Characterization of GEOthermal reservoirs heterogeneities in the Ile-de-France through the development of a numerical hydro-dynamic modeling (GEOMOD)

thesis funded by the Ile-de-France region program. Director: Benjamin Brigaud, co-supervision: Miklos Antics (Geofluid), Thesis Paris Region PhD 2019 in partnership with the company GEOFLUID

Abstract : Geothermal energy, namely the mobilization of the subsurface heat at very low, low or high temperatures, is one of the methods to achieve the energy transition. The energy-climate strategy plans to increase deep geothermal heat produced in Ile-de-France in 2030 by a 3.5 factor compared to 2015. The current average development rate will not allow this objective to be achieved, it would be necessary to reach a 6 to 10 times higher rate, so the new multiannual renewable geothermal energy programming is being revised downwards in France. Feedback on recent operations in Ile-de-France has raised technical and/or scientific locks to be removed for an efficient and sustainable operation of geothermal doublets, such as the high but unquantified risk of low water flow / thin thickness of reservoir (meter-scale), the risk of interference between geothermal systems in high density of well infrastructures or the risk of early thermal breakthrough. There is a real risk that an installation may not reach a geothermal resource with sufficient flow and temperature characteristics to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the project during its life time. This risk constitutes a real obstacle for the future development of geothermal energy in Ile-de-France. It is clearly established in the energy-climate strategy to work on innovation by proposing solutions that optimize and explore the development of new reservoirs. The optimization of the use of deep geothermal energy is a major challenge for the Région Ile-de-France, which has a population of nearly 12 million inhabitants and still growing. This optimization of geothermal production of aquifers requires (1) precise knowledge of the reservoir heterogeneity in terms of sedimentary geometries, porosity/permeability, reservoir connectivity and (2) reliable numerical simulations of flows and temperature evolution in the underground 30 years or even 100 years after production starts.