Geothermal Resources and their Utilization in Belarus

Abstract

Belarus is located within western part of the East European Platform. In geologic respect it is a junction of crustal blocks of different age. The thickness of deposits varies from 80 – 100 m to 1.5 – 5.5 km within deep sedimentary basins: Pripyat Trough, Orsha and eastern part of the Podlaska-Brest depressions. A contrast terrestrial temperature field was revealed within sediments ranging from 7 – 8 ºC within fresh water horizons to 80 – 115 ºC in deep complexes of the Pripyat Trough. Resources of geothermal energy were estimated for both shallow horizons within the western part of the country and deep ones exceeding 1 km in the Pripyat Trough and the Podlaska-Brest Depression. They vary in a wide range from 10 – 20 to 200 – 300 kilograms of oil equivalent per square meter (kg.o.e./m2 ) within crustal blocks with thin sedimentary cover. The highest density of resources was observed in deep complexes of the Pripyat Trough up to 1 – 4 t.o.e./m2 . These horizons have high content of dissolved chemicals up to 350 – 420 g/l. Around 15 geothermal installations are in operation in the country supplying space heating for industrial buildings with the total installed heat pump capacity approaching to 2 MWth. Around 40 small heat pump systems were installed in private cottages in and around the main towns and cities with total heat capacity around 1 – 1.5 MWth. All installations use cold water taken from shallow boreholes with typical temperature 8 – 10 ºC as a primary energy source. One installation is based on utilization of river water. Another 12 - 15 heat pump installations are under construction. It is planned to create experimental heat pump installations in several new apartment houses in 3 – 5 forthcoming years for space heating and warm water supply. Project documentation is finishing for a pilot geothermal station for the greenhouse complex “Berestye” in the western part of the country. It was scheduled to put it into experimental operation during the end of 2009 – beginning of 2010.