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Review: Thermal water resources in carbonate rock aquifers

Aperçu: les ressources en eau thermale des aquifères carbonatés

Review: Thermalwasserressourcen in Karbonatgesteins-Grundwasserleitern

Revisión: Recursos de aguas termales en acuíferos de rocas carbonáticas

Review: Karbonátos víztartók termálvízkészletei

Revisão da literatura: Recursos de águas termais em aquíferos carbonatados

综述: 碳酸盐岩含水层中的热水资源

Hydrogeology Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current knowledge on thermal water resources in carbonate rock aquifers is presented in this review, which also discusses geochemical processes that create reservoir porosity and different types of utilisations of these resources such as thermal baths, geothermal energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration. Carbonate aquifers probably constitute the most important thermal water resources outside of volcanic areas. Several processes contribute to the creation of porosity, summarised under the term hypogenic (or hypogene) speleogenesis, including retrograde calcite solubility, mixing corrosion induced by cross-formational flow, and dissolution by geogenic acids from deep sources. Thermal and mineral waters from karst aquifers supply spas all over the world such as the famous bath in Budapest, Hungary. Geothermal installations use these resources for electricity production, district heating or other purposes, with low CO2 emissions and land consumption, e.g. Germany’s largest geothermal power plant at Unterhaching near Munich. Regional fault and fracture zones are often the most productive zones, but are sometimes difficult to locate, resulting in a relatively high exploration uncertainty. Geothermal installations in deep carbonate rocks could also be used for CO2 sequestration (carbonate dissolution would partly neutralise this gas and increase reservoir porosity). The use of geothermal installations to this end should be further investigated.

Résumé

Cet aperçu présente les connaissances actuelles sur les ressources en eau thermale des aquifères carbonatés, expose les processus géochimiques créant la porosité des réservoirs ainsi que les diverses modes d’utilisation de ces ressources, tels établissements thermaux, énergie géothermique, séquestration du CO2. Les aquifères carbonatés constituent probablement les réservoirs d’eau thermale les plus importantes hors zones volcaniques. Plusieurs processus regroupés sous le terme spéléogénèse contribuent à la formation de la porosité: remobilisation de la calcite, corrosion induite par flux de drainance, dissolution par acides terrigènes d’origine profonde. Des eaux thermales et minérales karstiques alimentent des stations thermales dans le monde entier, tels les fameux bains de Budapest, Hongrie. Des installations géothermiques utilisent ces ressources pour la production d’électricité, le chauffage urbain et autres usages, avec faibles émissions de CO2 et occupation du sol restreinte, e.g. la plus grande installation géothermique d’Allemagne, à Unterhaching près Munich. Faille régionale et champs de fractures sont souvent les zones les plus productives, mais quelques fois difficiles à localiser en raison de l’incertitude relativement forte de la recherche. Des dispositifs géothermiques sur roches carbonatées profondes pourraient aussi être utilisés pour la séquestration du CO2 (le gaz dissolvant le carbonate et augmentant de ce fait la porosité du réservoir). L’utilisation de dispositifs géothermiques à cette fin devrait être d’avantage explorée.

Zusammenfassung

Das aktuelle Wissen über Thermalwasserressourcen in Karbonatgesteins-Grundwasserleitern wird in diesem Review präsentiert. Es werden geochemische Prozesse diskutiert, die Reservoir-Porosität generieren, sowie verschiedene Nutzungsformen dieser Ressourcen vorstellt—Thermalbäder, geothermische Energie und Sequestrierung von Kohlendioxid (CO2). Karbonatgesteins-Grundwasserleiter sind vermutlich die wichtigsten Thermalwasserressourcen außerhalb vulkanischer Gebiete. Verschiedene Prozesse tragen zur Schaffung von Porosität bei, zusammengefasst unter dem Begriff hypogene Speläogenese, so wie retrograde Calcit-Lösung, Mischungskorrosion (induziert durch formationsübergreifende Strömung) und Lösung durch geogene Säuren aus tiefen Quellen. Thermal- und Mineralwässer aus Karstgrundwasserleitern speisen überall auf der Welt Bäder, beispielsweise in Budapest in Ungarn. Geothermische Installationen nutzen diese Ressourcen zur Produktion elektrischer Energie, für Fernwärme und für andere Zwecke. Dabei sind sowohl die CO2-Emissionen als auch der Flächenverbrauch sehr gering. Deutschlands größtes Geothermie-Kraftwerk in Unterhaching bei München ist hierfür ein Beispiel. Regionale Störungs- und Kluftzonen sind oft am produktivsten aber manchmal nur schwer zu lokalisieren, was zu einem recht hohen Fündigkeitsrisiko führt. Geothermische Installationen in tiefen Karbonatgesteinen könnten auch zur Sequestrierung von CO2 verwendet werden (Carbonatlösung würde das Gas neutralisieren und gleichzeitig die Reservoir-Porosität erhöhen). Diese Anwendungsmöglichkeit sollte weiter untersucht werden.

Resumen

En esta revisión se presenta el conocimiento actual sobre los recursos de aguas termales en los acuíferos de rocas carbonáticas y se discuten también los procesos geoquímicos que crean la porosidad de los reservorios y los diferentes usos de estos recursos, tales como baños termales, energía geotermal y secuestro de CO2. Probablemente los acuíferos carbonáticos constituyen los más importantes recursos de aguas termales fuera de las áreas volcánicas. Varios procesos contribuyen a la creación de porosidad, resumidos bajo el término de espeleogénesis hipógenica (o hipógena), incluyendo la solubilidad retrógrada de la calcita, la corrosión de mezcla inducida por el flujo a través de las formaciones, y la disolución de ácidos geogénicos provenientes de fuentes profundas. Las aguas termales y minerales de acuíferos kársticos proveen a los balnearios en todas partes del mundo, tales como los famosos baños en Budapest, Hungría. Las instalaciones geotermales usan de estos recursos para producción de electricidad, calefacción de un área u otros propósitos, con bajas emisiones de CO2 y escasa ocupación del suelo, por ejemplo la mayor planta de energía de Alemania en el Unterhaching cerca de Munich. La falla regional y las zonas de fractura son a menudo las zonas más productivas, pero a veces son difíciles de localizar, lo que resulta en una relativamente alta la incertidumbre de exploración. Las instalaciones geotermales en rocas carbonáticas profundas podrían también ser usadas para secuestro de CO2 (la disolución de los carbonatos neutralizaría este gas y por lo tanto incrementaría la porosidad del reservorio). El uso de instalaciones geotermales para este fin requiere de investigaciones ulteriores.

摘要

本篇综述介绍了当前对碳酸盐岩含水层中的热水资源的认识, 讨论了地层储层孔隙产生的地球化学过程和对热水资源的利用, 如温泉浴室, 地热能, CO2的封存。除火山活动区外, 碳酸盐岩地下水极可能是热水资源最重要的组成部分。产生储层孔隙的过程, 概称为深成洞穴成因, 通常包括方解石的逆向溶解、越流导致的混合溶蚀和深源地质成因的酸类的溶解。世界各国都利用卡斯特地区的地热矿物质水提供温泉疗养, 如匈牙利著名的布达佩斯温泉。利用这些资源发电、区域供暖或作为其它用途的地热设施占地少、CO2 排放量少, 如位于慕尼黑附近安达赫治的德国最大的地热发电厂。区域断层和裂隙带通常是最佳地热能区域, 但是有时很难进行定位, 导致勘探过程中较高的不确定性。基于深层碳酸盐岩的地热设施也能用于CO2的封存 (碳酸盐的溶解会中和CO2气体, 进而增大储层孔隙度) 。地热设施在这方面的利用有待进一步研究。

Összefoglalás

Az összefoglaló cikk célja a karbonátos kőzetek termálvízkészleteivel kapcsolatos ismeretek szintézise. A tanulmány a karbonátos rezervoárt létrehozó geokémiai folyamatok ismertetése mellett kitér e víztartók gyógyfürdők, geotermikus energiatermelés és szén-dioxid elhelyezés céljából történő hasznosítási módjaira is. A vulkanikus területektől eltekintve a karbonátos víztartók képezik a legfontosabb termálvízkészleteket a világon. Számos folyamat felelős a karbonátos rezervoárok porozitásának kialakításáért: a kalcit retrográd oldódása, a keveredési korrózió vagy a mélységi savak oldó hatása; mely folyamatok a hipogén barlangképződés gyűjtőfogalom alatt foglalhatók össze. Karsztos víztartóból származó ásvány- és gyógyvizek számos gyógyfürdőt táplálnak világszerte, köztük a híres budapesti gyógyfürdőket. Geotermikus létesítmények elektromos áram termelésre, fűtésre és számos egyéb célra használják ezeket a készleteket alacsony szén-dioxid kibocsátás és kis területigény mellett. Ezek között említhető Németország legnagyobb geotermikus erőműve München mellett, Unterhaching-ban. A regionális szerkezeti zónák, törések gyakran a legkedvezőbbek a karbonátos rezervoárok termelése szempontjából, de helyük megállapítása többnyire nehézséget jelent és ebből adódóan relatíve nagy bizonytalansággal terhelt. Mély helyzetű karbonátos víztartók geotermikus létesítményei a szén-dioxid elhelyezés szempontjából is fontosak lehetnek, hiszen az elhelyezett gáz a karbonátoldás során felhasználódik, ami egyúttal kedvezően növeli a rezervoár porozitását. E lehetőség gyakorlati alkalmazása azonban még további vizsgálatokat igényel.

Resumo

A presente revisão da literatura apresenta uma síntese do conhecimento actual sobre os recursos de águas termais em aquíferos carbonatados, incluindo ainda uma discussão sobre os principais processos geoquímicos que contribuem para criar a porosidade neste tipo de reservatórios e um resumo dos diferentes tipos de utilização destes recursos, nomeadamente os banhos termais, a energia geotérmica e o sequestro de CO2. Os aquíferos carbonatados constituem provavelmente a segunda origem mais importante de recursos de águas termais fora das regiões vulcânicas. Diversos processos, como a solubilização retrógrada da calcite, a corrosão resultante da mistura de fluxos de formação e a dissolução por ácidos geogénicos de origens profundas, contribuem para a criação da porosidade cársica, também designada na literatura como espeleogénese hipogénica. As águas termais e minerais de aquíferos cársicos abastecem estabelecimentos termais em todo o mundo, tais como os famosos banhos em Budapeste, Hungria. As instalações geotérmicas usam estes recursos para a produção de energia, aquecimento de determinadas regiões, ou para outras funções específicas, beneficiando das reduzidas taxas de emissões de CO2 e do escasso uso de solo, sendo um bom exemplo a maior central alemã de energia geotérmica, em Unterhaching, perto de Munique. As zonas de falhas e fracturas regionais são algumas das áreas mais produtivas, mas são muitas vezes difíceis de localizar, resultando numa incerteza relativamente elevada na sua exploração. As instalações geotermais em rochas carbonatadas profundas podem também ser usadas para o sequestro de CO2 (a dissolução de carbonatos neutralizaria este gás e, por isso, contribuiria para aumentar a porosidade do reservatório). A utilização de instalações geotérmicas com este objectivo deve ser por isso alvo de mais investigações.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Associate Editor Jerry Fairley (University of Idaho, USA), and the three reviewers Arthur N. Palmer (State University of New York, USA), Alexander Klimchouk (Institute of Speleology and Karstology and Tavrichesky National University, Ukraine) and an anonymous colleague for constructive and helpful comments and suggestions. Thanks also to Bernhard Huber (HydroConsult, Augsburg, Germany) for advice and information concerning geothermal installations in Bavaria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität München (TUM), Department for Civil, Geo- and Environmental Engineering, Hydrogeology and Geothermics Group, Arcisstr. 21, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Nico Goldscheider

  2. Department of Physical and Applied Geology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, 1117, Budapest, Hungary

    Judit Mádl-Szőnyi & Anita Erőss

  3. Centre of Hydrogeology and Geothermics, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2009, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    Eva Schill

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  1. Nico Goldscheider
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  2. Judit Mádl-Szőnyi
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  4. Eva Schill
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Correspondence to Nico Goldscheider.

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This article belongs to the series “Reviews in Karst Hydrogeology” promoted by the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Commission on Karst Hydrogeology (www.iah.org/karst) with the goal to collect and evaluate current knowledge in different fields of karst hydrogeology and make it available to the scientific community.

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Goldscheider, N., Mádl-Szőnyi, J., Erőss, A. et al. Review: Thermal water resources in carbonate rock aquifers. Hydrogeol J 18, 1303–1318 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-010-0611-3

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