Geothermal Exploration

Geothermal exploration is the bridge between early-stage ideas for geothermal development and fully committed planning and start-up of geothermal production. In the broadest sense, geothermal exploration involves proving the viability of geothermal energy as a practical means of generating power and/or heat in a particular location. The knowledge obtained through exploration is the basis for an assessment of energy-producing potential and the subsequent creation of engineering plans and construction cost estimates. The quality of the assessment depends on the quality of the available data. Accurate information from the exploration stage is crucial to assess not only the overall viability of energy production but the detailed physical challenges of drilling, operational expectations and costs.

Geothermal Exploration Services

The Mannvit geothermal exploration team offers the full range of services within geothermal exploration and development. The Mannvit team can manage the entire geothermal exploration effort, from initial reconnaissance stage to resource management of the developed geothermal field, or defined parts of the process as the Client wishes.

Mannvit Geothermal Exploration Team

Different exploration stages involve participation from various science and engineering disciplines related to geology, hydrology, geochemistry and geophysics. The Mannvit team consists of leading consulting firms in geothermal exploration, basic research and applied research. The team possesses decades of experience arising from numerous projects in Iceland, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Mannvit is a stakeholder in all of the firms listed below and as such the common denominator in the cooperation.

The offices are based in Germany, Hungary and Iceland. Mannvit’s geothermal survey and research team provides overall knowledge of geothermal exploration management and extensive skills in interpretation of geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys for geothermal exploration, evaluation, well siting, conceptual and reservoir modeling, resource assessment and other related tasks.

Mannvit’s geothermal energy division is experienced in various geothermal exploration tasks such as pre-engineering, cost estimation and drilling supervision. Vatnaskil, a Mannvit subsidiary, specializes in geothermal reservoir engineering, including reservoir modeling, groundwater hydrology, surface runoff and environmental modeling.

Mannvit Kft. possesses expertise on the geology and geophysics of Hungary and nearby countries through development of geothermal projects in Hungary’s Pannonian basin, as well as geothermal exploration in Slovakia, Romania and Greece. Geothermie Neubrandenburg (GTN) specializes in geothermal development of low enthalpy basins, Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology and CO₂ storage.

The Mannvit geothermal team comprises over 100 highly-trained professionals across all relevant disciplines.

Our Disciplines

The interpretation and evaluation of geothermal data requires an integrated approach of many disciplines. The different aspects of the natural phenomenon of fluid captivated in hot rocks and the utilization thereof touches upon several disciplines where geology, physics, chemistry and engineering intertwine.

The Mannvit team employs highly qualified geoscientists across all disciplines related to geothermal exploration, including: