Description
The Hjalteyri low-temperature geothermal system is located on the western shore of Eyjafjördur, 20 km north of the town of Akureyri in northern Iceland. The system lacks surface manifestations and
was discovered by chance during a drilling operation for sediment-filtered seawater intended for fish farming. The well revealed a geothermal gradient of 100-110°C/km, leading to further exploration. Hjalteyri is one of Iceland's most productive geothermal fields, capable of yielding around 200 L/s of 90°C hot water with moderate drawdown. Increased hot water consumption of Akureyri and nearby communities has been met by expanded production from the field. However, invasion of saline waters in recent years has raised concerns about the system’s long-term sustainability and prompted further research into its characteristics. The source of the system’s recharge remains unclear, and its relationship to other geothermal systems in Eyjafjörður, including one on the seafloor northeast of Hjalteyri, is still unknown. To better understand the system and explore potential recharge scenarios, various modelling efforts are currently underway.
The present modelling effort is part of project "Optimal management of low-temperature geothermal reservoirs – Polish-Icelandic cooperation on reservoir modelling" (acronym GeoModel), financed under the Fund for Bilateral Relations through the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA FM) and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism (NFM) 2014-2021.
