Abstract
For selecting possible hot dry rock extraction sites for geothermal energy applications, the following criteria have been considered: (i) depth to the crystalline basement, (ii) temperatures at depth, (iii) pattern of regional stress field and (iv) natural permeability (=degree of fracturing) of basement rocks. A contour map of the basement topography is presented. From outcrops at the nothern border of Switzerland (crystalline rocks of the Black Forest massif, mainly granites and gneisses of Hercynian age) the basement dips gently toward the SE under the Mesozoic and Tertiary sediments of the Molasse Basin and reaches its maximum depth (∼7 km) underneath the front of the Alps. Some 30 km further SE the basement rocks appear at the surface (Aar- and Gotthard-massif, Penninic units), where they are deformed and fractured to a great extent. Temperature-depth profiles have been obtained by model calculations. Locally increased heat product on (in granite batholiths) at the base of the Molasse Basin, combined with the blanketing effect of the overlying sediments, could raise the temperatures to 150–170°C at a depth of 5 km. According to earthquake fault-plane solutions (P-axes) the regional stress field in the area of the Swiss Alps and in its northern Foreland is characterized by the maximum horizontal compression oriented N(150±20)°E in the upper crust.In situ stress determinations (overcoring experiments) show that considerable excess horizontal compressive stress is present in the Alpine crust (up to 200 bar). The deep Alpine tunnels exhibited considerable fracturing of crystalline rocks at depths greater than 1–2 km. Information about the degree of fracturing has also been obtained by refraction profiles. The velocitydepth functions show lower than normal velocities in the uppermost 1.5 km, indicating that the rocks there are fractured. A 30–40 km wide region, running along the axis of the Molasse Basin (which coincides with the majority of the population and most of the industry of Switzerland) would provide the best hot dry rock sites.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blair, A. G., Tester, J. W. andMortensen, J. J. (1976),LASL Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Project, Progress Rept. LA-6525-PR, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (USA), 238 pp.
Büchi, U. P., Colombi, C., Fehr, W. R., Lemcke, K., Koewing, K., Füchtbauer, H. undTrümpy, R. (1961),Geologische Ergebnisse der Bohrung Küsnacht 1, Bull. Ver. Schweizer. Petrol.-Geol. u.-Ing.28, 7–16.
Büchi, U. P., Lemcke, K., Wiener, G. undZimdars, J. (1965),Geologische Ergebnisse der Edölexploration auf das Mesozoikum des Schweizer Molassebeckens, Bull. Ver. Schweizer. Petrol.-Geol. u.-Ing.32, 7–38.
Büchi, U. P. undTrümpy, R. (1976),Bemerkungen zum geologischen Profil längs der Geotraverse Basel-Chiasso, Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt.56, 589–603.
Büchi, U. P. undSchlanke, S. (1977), Zur Paläogeographie der schweizerischen Molasse, Erdöl und Erdgas Zeitschr.93, 57–69.
Birch, F. (1960),The velocity of compressional waves in rocks to 10 kilobar, Part I, J. Geophys. Res.65, 1083–1152.
Cadisch, J. (1956),Über die Wiedererbohrung der Therme Zurzach, Eclogae geol. Helv.49, 313–316.
Costain, J. K., Glover, III, L. andSinha, A. K. (1977),Evaluation and targeting of geothermal energy resources in the Southeastern United States, Progress Report VPI-SU-5103-3-4 and-5, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia (USA).
Fischer, H. undLuterbacher, H.,Das Mesozoikum der Bohrungen Courtion 1 und Altishofen 1, Beitr. Geol. Karte d. Schweiz, Neue Folge, Lfg. 115 (Kümmerly und Frey, Bern, 1963), 40 pp.
Garnish, J. D. (1976),Geothermal energy: the case for research in the United Kingdom, UK Department of Energy, Energy Paper no. 9, 66 pp.
Greiner, G. andIllies, J. H. (1977),Central Europe: Active or residual tectonic stresses, Pure appl. Geophys.115, 11–26.
Haimson, B. C. (1977),Hydrofracturing stress measurements — Methods, results and interpretation. Workshop on Strain Measurements and their interpretation, IASPEI/IAVCEI General Assembly Durham, Abstracts Vol. 178–180.
Illies, H. undGreiner, G. (1976),Regionales stress-Feld und Neotektonik in Mitteleuropa, Oberrhein. geol. Abh.25, 1–40.
Jamier, D. (1975),Etude de la fissuration, de l'hydrogéologie et de la géochimie des eaux profondes des Massifs de l'Arpille et du Mont-Blanc, Thése Dr. sc. Université de Neuchâtel, 153 pp.
Kissling, E. (1976),Radiometrische Untersuchungen im Rotondogranit, Diploma Thesis ETH Zurich, 141 pp.
Labhart, T. P. undRybach, L. (1976),Radioaktivitätsprofile durch den Zentralen Aaregranit im Bereich der Schweizer Geotraverse. Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt.56, 669–673.
Laubscher, H. P. (1961),Die Fernschubhypothese der Jurafaltung, Eclogae geol. Helv.54, 221–282.
Lemcke, K. (1959),Das Profile der Bohrung Chapelle 1, Bull. Ver. Schweizer. Petrol.-Geol. u.-Ing.26, 25–30.
Lemcke, K. (1963),Die Ergebnisse der Bohrung Savigny 1 bei Lausanne, Bull. Ver. Schweizer. Petrol.-Geol. u.-Ing.30, 4–11.
Lemcke, K., Büchi, U. P. undWiener, G. (1968),Einige Ergebnisse der Erdölexploration auf die mittelländische Molasse der Zentralschweiz, Bull. Ver. Schweizer. Petrol.-Geol. u.-Ing.35, 15–34.
Müller, St., Egloff, R. undAnsorge, J. (1976),Struktur des tieferen Untergrundes entlang der Schweizer Geotraverse, Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt.56, 685–692.
Ottinger, T. (1976),Der Aufbau der Erdkruste unter dem schweizerischen Teil des refraktiosseismischen Alpenlängsprofils, Diploma Thesis ETH Zurich, 166 pp.
Pavoni, N. (1976):Herdmechanismen von Erdbeben und regionaltektonisches Spannungsfeld im Bereich der Geotraverse Basel-Chiasso, Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt.56, 697–702.
Pavoni, N. (1977),Erdbeben im Gebiet der Schweiz. Eclogae geol. Helv.70, 351–370.
Rybach, L.,Wärmeproduktionsbestimmungen an Gesteinen der Schweizer Alpen, Beitr. Geol. Schweiz, Geotechn. Ser. Lfg. 51 (Kümmerly und Frey, Bern, 1973), 43 pp.
Rybach, L. (1976),Die Gesteinsradioaktivität und ihr Einfluss auf das Temperaturfeld in der kontinentalen Kruste, J. Geophys.42, 93–102.
Rybach, L. undLabhart, T. P. (1973),Regelmässigkeiten der Radioaktivitätsverteilung in granitischen Gesteinskörpern (Beispiele aus den Schweizer Alpen), Schweiz. mineral. petrogr. Mitt.53, 379–384.
Scheidegger, A. E. (1977),Kluftmessungen im Gelände und ihre Bedeutung für die Bestimmung des tektonischen Spannungsfeldes in der Schweiz, Geogr. Helv.32, 121–134.
West, F. G. andShankland, T. J. (1977),Hot dry rock: widespread but invisible, Eos-Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union58, 299–302.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rybach, L., Bodmer, P., Pavoni, N. et al. Siting criteria for heat extraction from hot dry rock; Application to Switzerland. PAGEOPH 116, 1211–1224 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874681
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874681