INTEGRATION OF RADON RADIOISOTOPES, MINERALOGY, AND TEMPERATURE CORE HOLES TOWARDS THE SUBSURFACE PERMEABLE ZONE IN THE PATUHA GEOTHERMAL FIELD, WEST JAVA

• Main Author: Simanullang, Anggi
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/72828
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The identification of subsurface permeability can be conducted by integrating geological conditions, radon radioisotope concentration measurements, and mineralogy. One of the efforts to utilize geothermal energy is through the exploration phase by determining potentially resourceful areas with knowledge of zones that have high permeability, allowing the flow of fluids beneath the surface. It involves understanding the distribution of minerals associated with geothermal activity and determining the subsurface temperature. Temporal radon data was collected throughout the year 2020 during the initial exploration phase and will be compared with the results of drilling, including core sampling, Rock Quality Designation (RQD) data, and Temperature Core Hole (TCH) data. The collected samples were analyzed in the laboratory using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis to determine the percentage of elements and oxide compounds, and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis to determine the percentage of minerals present in the samples. The obtained data will be analyzed and correlated between the data collected during the initial exploration phase and the drilling phase. From the analysis of dissolved radon concentration and temporal radon gas, the northern region of Mount Patuha exhibits high permeability, while the eastern region indicates a relatively distant or low-permeability source of radon. The Patuha area is characterized as an argillic-advanced argillic alteration zone with a moderate to high weathering intensity, and the thermal gradient TCH-B has a higher value compared to the thermal gradient TCH-A due to the better permeability in the northern region of Mount Patuha. This is supported by the lower RQD value of TCH-B compared to TCH-A, leading to a more intense circulation of fluid from the heat source.