Conference paper
Convection or conduction? Interpreting temperature data from sedimentary basins
2011 Australian Geothermal Energy Conference (Sebel Albert Park, Melbourne, 16/11/2011–18/11/2011)
2011
Abstract
Hot groundwater in sedimentary basins can provide geothermal energy for low-temperature direct heat use applications, such as heating swimming pools, heating/cooling of buildings, desalination and industrial pre-heating (Regenauer-Lieb and Horowitz, 2007). The economic viability of geothermal energy projects depends on the depth that must be drilled to reach the required temperature. Thus, a primary goal of geothermal exploration is to identify areas where the geothermal gradient is higher than normal, such that useful temperatures are attained at relatively shallow depth. Our knowledge of temperature in the subsurface comes primarily from temperature measurements in boreholes, which can be interpolated to create a 3D model of temperature distribution. Such models reveal spatial variations in the geothermal gradient, which have traditionally been interpreted in terms of variations in thermal conductivity and basal heat flow, assuming that conduction is the dominant mechanism of heat transport. However, heat transport in sedimentary basins is dominated by advection and/or convection in some areas. The combined effects of advection, convection and conduction cause the temperature gradient to vary laterally and with depth, such that temperature predictions based on extrapolation of shallow geothermal gradients to greater depths may be incorrect. In this study we use borehole temperature measurements in the Perth Basin (Western Australia) and the Cooper Basin (South Australia and Queensland) to reveal spatial variations in the geothermal gradient. We consider whether these patterns are consistent with convection or conduction and discuss the implications for geothermal energy in these basins.
Details
- Title
- Convection or conduction? Interpreting temperature data from sedimentary basins
- Authors/Creators
- H. A. SheldonL. B. ReidBrendan Florio - Murdoch University, School of Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry and PhysicsA. L. Kirkby
- Conference
- 2011 Australian Geothermal Energy Conference (Sebel Albert Park, Melbourne, 16/11/2011–18/11/2011)
- Identifiers
- 991005628768207891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics
- Resource Type
- Conference paper
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