A review of the hydrochemistry of a deep sedimentary aquifer and its consequences for geothermal operation: Klaipeda, Lithuania

Brehme, M., Nowak, K., Banks, D. , Petrauskas, S., Valickas, R., Bauer, K., Burnside, N. and Boyce, A. (2019) A review of the hydrochemistry of a deep sedimentary aquifer and its consequences for geothermal operation: Klaipeda, Lithuania. Geofluids, 2019, 4363592. (doi: 10.1155/2019/4363592)

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Abstract

The Klaipeda Geothermal Demonstration Plant (KGDP), Lithuania, exploits a hypersaline sodium-chloride (salinity c. 90 g/L) groundwater from a 1100 m deep Devonian sandstone/siltstone reservoir. The hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope composition is relatively undepleted ( -4.5‰), while the δ34S is relatively “heavy” at +18.9‰. Hydrochemical and isotopic data support the existing hypothesis that the groundwater is dominated by a hypersaline brine derived from evapoconcentrated seawater, modified by water-rock interaction and admixed with smaller quantities of more recent glacial meltwater and/or interglacial recharge. The injectivity of the two injection boreholes has declined dramatically during the operational lifetime of the KGDP. Initially, precipitation of crystalline gypsum led to a program of rehabilitation and the introduction of sodium polyphosphonate dosing of the abstracted brine, which has prevented visible gypsum precipitation but has failed to halt the injectivity decline. While physical or bacteriological causes of clogging are plausible, evidence suggests that chemical causes cannot be excluded. Gypsum and barite precipitation could still occur in the formation, as could clogging with iron/manganese oxyhydroxides. One can also speculate that inhibitor dosing could cause clogging of pore throats with needles of calcium polyphosphonate precipitate.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Boyce, Professor Adrian and Burnside, Dr Neil and Banks, Mr David
Authors: Brehme, M., Nowak, K., Banks, D., Petrauskas, S., Valickas, R., Bauer, K., Burnside, N., and Boyce, A.
Subjects:Q Science > QD Chemistry
Q Science > QE Geology
T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Journal Name:Geofluids
Publisher:Hindawi
ISSN:1468-8115
ISSN (Online):1468-8123
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2019 The Authors
First Published:First published in Geofluids 2019:4363592
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
704811DESTRESSNeil BurnsideEuropean Commission (EC)691728ENG - ENGINEERING SYSTEMS POWER & ENERGY
426001Isotope Community Support Facility (ICSF)Anthony FallickNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)R8/H10/44SUERC