MeProRisk: A Comprehensive Approach to Exploring, Developing and Operating Geothermal Reservoirs

Geothermal energy is a clean, globally available and nearly inexhaustible energy resource. However, the necessary deep drill holes demand financial investments on the order of a few tens of millions of Euros, without guarantee that the required flow rates and temperature of the produced fluids allow an economical use. This exploration risk often turns into a major show-stopper for a commercial use of geothermal energy. Improved methods for estimating the distribution of subsurface hydraulic and thermal properties will result in a reduced exploration risk. Therefore, reliable estimates of these properties are mandatory for the economic and technical planning and operation of a geothermal installation. Not in the least, this comprises quantifying the uncertainty of these estimates at an early stage of reservoir exploration and continuous updates and modifications as reservoir development progresses.