System approach, the base of coordinated geofluid research

Abstract

The green transition requires adapting the data and methods of the hydrocarbon industry for geothermal purposes and finding new resources in geofluids, like lithium. Moreover, the aligned research and exploration of groundwater, geothermal and hydrocarbon resources are also required for environmental reasons.

We could reveal in the last decades that the solid framework of the Earth crust evolves through interactions with geologic fluids. It means that geofluids play an essential role in nearly all geologic processes of sedimentary basins, such as the mobilization, transportation, and accumulation of matter and heat. Different driving forces of regional fluid flow, like topography, tectonic compression, compaction, erosion, buoyancy, can operate together on a geological time scale. The permeability of the rocks may be able to maintain the fluid potential differences, thus enabling the flow systems to work for even up to 10 million years. In addition, the fluid flow systems determine the evolution of the geological resources, such as groundwater, geothermal resources and hydrocarbons.

Previously the research of these geological resources has been evolved separately. For today due to environmental reasons, we had to realize the need for coordinated exploitation and utilization of different geofluids. We can see the fundamental differences and similarities regarding the perspective of the specific fields of different geofluids. However, understanding the fluid flow systems can give a scientific basis and a practical approach for all areas of geofluid research. This approach provides background to develop a workflow for the coordinated exploitation and utilization of different geofluids and related geological resources.

The research is supported by the ENeRAG project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 810980.