Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

A deep geothermal exploration well at Eastgate, Weardale, UK: A novel exploration concept for low-enthalpy resources

Lookup NU author(s): Professor David ManningORCiD, Professor Paul Younger

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

The first deep geothermal exploration borehole (995 m) to be drilled in the UK for over 20 years was completed at Eastgate (Weardale, Co. Durham) in December 2004. It penetrated 4 m of sandy till (Quaternary), 267.5 m of Lower Carboniferous strata (including the Whin Sill), and 723.5 m of the Weardale Granite (Devonian), with vein mineralization occurring to 913 m. Unlike previous geothermal investigations of UK radiothermal granites that focused on the hot dry rock concept, the Eastgate Borehole was designed to intercept deep fracture-hosted brines associated with the major, geologically ancient, hydrothermal. vein systems. Abundant brine (≤46 °C was encountered within natural fracture networks of very high permeability (transmissivity c. 2000 darcy m) within granite. Evidence for the thermal history of the Carboniferous rocks from phytoclast reflectance measurements shows very high values (≥3.3%) indicating maximum temperatures of 130 °C prior to intrusion of the Whin Sill. Geochemical analysis of cuttings samples from the Eastgate Borehole suggests radiothermal heat production rates for unaltered Weardale Granite averaging 4.1 μW m-3, with a mean geothermal gradient of 38 °C km-1. The Eastgate Borehole has significant exploitation potential for direct heat uses; it demonstrates the potential for seeking hydrothermal vein systems within radiothermal granites as targets for geothermal resources.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Manning DAC, Younger PL, Smith F, Jones J, Dufton D, Diskin S

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of the Geological Society

Year: 2007

Volume: 164

Issue: 2

Pages: 371-382

Print publication date: 01/03/2007

ISSN (print): 0016-7649

ISSN (electronic):

Publisher: Geological Society Publishing House

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/0016-76492006-015

DOI: 10.1144/0016-76492006-015


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share