Lithuania has a geothermal anomaly in the southwest of the country. Although geothermal heating production potential existed in western Lithuanian, explored through Geoterma pilot plant, lack of understanding of the impact of temperature, pressure and diagenetic changes in the reservoir resulted in its closure. “Geoterma” experience highlights the need to better quantify the challenges associated with geothermal energy production. The aims is to address the challenges associated with sustainable geothermal energy with the help of coupled Multiphysics modelling approach. Significant pressure & temperature changes occurring within geothermal reservoirs affecting reservoir properties, like porosity & permeability, which impacts reservoir performance over time. To better understand reservoir changes, a complete description of flow properties, geo-mechanical and the physio-chemical behavior of the reservoir is required. This study will develop advanced Multiphysics numerical modelling techniques for transport properties evolution for coupled thermo-hydro-chemical (THC) processes. A high resolution 3D reservoir models, using real data taken from the wells in the west of Lithuania, including the main geological units, major natural fault zones and hydraulic fractures will be built for this study. Evaluation will be carried out for the two most perspective hydrothermal aquifers in the region: 1) Pa?rnu–Kemeri Devonian sandstones that show the best flow properties (porosity 26%, permeability 2000 mD), but reservoir temperatures reach only up to 45?; and 2) Cambrian sandstones that have the highest reservoir temperatures (up to 96?), but lower properties (porosity in the range of 7-15%, and permeability of <45 mD). Probabilistic forecasting will be carried out to addresses uncertainties related to static & dynamic parameters. The study will act as a benchmark in determining sustainable geothermal energy potential of other such reservoirs in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
Project funding:
Projects funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), Projects carried out by researchers’ teams
Project results:
Work in progress
Period of project implementation: 2023-04-01 - 2026-03-31
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
Project partners: UAB "MINIJOS NAFTA"
