Structural model and slip-dilation tendency analysis at the Copahue geothermal system: Inferences on the reservoir geometry

Abstract

The Copahue volcano host one of the most attractive geothermal resources of Argentina. Several studies focused on both the volcanic activity and the related geothermal manifestations, including a feasibility report during the ‘90s. However, limited, unclear and usually contradictory structural interpretations are found in the literature, and the role of the main faults over the geothermal system remains thus unsolved. This paper provides the first structural characterization and role assessment of the faults over the fluid flow and the reservoir geometry. A 3D structural model has been constructed to achieve this goal, and a fault-plane striations survey has been carried out at Anfiteatro, Termas and Maquinitas hydrothermal zones. Using this dataset, a slip and dilation tendency analysis over the main structures have been performed. The 3D structural model indicates that the Copahue geothermal field is bounded by an N60°-trending fault set and constrained to the north by the Trolope fault and to the south by the Chancho-Co fault, both with WNW-ESE trend. The collected fault-plain striations data was inverted to obtain the paleostress tensor related to the formation of the Copahue village fault system (CVFS), the structure that controls the hydrothermal areas. The subvertical maximum principal stress axis obtained defines a well constrained tensional regime, with a subhorizontal NW-SE minimum principal stress, consistent in all the surveyed locations. Both the 3D model and the inverted paleostress tensor indicate that the geothermal field, and probably the entire northeastern slope of the volcano, is subjected to an extensional faulting regime. Our analysis shows that the N°60-trending fault set is critically stressed for dilation and probably behaves as an active hydrological fault system, whereas the N105° and N135° fault sets have intermediate and low dilation tendency, respectively. These tendencies might lead to a northeast-trend fluid path between the Chancho-co and the N135° faults and might define the extension of the steam cap. We propose a compartmentalized reservoir model made up by three fault segmented blocks. While a steam cap over a deeper reservoir controlled by the CVFS characterizes the central segment, a pressurized liquid-dominated reservoir could prevail to the west of Termas and the east of Maquinas hydrothermal zones. This model explains the differences between the fumaroles inside the CVFS (i.e., Termas to Maquinas fumaroles) and outside this structural system (i.e., Anfiteatro), is consistent with the steam cap identified by the exploration boreholes and is consistent with the 3D structural framework proposed. Also, the model suggests that the collapse of the eastern slope of the Chancho-co hill might constitute the initial state of the current configuration of the geothermal system. Additional studies are needed to verify the proposed reservoir model before defining deep exploration targets, including magnetotellurics, discrete fracture network analysis, and preliminary thermodynamical models.