Abstract
High-resolution magnetotelluric and gravity data have been collected over the Kiejo-Mbaka geothermal field, located along the NW–SE trending Mabka fault, in the Karonga Rift basin (East Africa Rift System). Such resolution allowed to reconstruct the field structure with unprecedented detail. Resistivity modelling has been obtained by three-dimensional finite-differences inversion of MT data, while density modelling has been accomplished by surface-oriented inversion of gravity data. Geophysical modelling has identified two sedimentary sub-basins separated by the Mbaka fault ridge, exposing the basement; these previously unknown sedimentary fills have a maximum thickness of ca. 1.5 km. The estimation of the clay cation exchange capacity (CEC) from magnetotellurics identifies a layer of low-temperature smectite alteration in the south-western sub-basin sediments, interpreted as a clay cap. The resulting updated conceptual model of the Kiejo-Mbaka geothermal system is therefore a fault-controlled system with lateral leakage into the sediments, expectably implying a larger reservoir volume than previously estimated.
Article highlights
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Geophysical survey of the Kiejo-Mbaka geothermal field (East Africa Rift System).
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Geophysical modelling depicted a secondary sedimentary reservoir.
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Outcomes deeply revised the resource assessment.
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Acknowledgements
The geophysical survey presented in this work has been supported by the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA), the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and the Tanzania Geothermal Development Company (TGDC). TGDC team carried out the geophysical survey in collaboration with technical personnel of ELC-Electroconsult, Tellus s.a.s. and the Laboratory of Applied Geophysics of the University of Genoa. Gylfi Páll Hersir reviewed geophysical data acquisition, processing and modelling. ASTER GDEM is a product of NASA and METI. SRTM data are USGS Products distributed by the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC), located at USGS/EROS, Sioux Falls, SD (http://lpdaac.usgs.gov).
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Rizzello, D., Armadillo, E., Pasqua, C. et al. Assessment of the Kiejo-Mbaka geothermal field by three-dimensional geophysical modelling. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 8, 143 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-022-00456-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-022-00456-5