HotLime

Mapping & Assessment of Geothermal Plays in Deep Carbonate Rocks–Cross-domain Implications & Impacts
2018
The Hotlime project unites 17 organisations in 12 countries in order to map and characterize 10 crossborder geothermal plays in deep carbonate rocks across Europe.
Distribution of deep seated carbonate bodies in Europe, investigated in the context of the project HotLime
Hydrothermal systems in deep carbonate bedrock are among the most promising low-enthalpy geothermal plays across Europe. Apart from a few areas where viability of hydrothermal heat and power generation has been proved, most deep carbonate bedrock has received relatively little attention, because such rocks are perceived as ‘tight’. Exploration and development of the deep subsurface is an acknowledged high-risk investment, particularly in low-enthalpy systems, where tapping suitable temperatures for geothermal energy commonly requires drilling to depths of more than 3 km. In order to de-risk these challenging geothermal plays, it is crucial to improve our understanding of geological conditions that determine the distribution and technical recoverability of their potential resources. The efficacy of carbonate-bedrock geothermal plays is crucially dependent on groundwater yield controlled by fracture conduits and karstification. This project will identify the generic structural controls in deep carbonate formations, through a comparison of geological situations and their structural inventory, as well as collation of deep borehole data and their petro- and hydro-physical characteristics. A consistent assessment and the sharing of knowledge – bringing all partners to a common high level – will result in uniformly applicable best practice workflows for estimation, comparison and prospectranking of hydrothermal resources in deep carbonate bedrock.
Project partners:
» LfU (Germany) - Project management
» LGRB (Germany)
» Geological Survey Ireland (GSI, Ireland)
» Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO, Netherlands)
» Flemish region - Bureau for Environment and Spatial Development (VLO, Belgium)
» Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO, Belgium)
» Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA, Italy)
» Regione Emilia-Romagna Servizio Geologico Sismico e dei Suoli (RER-SGSS, Italy)
» Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale – Piemonte (ARPAP, Italy)
» Regione Umbria (RU, Italy)
» Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS, Slovenia)
» Croatian Geological Survey (HGI-CGS, Croatia)
» Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects (MTI, Malta)
» GeoInform of Ukraine (State Geological and Subsurface Survey of Ukraine)
» Czech geological survey (CGS, Czech Republic)
» Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC, Catalonia/Spain)

» Projekt website
Projectfacts
Project titleMapping & Assessment of Geothermal Plays in Deep Carbonate Rocks–Cross-domain Implications & Impacts
Project acronymHotLime
Project short titleMapping & Assessment of Geothermal Plays in Deep Carbonate Rocks–Cross-domain Implications & Impacts
Project managerMSc. Clemens Porpaczy
Project membersMag. Magdalena Bottig, Mag. Stefan Hoyer, Gregor Götzl
DepartmentHydrogeology & Geothermics
Period of time01.07.18 - 01.07.21
FinancingGeoERA initiative by the European Union’s Horizons 2020 programme