SOLUTION

Geothermal resources

Rising energy demand and emissions urge the world to embrace geothermal as a clean alternative

Unlocking geothermal energy: A sustainable solution to the global power and emissions challenge

Currently, we are confronting a substantial challenge driven by the escalating demand for gas and electricity worldwide. Just the electricity and heat generation reach up to 41% of CO2 emissions per year. This burgeoning demand poses an ever-growing concern, both in economic terms and environmental impact, notably with the surge in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Consequently, the world is increasingly turning to geothermal energy solutions.

Geothermal power is a clean and renewable source of energy that can provide reliable baseload power in countries and regions where the resource is available.

Although high enthalpy (thermodynamic energy) geothermal resources are predominantly located in areas with volcanic or seismic activity (such as the Pacific Rim), significant and viable lower enthalpy resources occur in a wide range of geological settings.

Global geothermal potential is massive, yet only a small percentage of this potential is being exploited today, and many substantial geothermal regions are still waiting to be developed.

The reasons for the low level of utilisation of geothermal resources are several:

  • Geothermal systems and geology are usually very complex, and they often occur in inaccessible terrains with limited or no available sub-surface information. Exploring without sub-surface information.
  • Geothermal drilling is high cost given the hole depth required, and the geological conditions typically encountered.

This combination of high risk and high costs make geothermal exploration and development extremely challenging. Although geothermal energy occurs in a variety of geological settings, conceptually the formation of a geothermal resource requires three elements: a heat source, a cap rock or seal, and hydrothermal fluid circulation.

Xcalibur Smart Mapping technologies are used to provide critical sub-surface information required to help understand these three elements of the geothermal resource.

geothermal resources
TEMPEST for water bernd-dittrich-PmHNqnam8j0-unsplash

Xcalibur’s advanced airborne geophysics enables efficient, high-resolution mapping of geothermal geology and structures

This sub-surface data is used by geothermal developers to assess geothermal potential, inform exploration decisions, and to prioritise, de-risk and accelerate geothermal exploration and development.

FALCON® & HeliFALCON® AGG – providing regional structural information

FALCON® and HeliFALCON® AGG measures minute variations in gravity caused by differences in density between different rocks. This data is used to map geology, basement elevations, calderas and other volcanic structures, and fault systems that influence hydrothermal fluid circulation from surface to depths of many kilometres underground.

In the survey area are eight caldera structures, with fumaroles and a large number of hot springs, and two operational geothermal power plants.

The calderas are clearly identified by ring anomalies in the AGG data.

Structures identified from AGG data (newly picked) are agreeable to the Geological.

Structures (known), however the AGG data additionally maps a considerable number of other faults and lineaments that were previously unknown.

The geothermal power plants are located around the edges of high AGG anomalies inside of the low AGG zones.

survey caldera structures
geothermal base

Key advantages of HeliFALCON® and HeliTEM® for geothermal exploration

HeliTEM® AEM measures subtle changes in electrical resistivity between different rocks. This data is used to map the distribution of the geothermal cap rock (low resistivity zones created by thermal and hydrothermal alteration), structures and other geothermal features, to great depth underground (up to 500-750m depending on geology).

HeliFALCON® and HeliTEM® provide exceptionally high quality and resolution data for geothermal exploration and development, with significant advantages over traditional ground survey techniques, including:

  • 100% data coverage with over national parks, rough or dangerous terrain, water bodies, etc.
  • Consistent high density data sampling for superior data quality and interpretability.
  • Minimal social and environmental impact (no ground access required).
  • Significantly faster data acquisition for accelerated exploration and development.
  • Scalable technology to explore large regions effectively and efficiently and to identify areas with high geothermal resource potential for focussed follow-up.
  • Higher efficiency and lower cost.
  • Complimentary magnetic data acquisition for reduced interpretation ambiguity.

Our projects

Geothermal Projects

Airborne geophysical surveys for potential geothermal resources

DOWNLOAD PDF icon

Contact us

FILL THE FORM