Historical submarine eruptions off Reykjanes

In light of the events at Grindavík, south west Iceland, in recent days and weeks, there is reason to review ÍSOR’s coverage from February 2020 about lava flow into the sea and submarine eruptios in historical times in the Grindavík area. The events called the Reykjanes Fires (Reykjaneseldar) took place by repeated volcanic unrest between 1210-1240, about 800 years ago, resulting in submarine eruption off Reykjanes and lava flows on land both at Reykjanes and at Svartsengi. One of these lavas was Eldvarpahraun located west of Grindavík. The row of craters that erupted then, called Eldvörp, is over 8 km long and extends from Svartsengi all the way to the south coast at Staðarberg, where lava flowed into the sea.

Multibeam data obtained by the Coast Guard of Iceland was processed by ÍSOR and shows clearly that the lava didn‘t stop at the shore but flowed forward a long way underwater. The furthest point extends to about 2.7 km from the coast and to a depth of about 90 m. It is possible that the volcanic fissure itself also extended beyond the coastline and that there was an eruption on the sea floor at the same time. It is difficult to identify a submarine crater or craters, but the location of the lava rim on the seabed indicates lava flow through a fissure without much explosive activity. The area of the lava on the sea floor is about 3.4 km2.

This is by no means unique, the Hópsnes peninsula at Grindavík is made of lava that flowed towards the coast and formed a tang out into the sea. It is about 8000 years old and extends underwater to a depth of about 100 m.

ÍSOR’s seabed maps of Reykjaneshryggur and Kolbeinseyjarhryggur north of Icleand show lavas that have flowed across the seabed from craters and fissures at great depths. It is believed that these are socalled pillow lava sheets. In order to flow this way, the lava needs to somehow protect itself from oceanic cooling by forming an insulating mantle of cinder and solidified rock as they flow. It is clear that the flowrate has to be high and constant in order for a this lava to form and flow forward on the seabed. Under such conditions, it would likely be difficult to stop the lava flow by artificial sea cooling using pumps.

The City of Karlovac in Croatia planning for deep geothermal drilling for heating purposes.

On May 19th, 2023, was the end of a successful 5-day study visit to Iceland by members of the project team from the City of Karlovac, Croatia. The purpose was to see and learn from the experience of Icelanders on how to utilize geothermal resources, but in Iceland such utilization has been very successful over the last half a century.

 

The visiting group consisted of employees from the company Geotermika d.o.o.  and the City of Karlovac , which partakes in the implementation of the project “Using geothermal energy for heating purposes in the City of Karlovac – PREP4KaGT-1”. This project is financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) 2014-2021 with national co-financing of the Republic of Croatia within the “Energy and Climate Change” programme.

 

The host of the study visit was ÍSOR (Iceland GeoSurvey – www.isor.is), which organized several workshops and meetings where the project was presented as well as the activities being carried out.

At the same time, round table discussions was held where representatives of several different companies and institutions participated (NTE – North Tech Energy, GRO-GTP – Geothermal training program, Verkis Consulting and Iceland Renewable Energy Cluster (IREC), which are all companies that provide consulting, research, exploitation and modernization processes in the field of geothermal energy, as well as district heating systems and potential direct use of geothermal energy.

 

During the study trip, a visit to geothermal district heating companies and geothermal power companies was carried out and presentations and fruitful discussions occurred, with Reykjavík Energy, Veitur and HS-Orka. Visits to geothermal wells, district heating stations and powerplants was organized.

 

A visit was also organized to the Agricultural University of Iceland and its greenhouses, which deals with the use of natural resources in the production of healthy food and exotic plants.

 

The goal of the study visit is to acquire additional knowledge and experience, as well as to establish potential cooperation with companies from Iceland, which will further contribute to strengthening the capacity for management and promotion of renewable energy sources and create foundations for continued cooperation and future joint projects.

 

The project holder is GeotermiKA d.o.o. in partnership with the City of Karlovac and ÍSOR from Iceland. The total value of the project is EUR 754,734.70, while the share of grants is EUR 504,268.45, and the project lasts from May 24, 2022. until 24.02.2024.

Predstavnici Geotermike na studijskom putovanju u Islandu: Prikupljali nova iskustva u koriątenju geotermalne energije, dogovorena i međusobna suradnja? — KAportal.hr (net.hr)

Iceland fires up

Energy Global, summer 2022, extensively discusses Geothermal Energy, e.g. the ways to increase its future share in the energy mix, from the perspective of climate issues.

Árni Magnússon, Bjarni Richter and Árni Ragnarsson explain the current landscape of geothermal research and utilisation in Iceland, outlining the ways in which this renewable resource has positively impacted the country.

Below is a link to the magazine. You can find the article on pages 58-63:

https://issuu.com/palladianpublications/docs/eg62su?fr=sOWU1NTE5NzA3NDk

 

Forboðar eldossins í Fagradalsfjalli

Forboðar eldgossins í Fagradalsfjalli

Þann 2. maí 2022, birtist grein í einu virtasta jarðvísindatímariti heims, Nature Geoscience, um niðurstöður rannsókna á umbrotahrinu sem hófst í Svartsengi snemma árs 2020 og var forboði eldgossins í Fagradalsfjalli. Greinin, sem er leidd af Ólafi G. Flóvenz fyrrum forstjóra ÍSOR, er afrakstur tveggja ára rannsóknavinnu sérfræðinga ÍSOR og GFZ, helstu jarðvísindastofnunar Þýskalands (Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum í Potsdam).

Greinin byggir í meginatriðum á þrenns konar mælingum á Reykjanesskaganum árið 2020; i) InSAR mælingum úr Sentinel-1 gervitungli Geimvísindastofnunar Evrópu sem sýndu þrjár lotur landriss og landsigs á víxl í Svartsengi og fjórðu lotuna í Krýsuvík, ii) nákvæmum jarðskjálftamælingum með bæði hefðbundnum jarðskjálftamælum og ljósleiðara fjarskiptafyrirtækisins Mílu sem breytt var með nýrri tækni í þétt net jarðskjálftamæla, og iii) nákvæmum mælingum á breytingum í þyngdarkrafti jarðar sem endurspegla massa þess efnis sem kann að hafa troðist inn í jarðlögin og orsakað landrisið.

Meginniðurstaða greinarinnar er sú að landrisið hafi líklegast orsakast af háþrýstu gasi (koldíoxíði) sem tróðst í þremur skömmtum inn í vatnsleiðandi lag á um 4 km dýpi undir jarðhitakerfinu í Svartsengi í janúar, mars og maí 2020 og fjórði skammturinn undir jarðhitakerfið í Krýsuvík í ágúst sama ár. Þrýstingur gassins var í hvert skipti nógu hár til þess að valda landrisinu, en með tímanum dreifðist koldíoxíðið eftir vatnsleiðandi laginu sem leiddi til landsigsins í kjölfarið. Með því að nota „póró-elastíska“ líkanreikninga mátti herma landrisið og landsigið nákvæmlega og reikna út rúmmál þess efnis sem barst inn í vatnsleiðarann. Með því að nota niðurstöður þyngdarmælinganna var unnt að reikna eðlismassa þess efnis sem orsakaði landrisið.

Niðurstöðurnar sýna  að 0,11 ± 0,05 km3 efnis með eðlisþyngd 850 ± 350 kg/m3 tróðst samtals inn undir jarðhitakerfið í Svartsengi. Til samanburðar má nefna að eðlimassi kalds vatns er 1000 kg/m3 og kviku um 2700 kg/m3. Þótt niðurstöðurnar bendi eindregið til þess að efnið sem tróðst inn hafi fyrst og fremst  verið koldíoxíð, útiloka niðurstöðurnar ekki að einhver kvika gæti hafa borist með gasinu.

Rannsóknir sérfræðinga Jarðvísindastofnunar Háskólans benda til þess að kvikan sem upp kom í eldgosinu í Fagradalsfjalli komi af 15-20 km dýpi efst í möttli jarðar, en mörk möttuls og jarðskorpu eru á um það bil 15 km dýpi á þessum slóðum. Á þessum stað er kvika sem kemur dýpra úr möttlinum að safnast fyrir, jafnframt því að hún afgasast, þ.e. gefur frá sér koldíoxíð. Út frá rúmmáli þess gass sem tróðst inn undir Svartsengi og Krýsuvík árið 2020 má reikna hversu mikil kvika hefði þurft að afgasast til að framleiða þetta magn af koldíoxíði. Útreikningarnir benda til þess að rúmmál kvikunnar á 15-20 km dýpi undir Fagradalsfjalli séu að lágmarki 2-9 km3. Aðeins örlítill hluti þeirrar kviku kom upp í eldgosinu í Fagradalsfjalli, eða 0,15 km3. Af því leiðir að magn kviku undir Fagradalsfjalli er enn nægt til mun efnismeiri eldgosa en varð árið 2021.

Á grundvelli rannsóknanna er sett fram hugmyndalíkan af atburðarásinni sem leiddi til eldgossins, eins og sýnt er á meðfylgjandi skýringarmynd. Líkanið gerir ráð fyrir því að kvika hafi um nokkurt skeið streymt djúpt úr möttli jarðar og safnast fyrir efst í möttlinum á 15-20 km dýpi undir Fagradalsfjalli. Þar losnar koldíoxíð úr kvikunni og leitar í átt að yfirborði. Það á greiða leið í gegnum deigan neðri hluta jarðskorpunnar, en stöðvast á um 7 km dýpi þar sem komið er að stökkum og þéttum hluta hennar. Þar safnast gasið fyrir tímabundið uns tilteknu rúmmáli er náð. Þá tekur gasið að streyma skáhallt upp eftir mörkum brotgjörnu og þéttu jarðskorpunnar í átt að þeim stað þar sem þau mörk liggja grynnst, en það er undir nálægum háhitasvæðum í Svartsengi og Krýsuvík þar sem einnig er að finna djúpa lágþrýsta vatnsleiðara. Gasið berst inn í vatnsleiðarann og eykur þar þrýsting nægjanlega mikið til að lyfta berginu fyrir ofan og valda landrisi og tilheyrandi jarðskjálftavirkni. Þegar ákveðið magn gass hefur tæmst úr geymslusvæðinu undir Fagradalsfjalli lokast rásin að háhitasvæðunum, en opnast á ný þegar nægt gas hefur safnast þar fyrir aftur.

Hugmyndalíkanið skýrir vel atburðarásina í aðdraganda eldgossins, þar á meðal víxlverkandi lotur landriss og landsigs, jarðskjálftavirknina og breytingar sem mældust á þyngdarkrafti jarðar. Líkanið samræmist einnig þeim athugunum sem gerðar hafa verið á efnafræði kvikunnar sem upp kom í eldgosinu.

Greinina má nálgast á vef tímaritsins Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-022-00930-5

Updated map of the seismic network on the Reykjanes Peninsula in SW Iceland

Reykjanes peninsula

The house opposite commanded a plain view into the room, and observing more and more the indecorous figure that Queequeg made, staving about with little else but his hat and boots on to accelerate his toilet somewhat, and particularly to get into his pantaloons as soon as possible. He complied, and then proceeded to wash himself. He then donned his waistcoat, and taking up a piece of hard soap on the wash-stand center table, dipped it into water and commenced lathering his face. Where he kept his razor, when lo and behold, he takes the harpoon. Expenses as material breeding 

The house opposite commanded a plain view into the room, and observing more and more the indecorous figure that Queequeg made, staving about with little else but his hat and boots on to accelerate his toilet somewhat, and particularly.

A Delightful Discovery

Where he kept his razor, when lo and behold, he takes the harpoon. Expenses as material breeding insisted building to in. Continual so distrusts pronounce by unwilling listening. Thing do taste on we manor. Him had wound use found hoped of distrusts immediate enjoyment. These reflections just here are occasioned. Where he kept his razor, when lo and behold, he takes the harpoon. Continual so distrusts pronounce by unwilling listening.

Where he kept his razor, when lo and behold, he takes the harpoon. Expenses as material breeding insisted building to in. Continual so distrusts pronounce by unwilling listening. Thing do taste on we manor. Him had wound use found hoped of distrusts immediate enjoyment. These reflections just here are occasioned. Where he kept his razor, when lo and behold, he takes the harpoon. Continual so distrusts pronounce by unwilling listening.

Iceland GeoSurvey – ÍSOR to host GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme

GRO and ÍSOR

A new service agreement was signed between GRÓ – The International Centre for Capacity Development, Sustainability and Societal Change and Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR) for the hosting of the Geothermal Training Programme, one of four GRÓ Programmes hosted in Iceland.

Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, expressed particular satisfaction with the signing of the agreement. “With the conclusion of this agreement, we are completing a process of reform that began in the run-up to the transfer of the GRÓ Programmes from co-operation with the United Nations University to co-operation with UNESCO. I initiated an internal audit of the Programmes’ operations, which has resulted in formal service agreements with hosting institutions for the administration and operation of the Programmes. This new arrangement ensures increased efficiency and transparency and that the funds used for these projects are used to the best advantage of our partners from developing countries. In addition, this provides opportunities for growth and opportunities for the future if it goes well, “said the Minister.

GRÓ is an independent center for skills development and knowledge in developing countries and operates under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), according to an agreement between Iceland and UNESCO, in areas where Icelanders’ expertise is used in international development cooperation. Other Programmes are the Gender Equality Studies & Training Programme, the Land Restoration Training Programme and the Fisheries Training Programme.

The Geothermal Training Programme was previously hosted by the National Energy Authority and GRÓ, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs thanks the National Energy Authority for its unique co-operation in the development and operation of the project in recent decades and for good co-operation in transferring the project to a new host.

The Geothermal Training Programme and ÍSOR have long been the same

“It is a real pleasure for ÍSOR to take on the role that we are entrusted with today by GRÓ, in hosting and operating the Geothermal Training Programme,” said Mr. Árni Magnússon, CEO of ÍSOR, on the occasion. “For decades, the Geothermal Training Programme has played an important role in training specialists in this field, and this will certainly not change. We look forward to the collaboration with GRÓ and the new bright future ahead.”

Mrs. Thórdís Ingadóttir, Chairman of the Board of ÍSOR, said that the Geothermal Training Programme and ÍSOR’s paths have long coincided, as the Programme has traditionally recruited a number of teachers to the ranks of ÍSOR’s employees. “The Geothermal Training Programme has enjoyed having access to many of the world’s most talented specialists in the field of geothermal energy, in collaboration with ÍSOR, the energy companies, Icelandic engineering firms and more. This will not change with the new arrangement. We are looking forward to having the Geothermal Training Programme in our house and thank you for the trust we have been shown,“ Þórdís added.

Mr. Jón Karl Ólafsson, Chairman of the Board of GRÓ, also expressed satisfaction with the new agreement. “I am completing a two-year transformation process here, which I have had both the pleasure and honor of working in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the GRÓ board and current and former directors. This is a pleasing milestone and I look forward to continued work ahead and to strengthening these projects, especially in the wake of this pandemic, “said Jón Karl.

Continued demand in Iceland’s expertise in geothermal energy exploration and utilization

Geothermal Energy in Iceland

In an interview with an Icelandic newspaper over the weekend, Mr. Árni Magnússon, the CEO of Iceland Geosurvey, ÍSOR, underlined his organizations role as one of the world’s leading research institutes in the field of geothermal energy and the continuous need for expertise in geothermal utilization.

“Projects accomplished by ÍSOR are diverse and vary in scope, but are mostly related to services regarding geothermal energy as a natural resource,” Mr. Magnússon explains. Since 2006, Mr. Magnússon worked on energy issues, with an emphasis on geothermal energy, first at Íslandsbanki and later at the engineering firm Mannvit, becoming CEO of ÍSOR in the middle of last year. “We are a company rich is expertise and skills and a leading force in the field of geothermal research and development. We provide consulting, training and scientific geothermal services as well as managing basic research in most areas of geothermal utilization and other geoscience-related fields. ÍSOR, and its predecessors, have from the outset played a key role in geothermal development in Iceland, as well as being involved in projects in more than 40 countries worldwide, resulting in a wealth of experience gained within the company,” according to Mr. Magnússon.

ÍSOR is a self-financing, state-owned institution and operates in accordance with the Act on Services and Research in the Fields of Geothermal Energy, Natural History, Energy and Other Natural Resources. The company operates on a commercial basis in a competitive market and earns its income entirely through its services and by the acquisition of research grants. “For decades, we have offered energy companies, district heating and private parties in the country specialized services in the above fields. These include surface exploration, conceptual modelling, borehole siting, on-site geological advice and borehole logging, as well as resource management. In fact, we are offering a comprehensive range of services and perhaps we could call ourselves a precursor when it comes to geothermal utilization,” informs Mr. Magnússon.

Heating and water supply consultant

Although geothermal research has been ÍSOR’s focus, the institute also plays a significant role in the field of groundwater research, freshwater resources and seafloor research.
“Thus, ÍSOR has been the advisory body to most of the country’s space-heating and water companies on the sourcing and utilization of water and is the main scientific advisor to the Icelandic government in research on natural resources,” explains Mr. Magnússon. In addition, ÍSOR has proposed the scientific arguments in Iceland’s contest for seafloor rights outside the 200-mile economic jurisdiction.
“ÍSOR is well-established and has undertaken numerous projects in the field of natural sciences, such as geological research for construction, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic activity. ÍSOR has gained substantial reputation abroad where it has managed and participated in basic research and development of geothermal projects. Several specialists at ÍSOR have many decades of experience in projects around the world, including work for the Directorate for International Affairs and Development Cooperation of the Minestry for Foreign Affairs, teaching at the United Nations Geothermal Training Programme, as well as direct advice to foreign private companies and government agencies,” Mr. Magnússon explains.

Drilling to depths of 2,000 m

Drilling at Ósabotnar.

“Icelanders have achieved great success in the utilization of renewable energy sources, and it will hopefully be so for a long time to come,” says Mr. Magnússon. “It can be said that ÍSOR has created the geoscientific basis for the utilization of geothermal energy for electricity production and other applications, but it is necessary to constantly monitor the environment, monitor changes and to follow technological innovations.” The results of low-temperature drilling have been good. Between 1928 and 2017, about 450 production wells were drilled in low-temperature areas in Iceland. Almost 90 percent had temperatures of 60°C and about 65 percent resulted in 80°C water, which is ideal for space heating. If we look at wells that penetrated permeability like faults, regardless of temperature, the success rate is more than 90 percent,” Mr. Magnússon explains. “These figures clearly show how the growth of geoscientific expertise has paid off, leading to high expectations of energy supply by Icelanders. Demand for hot water, both for bathing and space heating, has constantly increased, due to growing population and the number of tourists in recent years. It is worth mentioning that drilling is currently underway at Ósabotnar for the Árborg Municipality. ÍSOR has been a consultant and supervised the geothermal production of Árborg Municipality for years. The well is now 1,732 meters deep and the intention is to go deeper in the hope of getting more hot water into the well, even down to 2,000 meters,” Mr. Magnússon explains.

Conceptual Models predict 50 years into the future

Geothermal exploration

Geothermal exploration at Námafjall. Photo Sigurður G. Kristinsson.

ÍSOR has placed great emphasis on innovation, research and development in its operations and will continue to do so. It now employs more than 60 people and the majority of staff, 94 percent, have a university degree. “Last year has shown us that there is great demand for expertise,” says Mr. Magnússon and continues: “There is no need to mention the pandemic in this context, but to point out various natural hazards. Basic research related to the country’s nature, including geothermal energy and the nature of the earth’s crust, is a prerequisite for successful and efficient utilization of geothermal energy for energy production. It is worth noting that the country’s geology does not end at the coast. It is essential to strengthen basic research, intensify geological mapping, and assess the seafloor as a natural resource and so on.”

“Every year, ÍSOR participates in numerous research projects. These projects are funded by energy companies and/or domestic and foreign research funds, such as from the EU. The participation in research projects strengthens ÍSOR´s own research skills and improves basic knowledge in the field of geosciences and geothermal energy, as well as advancing the developments of new methods for research and utilization of natural resources,” Mr. Magnússon explains. “Software development is an aspect that accompanies research institutes like ÍSOR, and therefore continuous efforts are ongoing in developing software for our specialized operations. Over the years, considerable emphasis has been placed on improving software, which can predict the production capacity of geothermal fields, depending on the production history, but conceptual models can now forecast up to 30 to 50 years into the future.”
A development project is also underway, which is, among other things, funded by EFTA and is in cooperation with Poland. In this case, software is being developed that will be used to simulate the geothermal reservoir’s response to production. “With this new software, it will be possible to predict the effects of reinjection and where to locate successive boreholes. The new software will model where to site new production wells, re-injection wells and monitoring wells in relation to production efficiency. This software is based on older software that has been used successfully for several years, but as more and more district heating companies exploit increasing number of wells, many are considering reinjection to increase the production capacity of the geothermal fields,” says Mr. Magnússon and adds: “ÍSOR puts a lot of effort into good co-operation with the country’s district heating companies and is very interested in working with them to make good use of the fields and strengthen monitoring, so that they can be utilized in a sustainable way.”

First published in the Newspaper Fréttablaðið, Orka Íslands, 30. Jan. 2021

Mr. Árni Magnússon appointed CEO of Iceland GeoSurvey, ÍSOR

Northern Lights on the Reykjanes Peninsula

ÍSOR’s Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Árni Magnússon as Director of Iceland GeoSurvey, ÍSOR. Árni´s position as CEO of the company will commence on July 1st. He will replace Dr. Ólafur G. Flóvenz, the director of ÍSOR since its founding, who will now focus entirely on professional and scientific research.

The position of CEO of ÍSOR was advertised at the beginning of March with the deadline for applications being March 30th. The unanimous conclusion of the board of ÍSOR was that Mr. Magnússon was the most qualified applicant.

Mr. Magnússon worked for the engineering firm Mannvit from 2013-2020, most recently as Managing Director of international marketing and later as Managing Director of Mannvit in Hungary. He served as Managing Director of renewable energy at Íslandsbanki (Glitnir) from 2006-2013, where he established and managed the Bank’s international division in the field of renewable energy. He was an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Industries and Innovation and later at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs during 1995-2002 before becoming the Minister of Social Affairs from 2003-2006.

Mr. Magnússon has served on the boards of numerous companies, corporations and institutions both domestically and abroad. Amongst other things, he was Vice-Chairman of the Icelandic Energy Cluster, board member of the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) and on the board of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). He was also Chairman of the board of the Icelandic International Development Agency (ÞSSÍ) for several years, served on the board of the Ministry of Industry and Landsvirkjun’s Marketing Office (MIL) and managed the government’s project on geothermal exploration in cold areas.

Mr. Magnússon graduated from the Bifröst Cooperative College in 1983 and completed MIB studies in International Business at the Bifröst University.

As ÍSOR’s Board of Directors welcomes Mr. Árni Magnússon to the company, it offers sincere thanks to Dr. Ólafur G. Flóvenz for his commitment as CEO and his contribution to Earth Sciences. Ólafur has been devoted to geothermal research since 1979, first as a research scientist and Head of Department of Geophysics and later as Director of the Research Division of the National Energy Authority. When ÍSOR was established in 2003, he was appointed CEO and has held that position ever since. Under the solid and dedicated control of Dr. Flóvenz, geothermal research at ÍSOR has continued to grow and is one of the most respected research institutes in the field of geothermal sciences in the world today.