Estimation of Reservoir Geotemperatures from Multicomponent and Classical Geothermometry of the Bath Geothermal Reservoir: An Integrated Approach

Abstract:

An integrated approach incorporating multicomponent and classical solute geothermometry was used to evaluate its utility to estimate the temperature of the Bath geothermal reservoir, a low-enthalpy system on the island of Jamaica. Reservoir temperatures were estimated from (1) empirical geothermometric equations; (2) simulations of solute geothermometers using SolGeo software; (3) computations of saturation indices [Log(Q/K)] of reservoir minerals from full chemically-analyzed thermal water samples over a temperature range of 25-220°C in PHREEQC; and (4) the Giggenbach Na-K-Mg geothermometer. A principal component analysis (PCA) shows strong, positive correlations between Na⁺, K⁺, and Mg²⁺ and is regarded as significant for these ions in their reliance as useful reservoir geoindicators. However, a negative correlation exists between Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and silica (SiO₂). The more realistic estimates of the geothermal reservoir temperature were provided by the Na-K and Na-K-Mg geothermometers, whereas the Na-K-Ca geothermometer overestimated reservoir temperatures. Estimated geotemperatures from silica-quartz geothermometers were the lowest. The discrepancy in estimated geotemperatures may be due to processes such as boiling, degassing, dilution, rock dissolution, and mixing during the ascent of geothermal fluids. Log (Q/K) curves cluster over a range of equilibrium temperatures closest to Na-K and Na-K-Mg geothermometers at 80-102°C. Reservoir temperatures estimated for the Bath geothermal system range between 79-118°C. Comparisons of the estimated geotemperatures using the integrated approach to geothermometry show a favorable agreement. Based on the results of this investigation, the integrated geothermometric approach provided a more reliable approach to reconstruct the fluid composition at depth and estimate the geothermal reservoir temperature.