Solute and gas geothermometry of geothermal wells: a geochemometrics study for evaluating the effectiveness of geothermometers to predict deep reservoir temperatures

<div><p>Deep reservoir temperatures of 10 important geothermal systems of the world were estimated by applying 13 solute (Na/K) and 21 gas geothermometers. The predicted temperatures were comprehensively evaluated and compared with measured bottom-hole temperatures using geochemometric techniques. The present study reveals (1) high prediction performances in most of the Na/K geothermometers for the majority of the geothermal fields with liquid-dominated reservoirs, whereas low prediction performances were indicated for the geothermal fields with vapour-dominated and high-temperature reservoirs; (2) the gas geothermometers, in comparison to Na/K, are more successful in predicting the subsurface temperatures in high-temperature geothermal systems; (3) the geothermal systems for which Na/K geothermometers have indicated a high prediction performance, the gas geothermometers have specified a low prediction performances, and vice versa; (4) both Na/K and gas geothermometers, generally, overestimated the reservoir temperatures for the majority of the low-enthalpy geothermal fields and underestimated for the majority of the high-enthalpy geothermal fields; (5) the reservoir temperature predictions of gas geothermometers have more scatter than those temperatures inferred from Na/K geothermometers; and (6) in general, Na/K geothermometers seem to be a more successful geochemical tool in predicting reliable reservoir temperatures than gas geothermometers.</p></div