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Small geothermal resources in Pakistan
Geothermics, Vol. 17, No. 2/3, pp. 461-464, 1988. Printed in Great Britain.
0375-6505/88 $3.00 + 0.00 Pergamon Press plc © 1988CNR.
SMALL G E O T H E R M A L R E S O U R C E S IN PAKISTAN TAUQIR AHMED SHUJA Geological Survey of Pakistan, 53-Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad
Abstraet--Geotectonic conditionsin Pakistan and surface manifestationsshow the possibilityof recovering geothermal fluids in quantities sufficientto warrant commercialexploitation. INTRODUCTION Pakistan is largely dependent upon conventional energy resources such as oil, gas or coal to fulfill its increasing energy needs. Despite efforts over the last decade it has not been possible to make a substantial head-way in reducing the country's dependence on imported oil, which requires a large proportion of foreign currency reserves, thus adversely affecting the balance of payments. While exploration for oil and coal has received greater attention, the alternative energy resources have also attracted the interest of energy policy-makers in Pakistan. Consequently organisations such as U S A I D , JICA and other international agencies are being approached and there is ample scope for cooperation with other countries with vast experience in the development of geothermal energy. The geotectonic conditions in Pakistan are probably favourable and the surface manifestations indicate the possibility of recovering geothermal fluids in quantities sufficient to warrant commercial exploitation (Fig. 1). There have been few studies so far on the geothermal manifestations of Pakistan: Schlagintweit (1864), MacPherson (1854), Oldham (1882), Rafiquzzaman and Mahdi Hassan (1964) and Bakar (1965). Geothermal manifestations are numerous and widely scattered (Fig. 1). Based on the concentrations of these thermal springs, Pakistan can be divided into the following zones: (1) northern (2) central (3) south-eastern and (4) south-western zone. Northern zone
This zone comprises Gilgit Agency and includes the Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu and Yasin Valleys. The area has a population of 250,000. There are a number of hot springs with surface temperatures ranging from 24 to 71°C in Gilgit and 50 to 91°C in Hunza. Hot springs occur in the Yasin and Skardu Valleys, also with relatively moderate temperatures. Table 1 gives the temperature and chemical analyses of the water samples from thermal springs within Gilgit Agency. The Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) constitutes the southernmost extremity of this zone and the thermal springs are mainly controlled by the M M T and the MKT. Some thermal springs occur along the Indus sutu_r.e zone. Central zone
This comprises a narrow belt extending from north-east to south-west. The manifestations are scattered and follow an alignment along the Indus Basin Margin and probably owe their origin to deep faulting. Deep circulating waters are heated and rise along faults, emerging as seepages at the juncture of the mountainous front and alluvial plains. The temperatures of the thermal waters in this zone are usually low. Average temperature of the springs in the Salt Range 461
462
T. Ahmed Shuja (a)
• Thermal spring _~.Thrust 4# VoLcano • Town
70° \
75°
76°
MKT 350
--
--
33o--
350
• • • /J O//
31°--
lit/
volcanic arc/# "-7 ........... f~
,' . . - . . . "" ! ',.-.'.
~lMashkhet .......... "'" . 2" LL /
Mekran
,' O~ ,,' ~
,i
~,'
=ct z~ " ' • "
/
~
~"
730
,
" ,/-JCentrolzone on, 8c~ " ~ ;• ,,~l~\
310
)
"~
-2e °
%7 72~
(b)
I Moderate temp 1 springs near Chitrot FLow temp springs~ | o f Kirther R.
•
•
• Temp. ] 24°-71 ° (Gilgit) ] 50°-9 I°C (Hunzo) PopuLation : 250,000|
/ NORTHERN (" ,-~ ZONE / peshawer 'l " , - __l ......... i o • '~ -
~OOW ternp springs [of Su[eimanR
J
Temp 26°-56°C ol Population < 5/kin" L Chagoi distt j
•
• Quetta \ Nushkil
H WESTERN ZONE
Lahore•
CENTRAL ZONE I Av temp 30°C 2 Population : 9B/kin 1
\\ \\
•
Dadu
"...O.ro.od%.
SOUTH EASTERN i ZONE
I Population = 57/km 2
1
Mud volcanoes l in central and coastal mekran Fig. 1.(a) Geothermal activity in relation to the tectonic framework. (b) Characteristics of geothermal waters and their zones of concentration.
463
G e o t h e r m a l R e s o u r c e s in Pakistan Table 1. Chemical analyses (ppm) of thermal waters from Gilgit and H u n z a Agencies, Pakistan.
No.
Temperature (°C)
pH
SiO2
TDS
Ca
Mg
Na
K
Cl
SO 4
HCO 3
H2S
Locality
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
20 65 50 10 75 80 26 91 50 49 39 40
8.2 8.5 8.5 8.6 8.3 8.1 6.6 8.5 7.3 7.1 7.1 7.1
30 32 35 40 40 60 75 80 68 70 65 74
610 700 730 350 1800 1580 1920 1980 1230 1260 1040 1000
74 2 2 60 7 1! 20 7 104 Trace 46 68
17 1.2 1.8 12 3 42 70 6.6 32 6 28 14
93 180 206 5 380 350 190 390 150 145 250 250
12 4 7 6 48 54 45 48 25 24 20 19
14 30 48 7 37 34 18 39 14 18 14 14
230 137 140 92 337 586 600 429 469 476 260 260
110 110 116 110 416 332 336 394 262 293 433 421
Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Chilas Jaglot Jaglot Jaglot Murtzabad Murtzabad Murtzabad Murtzabad Hakuchar Hakuchar Buladas Buladas
(Mianwali District) is around 30°C (Bakar, 1965). Population density in this area is 98 persons km -2, whereas the urban population constitutes only 17.1%. South-eastern z o n e
This zone includes the concentration of thermal springs in Dadu District (Sind Province) and the springs of Manghopir at Karachi. The average temperature of the springs in Dadu District is 41°C (Bakar, 1965). Density of population is 57 persons km -2 and urban population is only 14%. There is an appreciably large number of springs spread over a large area. South-western zone
The area includes the Koh-i-Sultan volcano and other volcanic cones. Surface temperature of water samples collected from Koh-i-Sultan area ranges from 25 to 36°C (Schoeppel, 1977). Table 2 gives data on the springs from Chagai area. The main tectonic control in this zone is the subduction of the Arabian Plate beneath the Asian Plate, which has given rise to Chagai volcanic activity. There is evidence of active tectonism in the area at present.
Table 2. Data on the spring water in Koh-i-Sultan area, Chagai District, Baluchistan.
Sample No.
T e m p e r a t u r e at time of sampling Water Air (°C) (°C)
Silica content (ppm)
Gr-19 Gr-20 Gr-28
32 31 29
32 31 39
143 152 99
Gr-30 Gr-31 Gr-32 Gr-33 Gr-34 Gr-35
31 26 36 31 31 27
35 35 33 31 30 35
66 100 34 33 100 183
Gr-37
30
32
126
After Schoeppel (1977).
Remarks Spring, HzS gas, alum and travertine deposition. Same as above. Drillhole, water bubbles up for a few minutes at sunset or late night. Spring, H2S gas, salt deposition. Spring, H2S gas, alum, tastes salty. Spring, near rim of crater, HzS gas, salt deposition. Spring, salt deposition Spring, H2S bubbles continuously Spring, H2S gas extensive, precipitation of salts and sulphur Spring, H2S near water basin, precipitation of salts, no alum taste
464
T. Ahmed Shuja REFERENCES
Bakar, M. A. (1965) Thermal springs of Pakistan. Records G S P XVI, 3. MacPherson, J. (1854) Indian Annals o f Medical Science 3. Oldham, T. (1882) Thermal springs of India, Pt. 2. Mere. geol. Surv. India 19. Rafiquzzaman and Mahdi Hassan (1964) Arsenical spring waters at Manghopir. Medicus 28, 12-16. Schlagintweit, R. (1864) Thermal springs of India. J. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 33, 49. Schoeppel, R. J. (1977) Prospects for geothermal power in the Saindak area, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Final report for Oil and Gas Development Corporation, Pakistan. Tahirkheli et al. (1979) Geology of Kohistan, Karakoram Himalayas Northern Pakistan. Geol. Bull 11, University of Peshawar, Pakistan.
0375-6505/88 $3.00 + 0.00 Pergamon Press plc © 1988CNR.
SMALL G E O T H E R M A L R E S O U R C E S IN PAKISTAN TAUQIR AHMED SHUJA Geological Survey of Pakistan, 53-Plaza, Blue Area, Islamabad
Abstraet--Geotectonic conditionsin Pakistan and surface manifestationsshow the possibilityof recovering geothermal fluids in quantities sufficientto warrant commercialexploitation. INTRODUCTION Pakistan is largely dependent upon conventional energy resources such as oil, gas or coal to fulfill its increasing energy needs. Despite efforts over the last decade it has not been possible to make a substantial head-way in reducing the country's dependence on imported oil, which requires a large proportion of foreign currency reserves, thus adversely affecting the balance of payments. While exploration for oil and coal has received greater attention, the alternative energy resources have also attracted the interest of energy policy-makers in Pakistan. Consequently organisations such as U S A I D , JICA and other international agencies are being approached and there is ample scope for cooperation with other countries with vast experience in the development of geothermal energy. The geotectonic conditions in Pakistan are probably favourable and the surface manifestations indicate the possibility of recovering geothermal fluids in quantities sufficient to warrant commercial exploitation (Fig. 1). There have been few studies so far on the geothermal manifestations of Pakistan: Schlagintweit (1864), MacPherson (1854), Oldham (1882), Rafiquzzaman and Mahdi Hassan (1964) and Bakar (1965). Geothermal manifestations are numerous and widely scattered (Fig. 1). Based on the concentrations of these thermal springs, Pakistan can be divided into the following zones: (1) northern (2) central (3) south-eastern and (4) south-western zone. Northern zone
This zone comprises Gilgit Agency and includes the Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu and Yasin Valleys. The area has a population of 250,000. There are a number of hot springs with surface temperatures ranging from 24 to 71°C in Gilgit and 50 to 91°C in Hunza. Hot springs occur in the Yasin and Skardu Valleys, also with relatively moderate temperatures. Table 1 gives the temperature and chemical analyses of the water samples from thermal springs within Gilgit Agency. The Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) constitutes the southernmost extremity of this zone and the thermal springs are mainly controlled by the M M T and the MKT. Some thermal springs occur along the Indus sutu_r.e zone. Central zone
This comprises a narrow belt extending from north-east to south-west. The manifestations are scattered and follow an alignment along the Indus Basin Margin and probably owe their origin to deep faulting. Deep circulating waters are heated and rise along faults, emerging as seepages at the juncture of the mountainous front and alluvial plains. The temperatures of the thermal waters in this zone are usually low. Average temperature of the springs in the Salt Range 461
462
T. Ahmed Shuja (a)
• Thermal spring _~.Thrust 4# VoLcano • Town
70° \
75°
76°
MKT 350
--
--
33o--
350
• • • /J O//
31°--
lit/
volcanic arc/# "-7 ........... f~
,' . . - . . . "" ! ',.-.'.
~lMashkhet .......... "'" . 2" LL /
Mekran
,' O~ ,,' ~
,i
~,'
=ct z~ " ' • "
/
~
~"
730
,
" ,/-JCentrolzone on, 8c~ " ~ ;• ,,~l~\
310
)
"~
-2e °
%7 72~
(b)
I Moderate temp 1 springs near Chitrot FLow temp springs~ | o f Kirther R.
•
•
• Temp. ] 24°-71 ° (Gilgit) ] 50°-9 I°C (Hunzo) PopuLation : 250,000|
/ NORTHERN (" ,-~ ZONE / peshawer 'l " , - __l ......... i o • '~ -
~OOW ternp springs [of Su[eimanR
J
Temp 26°-56°C ol Population < 5/kin" L Chagoi distt j
•
• Quetta \ Nushkil
H WESTERN ZONE
Lahore•
CENTRAL ZONE I Av temp 30°C 2 Population : 9B/kin 1
\\ \\
•
Dadu
"...O.ro.od%.
SOUTH EASTERN i ZONE
I Population = 57/km 2
1
Mud volcanoes l in central and coastal mekran Fig. 1.(a) Geothermal activity in relation to the tectonic framework. (b) Characteristics of geothermal waters and their zones of concentration.
463
G e o t h e r m a l R e s o u r c e s in Pakistan Table 1. Chemical analyses (ppm) of thermal waters from Gilgit and H u n z a Agencies, Pakistan.
No.
Temperature (°C)
pH
SiO2
TDS
Ca
Mg
Na
K
Cl
SO 4
HCO 3
H2S
Locality
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
20 65 50 10 75 80 26 91 50 49 39 40
8.2 8.5 8.5 8.6 8.3 8.1 6.6 8.5 7.3 7.1 7.1 7.1
30 32 35 40 40 60 75 80 68 70 65 74
610 700 730 350 1800 1580 1920 1980 1230 1260 1040 1000
74 2 2 60 7 1! 20 7 104 Trace 46 68
17 1.2 1.8 12 3 42 70 6.6 32 6 28 14
93 180 206 5 380 350 190 390 150 145 250 250
12 4 7 6 48 54 45 48 25 24 20 19
14 30 48 7 37 34 18 39 14 18 14 14
230 137 140 92 337 586 600 429 469 476 260 260
110 110 116 110 416 332 336 394 262 293 433 421
Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Chilas Jaglot Jaglot Jaglot Murtzabad Murtzabad Murtzabad Murtzabad Hakuchar Hakuchar Buladas Buladas
(Mianwali District) is around 30°C (Bakar, 1965). Population density in this area is 98 persons km -2, whereas the urban population constitutes only 17.1%. South-eastern z o n e
This zone includes the concentration of thermal springs in Dadu District (Sind Province) and the springs of Manghopir at Karachi. The average temperature of the springs in Dadu District is 41°C (Bakar, 1965). Density of population is 57 persons km -2 and urban population is only 14%. There is an appreciably large number of springs spread over a large area. South-western zone
The area includes the Koh-i-Sultan volcano and other volcanic cones. Surface temperature of water samples collected from Koh-i-Sultan area ranges from 25 to 36°C (Schoeppel, 1977). Table 2 gives data on the springs from Chagai area. The main tectonic control in this zone is the subduction of the Arabian Plate beneath the Asian Plate, which has given rise to Chagai volcanic activity. There is evidence of active tectonism in the area at present.
Table 2. Data on the spring water in Koh-i-Sultan area, Chagai District, Baluchistan.
Sample No.
T e m p e r a t u r e at time of sampling Water Air (°C) (°C)
Silica content (ppm)
Gr-19 Gr-20 Gr-28
32 31 29
32 31 39
143 152 99
Gr-30 Gr-31 Gr-32 Gr-33 Gr-34 Gr-35
31 26 36 31 31 27
35 35 33 31 30 35
66 100 34 33 100 183
Gr-37
30
32
126
After Schoeppel (1977).
Remarks Spring, HzS gas, alum and travertine deposition. Same as above. Drillhole, water bubbles up for a few minutes at sunset or late night. Spring, H2S gas, salt deposition. Spring, H2S gas, alum, tastes salty. Spring, near rim of crater, HzS gas, salt deposition. Spring, salt deposition Spring, H2S bubbles continuously Spring, H2S gas extensive, precipitation of salts and sulphur Spring, H2S near water basin, precipitation of salts, no alum taste
464
T. Ahmed Shuja REFERENCES
Bakar, M. A. (1965) Thermal springs of Pakistan. Records G S P XVI, 3. MacPherson, J. (1854) Indian Annals o f Medical Science 3. Oldham, T. (1882) Thermal springs of India, Pt. 2. Mere. geol. Surv. India 19. Rafiquzzaman and Mahdi Hassan (1964) Arsenical spring waters at Manghopir. Medicus 28, 12-16. Schlagintweit, R. (1864) Thermal springs of India. J. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 33, 49. Schoeppel, R. J. (1977) Prospects for geothermal power in the Saindak area, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Final report for Oil and Gas Development Corporation, Pakistan. Tahirkheli et al. (1979) Geology of Kohistan, Karakoram Himalayas Northern Pakistan. Geol. Bull 11, University of Peshawar, Pakistan.