Heat and fluid-flow transfer modelling at basin scale in fractured reservoirs for geothermal energy: A case in the East African Rift

The earth’s system is a key provider of energy through its constant release of heat. In most continental areas of our planet, this heat is limited; the thermal gradient is about 30°C/km in most sedimentary basins, and even lower in cratonic areas. High temperatures can, however, be encountered in tectonically active areas that are commonly associated with plate boundaries. The combination of a relatively shallow heat source and a convective system of geological fluids makes these areas attractive locations for exploiting geothermal energy. 
The East African Rift is one such area, due both to a thinned lithosphere and volcanic intrusions that make heat available closer to the surface, and to strong structural discontinuities that allow locally intense fluid circulation. This doctoral research programme will comprise the following: after an initial phase aimed at selecting the precise area of study, the doctoral student will focus on developing a strong understanding of the region’s geology based on both existing data and the acquisition of new data, assessing the important structures that create fluid pathways, and integrating these elements into a geological model. The research student will then use this model to make a simulation at basin scale aimed at improving our understanding of heat structures in relation to geological elements such as lithospheric variation and magmatic intrusions, as well as to dynamic aspects such as the convective system, in order to assess the geothermal resources available.

Keywords: East African Rift, Geothermal Energy, Geology, Structural, Modelling, Multiscale, Multiphysics

• Academic supervisor    Prof., NADER Henri Fadi, Dpt. Earth Sciences & Environmental Technologies, IFPEN, ORCID 0000-0002-4379-0175
• Doctoral School    ED398 ED-GRNE (Ecole Doctorale Géosciences Ressources Naturelles et Environnement), www.ed398.sorbonne-universite.fr/
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr, BONTÉ Damien, Research engineer, Dpt. Earth Sciences & Environmental Technologies, IFPEN, damien.bonte@ifpen.fr, ORCID 0000-0001-6196 4960.
• PhD location    IFPEN, Rueil-Malmaison, France  
• Duration and start date    3 years, beginning fourth quarter 2022
• Employer    IFPEN, Rueil-Malmaison, France
• Academic requirements    University Master’s degree in Earth Science with a specialisation in one of the following areas: tectonics; hydrogeology; geological reservoirs; basin analysis. 
• Language requirements    Fluency in English, willingness to learn French
• Other requirements    Good computer skills (geological modelling and simulation), willingness to undertake field work