Mineral waters and hydrogeothermal resources in Bulgaria

✍ Scribed by K. Shterev; I. Zagorchev

• Book ID: 104654323
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 646 KB
• Volume: 40
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0343-2521
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00183416

✦ Synopsis

Thermal mineral waters and extractable geothermal energy are an important and still underestimated natural wealth of Bulgaria. Their diversity is due to the complex geological structure, intense neotectonic activity, and the resulting complex character of meteoric water circulation. Reproductive hydrogeothermal systems with low-mineralized thermal waters of meteoric origin and reservoir temperatures ranging between 30 and 100 (maximum 120) °C occur in the southern and north-eastern part of the country. Their total reproductive potential is estimated at 14-15 m3s -~. In the northern part (Moesian platform), regional hydrogeothermal reservoirs with connate (marine) and mixed (marine and meteoric) mineral waters and brines are identified, the temperatures varying from 40 to 140 (maximum 150) °C. Huge resources of geothermal energy with commercial importance are accumulated in them. The hydrogeothermal wealth of Bulgaria provides an important basis for the development of balneological and multi-seasonal tourism, bottling industries, geothermal heating of buildings and greenhouses, aquaculture and other related activities.