Final Report DOE Contract No. DE-FG36-04G014294 ICEKAP 2004: A Collaborative Joint Geophysical Imaging Project at Krafla and IDDP P.E. Malin, S.A. Onacha, E. Shalev Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham, NC 27708

• Main Authors: Malin, Peter E., Shalev, Eylon, Onacha, Stepthen A.
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: 15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; ANISOTROPY; DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS; FRACTURES; GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES; HEAT SOURCES; HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS; MICROEARTHQUAKES; P WAVES; POLARIZATION; POROSITY; RIFT ZONES; VOLCANIC ROCKS; Krafla; Reno; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/898133; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/898133; https://doi.org/10.2172/898133

In this final report, we discuss both theoretical and applied research resulting from our DOE project, ICEKAP 2004: A Collaborative Joint Geophysical Imaging Project at Krafla and IDDP. The abstract below begins with a general discussion of the problem we addressed: the location and characterization of “blind” geothermal resources using microearthquake and magnetotelluric measurements. The abstract then describes the scientific results and their application to the Krafla geothermal area in Iceland. The text following this abstract presents the full discussion of this work, in the form of the PhD thesis of Stephen A. Onacha. The work presented here was awarded the “Best Geophysics Paper” at the 2005 Geothermal Resources Council meeting, Reno. This study presents the modeling of buried fault zones using microearthquake and electrical resistivity data based on the assumptions that fluid-filled fractures cause electrical and seismic anisotropy and polarization. In this study, joint imaging of electrical and seismic data is used to characterize the fracture porosity of the fracture zones. P-wave velocity models are generated from resistivity data and used in locating microearthquakes. Fracture porosity controls fluid circulation in the hydrothermal systems and the intersections of fracture zones close to the heat source form important upwelling zones for hydrothermal fluids. High fracture porosity sites occur along fault terminations, fault-intersection areas and fault traces. Hydrothermal fault zone imaging using resistivity and microearthquake data combines high-resolution multi-station seismic and electromagnetic data to locate rock fractures and the likely presence fluids in high temperature hydrothermal systems. The depths and locations of structural features and fracture porosity common in both the MT and MEQ data is incorporated into a joint imaging scheme to constrain resistivity, seismic velocities, and locations of fracture systems. The imaging of the fault zones is constrained by geological, drilling, and ...