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Five Lectures on Environmental Effects of Geothermal Utilization GEOTHERMAL TRAINING PROGRAMME Reports 2000 Orkustofnun, Grensásvegur 9, Number 1 IS-108 Reykjavík, Iceland FIVE LECTURES ON ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF GEOTHERMAL UTILIZATION Trevor M. Hunt Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Taupo, NEW ZEALAND Lectures on environmental studies given in September 2000 United Nations University, Geothermal Training Programme Reykjavík, Iceland Published in June 2001 ISBN - 9979-68-070-9 Hunt 2 Lectures Lectures 3 Hunt PREFACE Geothermal energy is generally regarded as benign to the environment. The exploitation of geothermal energy has, however, to be conducted in a sustainable way. New Zealand is one of the world's pioneer countries in the development of high-temperature geothermal resources. Dr. Trevor M. Hunt, geophysicist at the Wairakei Research Centre of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences in Taupo, has been one of the key people in the exploration and the monitoring of the exploitation of the geothermal fields in New Zealand. He gave the lectures presented here as the UNU Visiting Lecturer at the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Reykjavik in September 2000. In his lectures, Dr. Trevor M. Hunt gives a detailed account of the environmental changes that have been caused by the operations of the geothermal power stations in Wairakei and Ohaaki in New Zealand. He demonstrates very clearly the importance of regular monitoring of geothermal fields both prior to and during exploitation and points out how the environment can best be protected and the effects of exploitation mitigated. We are very grateful to him for writing up his lecture notes and thus making the lectures available to a much larger audience than those who were so fortunate in attending his lectures in Reykjavik. The experience of Dr. Trevor M. Hunt and his colleagues in New Zealand is very valuable to the world geothermal community and will certainly help in promoting the sustainable use of geothermal resources in the world. Since the foundation of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in 1979, it has been customary to invite annually one internationally renowned geothermal expert to come to Iceland as the UNU Visiting Lecturer. This has been in addition to various foreign lecturers who have given lectures at the Training Programme from year to year. It is the good fortune of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme that so many distinguished geothermal specialists have found time to visit us. Following is a list of the UNU Visiting Lecturers during 1979-2000: 1979 Donald E. White United States 1990 Andre Menjoz France 1980 Christopher Armstead United Kingdom 1991 Wang Ji-yang China 1981 Derek H. Freeston New Zealand 1992 Patrick Muffler United States 1982 Stanley H. Ward United States 1993 Zosimo F. Sarmiento Philippines 1983 Patrick Browne New Zealand 1994 Ladislaus Rybach Switzerland 1984 Enrico Barbier Italy 1995 Gudm. Bödvarsson United States 1985 Bernardo Tolentino Philippines 1996 John Lund United States 1986 C. Russel James New Zealand 1997 Toshihiro Uchida Japan 1987 Robert Harrison UK 1998 Agnes G. Reyes Philippines/N.Z. 1988 Robert O. Fournier United States 1999 Philip M. Wright United States 1989 Peter Ottlik Hungary 2000 Trevor M. Hunt New Zealand With warmest wishes from Iceland, Ingvar B. Fridleifsson, director, United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme Hunt 4 Lectures TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE .......................................................................3 TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................4 LIST OF FIGURES................................................................7 LIST OF TABLES.................................................................8 LECTURE 1: GEOTHERMAL AND THE ENVIRONMENT ..............................9 1. Introduction ................................................................9 1.1 What is the “Environment”? ............................................9 1.2 What is the geothermal environment?....................................10 1.3 Why preserve the environment? ........................................10 2. Benefits of geothermal development ...........................................12 2.1Energy savings.........................................................12 2.2 Reduced greenhouse gas emissions .........................................12 2.3 Reduced sulphur emissions ...............................................13 3. Environmental impacts......................................................13 3.1 Drilling operations ......................................................13 3.2 Mass withdrawal .......................................................15 3.3Waste liquid disposal....................................................17 3.4Waste gas disposal......................................................18 3.5 Landscape impacts ......................................................20 3.6 Catastrophic events .....................................................20 4. Summary.................................................................21 LECTURE 2: EXAMPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ..........................23 1. Changes at Wairakei geothermal field (New Zealand)..............................23 1.1 Pressure changes ....................................................23 1.2 Changes to natural thermal features......................................24 1.3 Groundwater level changes ............................................28 1.4 Groundwater temperature changes ......................................28 1.5 Changes in surface heat flow ...........................................29 1.6 Ground movements ..................................................30 2. Changes at Ohaaki geothermal field (New Zealand) ...............................31 2.1Development history ....................................................31 2.2 Pressure changes .......................................................32 2.3Changes to natural thermal features.........................................32 2.4 Ground movements .....................................................35 2.5 Ground temperature change ...............................................37 2.6 Groundwater level change ................................................38 2.7 Groundwater temperature change ...........................................38 2.8Seismic activity ........................................................40 3. Changes at Rotorua geothermal field (New Zealand)...............................40 3.1Exploitation and management history .......................................41 3.2 Changes in field pressure and water level ....................................42 3.3 Changes to surface thermal features .........................................43 4. Changes in Tongonan geothermal field (Philippines) ...............................45 4.1Flowrate changes .......................................................46 4.2Chemistry changes......................................................47 4.3Changes in quartz geothermometer temperatures ..............................48 5. Changes at Pamukkale (Turkey) ..............................................49 Appendix I...................................................................50 Lectures 5 Hunt Page LECTURE 3: MONITORING ......................................................51 1. Reasons for monitoring......................................................51 2. Principles of monitoring.....................................................51 2.1Basic principles ........................................................51 2.2Monitoring programme planned............................................51 2.3General requirements....................................................51 3. Monitoring of natural thermal features..........................................52 3.1Geysers...............................................................52 3.2Hot springs............................................................53 3.3 Thermal ground ........................................................53 4. Monitoring ground deformation ...............................................55 4.1Vertical deformation.....................................................55 4.2Horizontal deformation ..................................................56 5. Monitoring groundwater changes ..............................................57 5.1 Groundwater level ......................................................57 5.2 Groundwater temperature .................................................57 5.3 Groundwater chemistry ..................................................57 6. Monitoring reservoir mass changes ............................................58 7. Monitoring reservoir chemistry changes ........................................58 8. Monitoring climatic conditions................................................58 9. Interpretation of monitoring data ..............................................58 10.Use of monitoring results....................................................59 10.1 Review panel..........................................................59 10.2 Permitting ............................................................59 10.3 Common failures in monitoring ...........................................59 LECTURE 4: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT ...................................61 1. Protection through management practises .......................................61 2. Protection through engineering practises ........................................61 2.1 Minimising impact of access and field development ............................61
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