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Abstract:
In geothermal energy development, decision-making
relies on complex analyses to evaluate the feasibility,
efficiency, and sustainability of potential projects.
These analyses integrate geological, technological,
economic, and environmental factors to ensure data
informed outcomes.
A key element is the use of structural geological
models, which provide detailed representations of
subsurface formations. These models subsequently
support reservoir process simulations that are essential
for predicting the performance of geothermal systems.
However, the workflows to create structural models
and perform process simulations are often tailored to
specific scenarios, requiring extensive expert
knowledge, multiple software tools, technical skill and
frequent manual adjustments. While this is a
consequence of the inherent complexity of geological
formations and the variability of subsurface processes,
it often limits reusability, comparability, reliability, and
reproducibility of such workflows.
To overcome these limitations, we develop a
workbench for digital geosystems. This workbench
integrates three core components of the described
workflows: structural geological modeling, numerical
process simulation, and visualization, along with all
connecting interfaces. A visual scripting environment
built on a domain-specific language provides intuitive
access for users with limited technical expertise, while
a flexible, modular structure ensures experienced users
can access and modify the underlying code.
Components of the workbench include a variety of
different solutions for each part of a workflow that are
completely interchangeable.
We evaluate our workbench using a simple structural
model, exploring different interpolation methods and
generating watertight structured and unstructured
meshes. A thermal conduction model is developed and
its results are visualized to test the full workflow.
