Estimation of Geothermal Potential in Volcanic Areas Using Thermomechanical Numerical Models

In the context of rising energy costs and the urgency to transition to renewable sources, geothermal energy emerges as a highly attractive alternative. Geothermal resource exploitation projects require substantial initial investment, primarily due to the high cost of drilling, which increases significantly with depth. Accurately identifying and assessing the distribution of temperatures at depth and their anomalies is crucial for minimizing expenses and optimizing resources. Therefore, it is essential to have information about subsurface temperatures, the general hydrothermal regime, and the impacts of geothermal energy production before undertaking the construction of costly infrastructure. Volcanic areas stand out as key regions with significant potential for exploiting high-enthalpy geothermal resources due to magmatic activity.

The purpose of this project is to develop a methodology and workflow to evaluate coupled thermomechanical processes as a preliminary step to analyzing geothermal potential and its applicability in areas of interest. Innovative techniques will be used to assess the thermal state of the subsurface, employed by groups from CONICET along with the Universities of Buenos Aires and Salta in Argentina. These techniques are based on the use of two and three-dimensional thermomechanical numerical models, calibrated with data from magmatic sources. The models obtained will be used to calculate both stationary and transient effects on the thermal regime of the subsurface.

This methodology is expected to be applied to a volcanic area with known activity, such as the Cerro Blanco volcano in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. By understanding the dynamics of the heat source over the past thousands of years, it will be possible to accurately estimate the thermal structure beneath the volcanic system that could harbor geothermal resources. This methodology developed from a pilot case can be applied in the future to other volcanic areas such as La Palma Island in the Canary Islands, Spain.

The objective of this project is to contribute to the improvement of knowledge in the field of high-enthalpy geothermal energy by quantifying the transient thermal regime in a volcanic area (the southern Puna of Argentina) and establishing a methodology that can be applied in the future to other volcanic areas. Additionally, it aims to systematize the quantification of geothermal potential in Holocene volcanic systems through an original resource assessment methodology.

Members