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An Evaluation of the Geothermal Potential of the Tecuamburro Volcano Area of Guatemala

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An Evaluation of the Geothermal Potential of the Tecuamburro Volcano Area of Guatemala LA41906-MS \ OCT 0 9 1990 - - Los Ahmos National Laboratory IS operated by the University of California for the United States Department of Energy under contract W-7405-ENG-36 ir- An Evaluation of the Geothermal Potential of the Tecuamburro Volcano Area of Guatemala Los Alamos National Laboratory I Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 I iI DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency Thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. This work was supported by the US Agency for International Deueloprnent . An AfJmative ActionlEqual Opportunity Employer This report was.prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any.warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its us,e would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily , state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. LA-1 2906-MS uc-000 Issued: September 2990 LA- -1 1 906 -MS DE91 000685 An E valuation of the Geothermal Potential of the Tecuamburro Volcano Area of Guatemala Edited by G. Heiken W. Duffield* *USGeological Survey, 2255 N.Gemini, F/agsfaff,AZ 86001. Los Alamos National Laboratory os Alamos,New Mexico 87545 ........ CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................ vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ ix I . GEOLOGY AND GEOTHERMAL POTENTIAL OF THE TECUAMBURRO VOLCANO AREA OF GUATEMALA ...................................................... 1 A . INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 1 B. REGIONAL GEOLOGIC SETllNG ................................................. 2 C ..STRATIGRAPHY AND PETROLOGY .............................................. 7 D . STRUCTURAL FRFWZEWORK ....................................................... 31 E . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .............................................. 34 F . REFERENCES ............................................................................. 36 I1. THE USE OF RADON EMANOMETRY IN THE TECUAMBURRO GEOTHERMAL PROSPECT ................................................................. 38 A . INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 38 B . BACKGROUND ............................................................................ 40 C . EMPLACEMENT ........................................................................... 40 D . DATA ........................................................................................... 41 E . RESULTS ..................................................................................... 45 F . REFERENCES ............................................................................. 46 I11 . HYDROGEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION OF THE TECUAMBURRO VOLCANO REGION. GUATEMALA ...................................................... 48 A . INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 48 B . GEOHYDROLOGY ........................................................................ 53 C . GEOCHEMISTRY ......................................................................... 60 D . RESERVOIR MODEL ................................................................... 86 E . EXPLORATION WELLS ................................................................ 88 F . REFERENCES ............................................................................. 88 IV. ELECTRICAL GEOPHYSICAL STUDIES OF THE TECUAMBURRO GEOTHERMAL AREA. GUATEMALA ................................................... 93 A . INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 93 B . GEOPHYSICAL METHODS ........................................................... 93 C . PRESENTA'IION OF DATA ........................................................... 96 D . DISCUSSION OF DATA ................................................................ 120 E . SUMMARY ................................................................................... 125 F . FU3FERENCES ............................................................................. 125 Tecuamburro v APPENDIX A. CROSS-SECTIONS TH.ROUGH THE TECUAMBURRO GEOTHERMAL AREA ........................................................ 127 APPENDIX B. PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSES .............................................. 135 APPENDIX C. TABULAR DATA FOR THERMAL AND NONTHERMAL WATERS, TECUAMBURRO VOLCANO, GUATEMALA .......... 187 APPENDIX D. TABULATED SELF-POTENTIAL (SP)AND AC VOLTAGE MEASUREMENTS .............................................................. 199 APPENDIX E. TABULATED TELLURIC DATA FOR TRAVERSES 1 THROUGH 8, CHUPADERO CRATER, GUATEMALA .......... 207 APPENDIX F. TABULATED AMT SOUNDING DATA FOR TELLURIC TRAVERSES 1 THROUGH 8, CHUPADERO CRATER GUATEMALA ..................................................................... 223 PLATE 1. GEOLOGIC MAP OF TECUAMBURRO VOLCANO AND SURROUNDING AREA, GUATEMALA PLATE 2. TECUAMBURRO HYDROGEOCHEMICAL SAMPLING LOCATIONS Tecuamburro vi AN EVALUATION OF THE GEOTHERMAL POTENTIAL OF THE TECUAMBURRO VOLCANO AREA OF GUATEMALA Edited by G. Heiken and W. Duffield ABSTRACT Radiometric ages indicate that the Tecuarnburro Volcano and three adjacent lava domes grew during the last 38300 years, and that a 360-m- wide phreatic crater, Laguna Ixpaco, was formed near the base of these domes about 2900 years ago. Laguna Ixpaco is located within the Chupadero crater, from which pyroxene pumice deposits were erupted 38300 years ago. Thus, the likelihood is great for a partly molten or solid-but-still-hot near-surface intrusion beneath the area. Fumaroles and hot springs issue locally from the Tecuamburro volcanic complex and near Laguna Ixpaco. Analyses of gas and fluid samples from these and other nearby thermal manifestations yield chemical-geothermometer temperatures of about 150' to 3OO0C, with the highest temperatures at Ixpaco. The existence of a commercial-grade geothermal reservoir beneath the Ixpaco area seems likely. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Field studies of the Tecuamburro Volcano geothermal area were conducted by scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the US Geological Survey (USGS), and the Instituto Nacional de Electrification (INDE) in 1988 and 1989. The program included geologic studies with an emphasis on the history of volcanism, thermal sources and structural framework; a soil-radon survey aimed at identifylng zones of enhanced permeability: hydrogeochemical studies that include analysis and interpretation of fumarolic gases and thermal and nonthermal waters; and geophysical surveys with emphasis on measurements of electrical resistivity: The results of the integrated surveys indicate that there is a substantial crustal heat source beneath the area of youngest volcanism, especially at the Laguna Ixpaco phreatic crater. The young volcanism (< 100000 years), the high chemical geothermometer fumarolic gas temperatures at Ixpaco (-3OO'C), and the presence of a highly conductive, WNW-trending zone that passes through Laguna Ixpaco all indicate the intersection between a fault zone with several craters, along which there is upflow of geothermal fluids. The Laguna Ixpaco and fumarole fields all lie within the 4-km-diameter Chupadero crater that may be the source for 38000-year-old pyroxene pumice deposits. Tecuamburro lies within the southern end of a N-S-trending, 20- km-wide graben. The Jalpatagua strike-slip fault zone terminates the northern end of the graben and the Pacific coastal plain sediments bury the southern end. Andesitic composite cone complexes flank the graben, with Pueblo Nuevo Vifias on the west and Ixhuatan on the east: these Tecuamburro v ii volcanic complexes have ages of 2.6 Ma and 1.2 Ma, respectively. Ages of some of the volcanic rocks erupted within the graben may partly overlap those of the relatively older flanking volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes within the graben
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