Assessment of the Possible Uses of Gravity Measurements and Forward Modeling for the Geothermal Projects of Geneva (Switzerland)

摘要

An important multistage geothermal program led by the Industrial Services of Geneva (SIG) is ongoing in Switzerland. This program named "GEothermie 2020" is aimed at improving the knowledge of the underground of the Swiss-French Greater Geneva Basin to value its geothermal resources. More specifically, the main exploration targets are strike-slip faults affecting Mesozoic series and Kimmeridgian Reef both of which can, locally, show relatively high porosity. In that aim, forward modeling software was used to determine whether and how gravity measurements can be used. This paper summarizes the results of this study and shows that gravity measurements can bring crucial information to the geothermal project especially when exploration targets geometry is well constrained. Indeed in this case it can quantify porosity which can hardly be achieved using other geophysical methods.