollo Científico para Atender Problemas Nacionales 2015 (CONACYT); CeMIE-Geo P-01 “Mapas de Gradiente Geotérmico y Flujo de Calor para la República Mexicana.” Thanks to the technicians of INICIT-UMSNH: M.C. Alejandro García Casillas† and M.C. Nancy Magaña García, for their help and support during the collection and processing of thermal data. We are also grateful to Dr. Duwiquet Hugo, M.Sc. Dušan Rajver and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper. Revision and copy editing of the final draft were carried out by Ambar Geerts Zapién.

Funding

Financial support by CONACyT, through projects number PN2015-01–388 and CeMIE-Geo P-01.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONACyT, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de La Tierra, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, 58060, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

    O. M. Espinoza-Ojeda

  2. Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX 04510, Mexico, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico

    R. M. Prol-Ledesma

  3. Escuela Nacional de Educación Superior Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, 76230, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico

    J. A. Muñiz-Jauregui

  4. Centro Mexicano de Innovación en Energía Geotérmica (CemieGeo), Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada No. 3919, Zona Playitas, 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

    O. M. Espinoza-Ojeda & R. M. Prol-Ledesma

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Espinoza-Ojeda, O.M., Prol-Ledesma, R.M. & Muñiz-Jauregui, J.A. Update and Review of Continental Conductive Surface Heat Flow Measurements in México: An Analysis of Deep Boreholes. Nat Resour Res 32, 981–1005 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-023-10173-9

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