How Can Temperature Logs Help Identify Permeable Fractures and Define a Conceptual Model of Fluid Circulation? An Example from Deep Geothermal Wells in the Upper Rhine Graben

Identifying fluid circulation in fracture zones (FZs) is a key challenge in the extraction of deep geothermal heat from natural reservoirs in the Upper Rhine Graben. This study focuses on permeable FZs present within the granitic basement penetrated by deep geothermal well GPK-1 at Soultz and GRT-1 and GRT-2 at Rittershoffen (France). The various temperature (T) log datasets acquired from these wells during production and at equilibrium, with the associated flow logs, allow for the unique opportunity to interpret fluid circulation at the borehole scale. All permeable FZs identified by permeability indicators measured during drilling operations and from image logs spatially coincide with positive or negative T anomalies observed in the T logs during production and/or at equilibrium. However, within the FZs, partially open fractures act as narrower paths for circulation at different temperatures. These temperatures can even be estimated with confidence if the associated flow log is available. The polarity of the T anomalies correlates with the state of equilibrium of the well and thus can change over the well history. During production, the temperature of the water inflow through the fractures can be estimated relative to the mixture of water circulating below the fractures. At thermal equilibrium, the water temperature is estimated with respect to the temperature of the surrounding rock formation. Because temperature fluxes and geothermal fluids are intimately linked, T logs are a useful, reliable, and very sensitive tool to localize the inflow of geothermal water through FZs.

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Reconstructing Paleofluid Circulation at the Hercynian Basement/Mesozoic Sedimentary Cover Interface in the Upper Rhine Graben

Geofluids ◽

10.1155/2019/4849860 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Chrystel Dezayes ◽

Catherine Lerouge

Keyword(s):

Sedimentary Cover ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Fluid Circulation ◽

Tectonic Events ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Tectonic Environment ◽

Convective Circulation ◽

Geothermal Wells ◽

Upper Rhine ◽

Fault Network

In this paper, we focus on paleocirculation at the Hercynian basement/sedimentary cover interface in the tectonic environment of the Upper Rhine graben. The goal is to increase our understanding of the behavior of the fracture-fault network and the origin of the hydrothermal fluids. We studied orientations, mineral fillings, and fluid origins of fractures that crosscut the Hercynian granitic basement and the Permo-Triassic formations in relation to the major tectonic events. Because the Mesozoic formations and the Hercynian basement on the graben flanks and inside the graben do not have the same evolution after uplift, our study includes 20 outcrops on both graben flanks and cores of the Soultz-sous-Forêts geothermal wells located inside the graben. The Hercynian granitic basement and Permo-Triassic formations were affected by several brittle phases associated with fluid circulation pulses related to graben formation during the Tertiary. We distinguished at least four stages: (1) reactivation of Hercynian structures associated with pre-rift tectonics during the early Eocene and descending meteoric waters, characterized by shearing/cataclasis textures and precipitation of illite and microquartz; (2) initiation of convective circulation of deep hot brines mixed with descending meteoric waters at the Hercynian basement/sedimentary cover interface during this first stage of Eocene rifting, characterized by dolomite and barite fillings in reactivated Hercynian fractures; (3) N-S tension fractures associated with rift tectonics just prior to uplift of the graben shoulders during Oligocene extension and descending meteoric waters, characterized by cataclastic textures and precipitation of quartz, illite, hematite, and barite; and (4) current convective circulation of deep hot brines mixed with descending meteoric waters at the Hercynian basement/sedimentary cover interface, characterized by calcite and barite fillings within the graben. This convective circulation is today present in deep geothermal wells in the western part of the Rhine graben.

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The complete lithostratigraphic section of the geothermal wells in Rittershoffen (Upper Rhine Graben, eastern France): a key for future geothermal wells

BSGF - Earth Sciences Bulletin ◽

10.1051/bsgf/2019012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 190 ◽

pp. 13 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Philippe Duringer ◽

Coralie Aichholzer ◽

Sergio Orciani ◽

Albert Genter

Keyword(s):

Middle Jurassic ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Upper Jurassic ◽

Upper Permian ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Geothermal Wells ◽

The Subject ◽

Upper Rhine

Between 2012 and 2014, in Rittershoffen, in the Upper Rhine Graben, two geothermal boreholes (GRT-1 and GRT-2) reached the granitic basement at a depth of around 2150 m. The wells crossed about 1160 m of Cenozoic and 1050 m of Mesozoic. In the Cenozoic, these wells crossed the greatest part of the Eocene, the lower part of the Oligocene and a thinner Pliocene. The Quaternary is poorly represented (less than 10 m). In the Mesozoic, the wells crossed the Lower Dogger, the entire Lias and the entire Triassic. A reduced thickness of about 50 m of Upper Permian terminates the sedimentary column before entering into the granitic basement. A major erosional unconformity separates the Middle Jurassic from the Tertiary units (the Upper Jurassic, entire Cretaceous and Paleocene are absent). The Rittershoffen drilled doublets were the subject of particular attention concerning the acquisition of a very precise stratigraphic profile. In this paper, we give the recognition criteria for the fifty-seven formations crossed by the GRT-1 well and their upper and lower boundaries as well as their specific gamma ray signatures. The data are presented in four figures: a general complete log displaying the main sets and three detailed, precise logs showing the sedimentary formations overhanging the granitic basement: the Tertiary, the Jurassic, the Triassic, the Permian and the basement.

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Characterizing deep hydrothermal fluid circulation in the Upper Rhine Graben (France) with electromagnetic methods

10.3997/2214-4609.202112614 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

M. Darnet ◽

V. Maurer ◽

J. Girard ◽

G. Marquis ◽

A. Genter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrothermal Fluid ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Fluid Circulation ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Electromagnetic Methods ◽

Upper Rhine

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New stratigraphic interpretation of the Soultz-sous-Forêts 30-year-old geothermal wells calibrated on the recent one from Rittershoffen (Upper Rhine Graben, France)

Geothermal Energy ◽

10.1186/s40517-016-0055-7 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

C. Aichholzer ◽

Ph. Duringer ◽

S. Orciani ◽

A. Genter

Keyword(s):

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Geothermal Wells ◽

Upper Rhine

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Clay Mineralogy: A Signature of Granitic Geothermal Reservoirs of the Central Upper Rhine Graben

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11050479 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 479

Author(s):

Carole Glaas ◽

Patricia Patrier ◽

Jeanne Vidal ◽

Daniel Beaufort ◽

Albert Genter

Keyword(s):

Clay Mineralogy ◽

Complete Characterization ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Fracture Zones ◽

Fluid Circulation ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Altered Granite ◽

Argillic Alteration ◽

Mixed Layers ◽

Upper Rhine

Clay minerals are the signature of hydrothermal alterations related to fluid circulation in volcanic and crystalline rocks. In the French part of the Upper Rhine Graben, in the deep-seated granites, illitic minerals (illite and I/S mixed layers (ml)) are typical products of the structurally-controlled argillic alteration in the Paleozoic granitic basement. In the new Illkirch geothermal well, GIL-1, drill-cuttings were studied with various petrographic methods to determine the characteristics of illite in paleo- and present-permeable zones, and to compare the alteration mineralogy with that of geothermal Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen sites. Alteration petrography, crystal structure as well as the chemical composition of the illitic minerals and the altered bulk rocks were performed all along the well. This complete characterization, combined with geophysical logs and structural results, highlighted that the illitic minerals at Illkirch, Soultz-sous-Forêts, and Rittershoffen are composed of illite and illite-rich illite-smectite mixed layers (I/S ml) (<10% smectite). Two mineralogical assemblages were distinguished: chlorite + illite resulting from the propylitic alteration after the emplacement of the granitic basement under temperatures higher than 350 °C, and illite + I/S ml + carbonates + quartz resulting from the argillic alteration due to fluid circulation in the fractures at temperatures between 130 and 160 °C. Fracture zones are characterized by the occurrence of illitic minerals (illite and I/S ml), and specifically, by higher quantities of I/S ml in present-day permeable zones than in paleo-permeable zones. A conceptual model of the fracture zones at the interface between the overlying sedimentary rocks and the granitic basement is proposed. The present-day permeability distribution is controlled by the fault and fracture network, which consists of sealed zones and unsealed zones. Fluid convection in the URG implies paleo and present fluids circulating in both fractured sedimentary and crystalline reservoirs. Such circulations develop illitic minerals that could be considered as exploration guides for future geothermal sites in the URG. At Illkirch, the repartition of the present-permeable fracture zones (KFZs) in the GIL-1 well indicates that the moderately argillically altered granite distally situated from the Eschau fault is more permeable than the intensely argillically altered granite close to the Eschau fault.

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Overview of naturally permeable fractured reservoirs in the central and southern Upper Rhine Graben: Insights from geothermal wells

Geothermics ◽

10.1016/j.geothermics.2018.02.003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 74 ◽

pp. 57-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Jeanne Vidal ◽

Albert Genter

Keyword(s):

Fractured Reservoirs ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Rhine Graben ◽

Geothermal Wells ◽

Upper Rhine

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Scaling in a Geothermal Heat Exchanger at Soultz-Sous-Forêts (Upper Rhine Graben, France): A XRD and SEM-EDS Characterization of Sulfide Precipitates

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences11070271 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 271

Author(s):

Béatrice A. Ledésert ◽

Ronan L. Hébert ◽

Justine Mouchot ◽

Clio Bosia ◽

Guillaume Ravier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Exchanger ◽

Energy Production ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Normal Operation ◽

Upper Rhine Graben ◽

Geothermal Heat ◽

Deep Wells ◽

Upper Rhine ◽

Management Issues

The Soultz-Sous-Forêts geothermal site (France) operates three deep wells for electricity production. During operation, scales precipitate within the surface installation as (Ba, Sr) sulfate and (Pb, As, Sb) sulfide types. Scales have an impact on lowering energy production and inducing specific waste management issues. Thus scaling needs to be reduced for which a thorough characterization of the scales has to be performed. The geothermal brine is produced at 160 °C and reinjected at 70 °C during normal operation. In the frame of the H2020 MEET project, a small heat exchanger was tested in order to allow higher energy production, by reinjecting the geothermal fluid at 40 °C. Samples of scales were analyzed by XRD and SEM-EDS, highlighting that mostly galena precipitates and shows various crystal shapes. These shapes can be related to the turbulence of the flow and the speed of crystal growth. Where the flow is turbulent (entrance, water box, exit), crystals grow quickly and mainly show dendritic shape. In the tubes, where the flow is laminar, crystals grow more slowly and some of them are characterized by well-developed faces leading to cubes and derived shapes. The major consequence of the temperature decrease is the increased scaling phenomenon.

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