MT > MT for geothermal exploration

That chapter is dedicated to an example of geophysical prospection for geothermal exploration in Martinique, mainly based on MT.

  • Step 1: Overview of Martinique
    Located in the Lesser Antilles arc between Dominica (North) and Sainte-Lucie (South) at ~450 km from Venezuela coast. Surface is around 1100 km2 and population is around 400’000 inhabitants.
    Topography is significant, elevation reaches 1400 m above sea level at the Montagne Pelée (active volcano in the north) and 500 m above sea level in the southern part.
    Climate is tropical, with precipitations ranging from 1500 to 5000 mm/year. Mean annual temperatures range from 21 to 30°C as a function of elevation and season.

  • Step 2: Geothermal exploration in Martinique
    Geothermal exploration started in the 60’s, in the Plaine du Lamentin (LA area in the map), continued in the 80’s and orientated towards the Montagne Pelée (MP on the map) and Morne Rouge (MT, AMT, electrical imaging) by BRGM.
    In the 90’s, Zlotnicki  et al. (1998) carried out a Self Potential survey over Montagne Pelée.
    MP and “Anses d’Arlet” (AA) are identified of potential interest in the 2000’s (MT and AMT).
    3 exploration wells were drilled in the Lamentin plain in 2001 which identified a medium-temperature geothermal resource
    In 2012-2013 an additional exploration program (MT-AMT,gravi, geol., geoch.) has been designed carried out on the 4 areas. The case study presented here is the AA area.

Some results of the geophysical survey presented here, were acquired in the framework of a project funded by the FEDER and ADEME institutions, the Conseil Régional and the Syndicat Mixte d’Electricité de la Martinique (SMEM).

Acknowledgements:
Data used for illustration of the MT case in geothermal exploration were acquired by the BRGM staff in the framework of a project funded by the FEDER and ADEME institutions, the Conseil Régional and the Syndicat Mixte d’Electricité de la Martinique (SMEM), and BRGM. Most sincere thanks to BRGM colleagues, especially N. Coppo, B. Bourgeois, JM. Baltassat, P. Wawrzyniak, T. Jacob, A. Gadalia and many others of the BRGM staff who participated directly or indirectly to produce this material.