Geothermal Exploration Using Remote Sensing, Surface Temperature, and Geophysical Data in Lunayyir Volcanic Field, Saudi Arabia

Faisal Alqahtani, Essam Aboud (), Muhsan Ehsan, Zohaib Naseer, Murad Abdulfarraj, Mohamed F. Abdelwahed and Nabil El-Masry
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Faisal Alqahtani: Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Essam Aboud: Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Muhsan Ehsan: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Bahria School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Zohaib Naseer: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Bahria School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Murad Abdulfarraj: Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed F. Abdelwahed: Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Nabil El-Masry: Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Energy consumption worldwide has undergone a recent shift, with hydrocarbons, coal, and new energy sources taking center stage. However, fossil fuels face criticism due to their negative impacts on the environment through air pollution. Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable, and eco-friendly alternative that can be harnessed for power generation. The Lunayyir volcanic field is located in the western part of Saudi Arabia and has been identified as a potential geothermal resource. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the gravity, magnetic, and land surface temperature data collected over the study area is conducted to investigate the geothermal potential. The gravity data are processed using standard techniques to correct for instrument drift, diurnal variations, and topographic effects and to filter out high-frequency noise. The magnetic data are processed using standard procedures. Analysis of the gravity data shows that the Lunayyir volcanic field is characterized by a series of gravity anomalies, which can be interpreted as indicative of the presence of subsurface geologic structures that are similar in geothermal areas, such as faults, fractures, and intrusions. The magnetic data, on the other hand, show that the volcanic field has a relatively low magnetic susceptibility, which is consistent with the presence of volcanic rocks implying shallow heat sources. Landsat satellite data are utilized to calculate the land surface temperature through the use of GIS software. Additionally, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is calculated using the near-infrared and red bands of the Landsat satellite. The land surface temperature of the year 2007 shows the relatively high temperature at the surface as compared to 2000 and 2021, which is an indication of volcanic activities in the subsurface. It is suggested that these structures may provide conduits for hot fluids, which could potentially be exploited for geothermal energy production. The obtained results emphasize the importance of combining different geophysical datasets to obtain a better understanding of underground geology and geothermal systems. In general, this study improves the assessment of the Lunayyir volcanic field in the western part of Saudi Arabia for geothermal energy.

Keywords: geothermal energy; gravity; magnetic; temperature; Lunayyir volcanic field (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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