Skip to main content

Geothermal Frontier – Beta

This is an integrated knowledge and data sharing platform that aggregates global datasets on institutional research capacity and country-level geothermal profiles. It is designed to support cross-sector collaboration and the advancement of next-generation geothermal technologies. The platform facilitates access to structured data, technical insights, and networked expertise to accelerate the development of higher-enthalpy resources and drive cost-competitive deployment at scale.

National Research Council (CNR)

Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources

Institution Type: Research Center or National Laboratory

Institution Website

Pisa, Florence, Turin, Italy

Contact

Eugenio Trumpy
Senior Scientist
eugenio.trumpy@igg.cnr.it

Areas of Expertise

  • Resource Characterization & Modeling
  • Drilling & Well Design
  • Monitoring & Instrumentation
  • Reservoir Creation & Management

Resource Characterization & Modeling

This area focuses on identifying, assessing, and modeling geothermal resources to understand their size, temperature, and viability. It supports better decision-making by improving predictions of subsurface conditions and resource potential.

  • Exploration, Appraisal, Site Selection Active
  • Geological Modeling Active
  • Geophysical Modeling Active
  • Reservoir Modeling Active
  • Coupled Process Modeling Active
  • Crustal Stress, Geomechanics/Rock Mechanics Active
  • Water/Rock Geochemistry Active
  • Seismic Risk & Mitigation Active
  • Water Resource Management Active
  • High-Performance Computing (HPC) for Coupled or Multiphysics Simulations Active
  • Environmental Risk Assessment Active
Externally heated pressure vessel (Leco Corp., model HR-2B-2) to simulate P-T conditions existing in the upper crust
Max Temperature (°C) 900
Max Pressure (MPa) 400
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Stirred micro-reactor (Parr Mod. 5500) designed to perform fluid-rock interaction experiments
Max Temperature (°C) 350
Max Pressure (MPa) 20
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Fluid inclusions analyses laboratory for analyses of synthetic fluid inclusions produced in geothermal wells
Max Temperature (°C) 600
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Stirred mini-reactor (Buchi Novoclave) to perform fluid-rock interaction experiments and on-site liquid sampling apparatus.
Max Temperature (°C) 400
Max Pressure (MPa) 40
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Numerical modeling tools: PHREEQC, Chim-XPT, TOUGH/TOUGHREACT (with supercritical in house version), Comsol
Max Temperature (°C) 600 Up to 1000°C only in region supported by IAPWS 95/97
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Ab-Initio theoretical modeling tools: Matlab, Crystal, Quantum Expresso
Max Temperature (°C) 3000
Max Pressure (MPa) 1000
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Multiphysics modelling (Comsol Multiphysics software)
Max Temperature (°C) 800 For pure water thermodynamic properties employed in coupled thermal-hydrodynamic models
Max Pressure (MPa) 100 For pure water thermodynamic properties employed in coupled thermal-hydrodynamic models
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Simulation of Two-Phase Water/Steam model (enhancing the simulation code SHEMAT-Suite)
Max Temperature (°C) 500
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Conductive modelling (Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions)
Max Temperature (°C) 500
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
Integrated laser and cryogenic gas into a single cutting-edge drilling solution - modelling DeepU
Max Temperature (°C) 500
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Machine Learning (ML) data integration
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
3D geological modelling
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Heat Flow Laboratory, including instruments for thermal conductivity and diffusivity measurements (Plane Source and Line Source Methods) as well as borehole temperature logging tools, namely thermocouple sensors and optical fibre down to 500 m and 1000 m depth, respectively.
Max Temperature (°C) 350 350 °C for thermal conductivity measurements, 300°C for thermal logging
Max Pressure (MPa) 25 Hydrostatic pressure for thermal logging. Thermal conductivity measurements are performed at constant (atmospheric) pressure conditions
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Unsupervised and Supervised Cluster analysis for 3D data integration
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No

Drilling & Well Design

This area covers technologies and expertise needed to safely and efficiently access geothermal resources at depth. It includes innovations in drilling methods, materials, and well design and construction to reduce costs and effectively reach higher-enthalpy systems in more geologic regions.

  • Conventional Rotary Drilling Active
  • Energy Drilling Active
  • Hybrid Systems Active
  • Well Completion (Cements, Liners, Flow Control) Planned
  • Casing Materials (Thermal Stresses, Corrosion, Abrasion) Planned
  • Advanced Materials for Drilling & Well Integrity Planned
Numerical modeling: Comsol, Matlab
Max Temperature (°C) 600 Up to 1000°C only in region supported by IAPWS 95/97
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes

Monitoring & Instrumentation

This area enables real-time measurement and analysis of geothermal systems through advanced sensors and data tools. It supports performance optimization, risk reduction, and improved understanding of subsurface behavior over time.

  • Electrical Components for Geothermal Wells Planned
  • Fiber Optic Sensing Systems (DTS, DAS, DSS) Planned
  • High-Temperature Electronics for Sensors & Data Systems Planned
  • Environmental Monitoring Active
Arc welder to prepare gold capsules and micro-reactor for the synthesis of fluid inclusions within geothermal wells.
Max Temperature (°C) 508
Max Pressure (MPa) 65
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Fluid and Gas geochemistry of natural emissions in geothermal-volcanic areas
Max Temperature (°C) 400
Max Pressure (MPa) 10
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes
MP-V (Thermtest Instruments) applies the transient plane source (TPS) method to investigate the thermal properties of solid materials
Max Temperature (°C) 350
Pressure Note Ambient
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No
Temperature logging (Optical fibre, 1 km-long cable)
Max Temperature (°C) 300
Max Pressure (MPa) 25
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously No

Reservoir Creation & Management

This area focuses on developing and sustaining productive geothermal systems, including enhanced and closed-loop systems. It involves techniques to develop the geothermal reservoir, manage the system, and optimize fluid flow and heat extraction over the project’s life.

  • Closed-Loop Systems Active
  • EGS (Hydraulic Stimulation, Zonal Isolation, High-Temp Proppants) Planned
  • Thermal Stimulation or Heat Management Active
Numerical modeling TOUGH/TOUGHREACT and Comsol
Max Temperature (°C) 600 Up to 1000°C only in region supported by IAPWS 95/97
Max Pressure (MPa) 100
Ability to Adjust T & P Simultaneously Yes

No projects have been submitted

Please share your organization’s geothermal projects to inform and engage the broader geothermal community.

Submitting your projects will help raise awareness of your work, foster collaboration, and advance the field of geothermal energy.

You may submit multiple projects using the form below. All submissions will be published following administrative review.

Submit a project