Geothermal Resource Exploration and Development: Geophysical Techniques for Sustainable Energy

This comprehensive guide explores geophysical methods used in geothermal energy exploration and assessment. It covers various techniques, including seismic reflection/refraction, electrical resistivity tomography, magnetotellurics, and gravity surveys, explaining their theoretical foundations and practical applications through detailed case studies. The text bridges theory and practice in geothermal resource exploration by providing a structured framework for selecting appropriate geophysical methods based on geological context.

Features of the the book:

• Provides comprehensive coverage of geophysical exploration techniques
• Offers insights into various geophysical techniques, including resistivity, seismic, and magnetotelluric methods
• Discusses geothermal project financing and risk assessment
• Focuses on economic feasibility and financing models for geothermal projects
• Includes case studies, numerical analyses, resource estimations, and performance metrics

This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in geological engineering, geophysics, renewable energy, and other related areas.

O.P. Mishra is a distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, with over 30 years of experience in the field of Applied Geophysics, Seismology, and Disaster Risk Management Science. He earned his M.Sc. Tech degree from Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) [IIT (ISM)] Dhanbad, one of the premier institutes of Earth Sciences in the world. He obtained Ph.D./D.Sc. from Geodynamics Research Centre (GRC), Ehime University, Japan, and a PGDMA from AIMA, New Delhi. He worked with different organizations in India and abroad in different capacities, namely the Geological Survey of India for about 20 years where he applied almost all Geophysical methods for natural resource exploration and contributed to high-resolution seismic imaging of sub-surface strata to understand the deep-seated resources and tectonic intricacies of the study region., Geodynamics Research Centre, Ehime university where he conducted cooperative researches on 3-D seismic tomography for different geotectonic settings of the world. He has held key positions, including Director of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre and Foreign Guest Professor at GRC, Japan. A prolific researcher, he has published over 150 papers and supervised 40 graduate and doctoral students. His accolades include the National Mineral Award (2008) and the Anni Talwani Gold Medal (2015). He is a life member of numerous esteemed professional bodies, including AGU and of other professional bodies of the world.

D.C. Naskar served as an Assistant Teacher in Physics before joining the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in July 1989. He holds an M.Sc. in Physics from Calcutta University and a Ph.D. from Jadavpur University. His training includes in-plant experience with Metronix Magnetotelluric equipment in Germany. Notably, he worked on a kimberlite project with De Beers and served as Chief Consultant in Geophysics at DMT Pvt Solution Ltd. Retiring as Director (Geophysics) from GSI in January 2021, Dr. Naskar is a life member of several prestigious organizations, including AGU and EAGE, and has over 140 research publications. He received the HS Pareek Award for best paper in coal science and the ONGC–AEG award for his Ph.D. thesis. Currently, he consults for the Ministry of Earth Sciences, mentoring early-career scientists and planning seismological studies for observatories.