3D geological modeling to support the assessment of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources in the Latium Region (Central Italy)

In 1904 the first electricity production from geothermal resources took place in Larderello (Italy) inaugurating the geothermal exploration activity worldwide. After over one century, the peri-Tyrrhenian regions of Tuscany and Latium (Central Italy) has still a relevant unexploited geothermal potential. According to the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, 23 exploration applications in Italy out of 38 are within Latium (data referred at the end of 2013). The Italian National Research Council (CNR), recognizing the value of geothermal energy, has promoted the "Geothermal Atlas Project" in central and southern Italy. The purpose of the project is to update and to organize all the relevant data (i.e., geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrogeological) in order to evaluate the favourability of the central-southern regions of Italy for the exploration of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources for electricity generation. Through this project, CNR aims to encourage the development of the geothermal resources and to facilitate investment in this energy sector. This work, part of the Geothermal Atlas project, focuses on the northern Latium, which is an area characterized, together with Tuscany, by the highest values of heat-flow in Italy and hence notably interesting for geothermal exploration. The work shows the first results of a review of geological, geophysical and hydrogeological data collected to define the geological structure of the northern Latium and to build up an updated 3D subsurface geological model. The revised structural setting and the 3D geological model of the area will be used in the further stages of the Atlas project to develop the favorability geothermal maps of the study area.