329

Presented at the New Geothermal Workshop 1988

GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION SURVEY IN

WESTERN PART OF UNZEN AREA;
KYUSHU ISLAND, SOUTHWEST JAPAN
Masaru Fujita
New Energy and IndustrialTechnology Development Organization
ABSTRACT
NEDO has been undertaking a Geothermal
Development Promotion Survey since FY 1980
in the promising geothermal areas all over
Japan. The survey in Western Part of Unzen
Area was commenced in FY 1984 and completed
in FY 1986. Western Part of Unzen Area is
situated on the western breast of the Unzen
volcano in the Shimabara Peninsula of Kyushu
Island, southwest Japan. Obama spa of high
temperature lies west of the area. Unzen spa Preliminar survey
lies east of the area, accompanied with (50- 70
fumarolic areas of large scale.
The survey applied in the area were [Pioneer survey aiming at inducing private
enterprises to develop promising areas.]
geological and alteration mapping,
geochemical prospecting, gravity survey, Geothermal development promotion survey
electro-magnetic survey, and drillings.
As a result, high temperatures of 248.4
8230.3 , and 238.2 were
recorded at N59-UZ-1 , N60-UZ-3 , and N61-UZ-7
respectivity, in the northeast part of the
area. Detailed survey
The high temperature zone in the area (5- 10
presumably extends in the northwest
direction from Unzen spa. A large promising [Subsides for promoting geothermal
reservoir was confirmed by the discharge surveys by private enterprises]
test at N61-UZ-7, which produced 5.0 t/h of Subsides to offset the cost of
steam and 19.9 t/h of hot water.
INTRODUCTION
Japan is excessively dependent on oil,

I
paticularly Middle East oil, as an energy Power plant construction
and therefore her energy security depends on
beyond her control.
Since its establishment in October 1980,
New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO) has Fig.-1 Flow of Geothermal Development
constantly endeavored to contribute towards
the stabilization of Japan's future energy those areas. The objective of these surveys
supply by means of the development of new are to promote geothermal development by
energy sources such as coal gasification and private sector. After survey,
liquefaction, solar, geothermal, energy private sectors continue to study the area
conversion and storage and alcohol biomass in more detail, they could get subsidy of
through the marshalling of the capabilities 50% of drilling cost for an exploration well
of both the public and private sectors. from government grant.
Development of geothermal energy requires
the selection of prospective geothermal Geothermal Development Promotion Survey
areas, preliminary surveys, detailed
surveys, identification of development NEDO has been a Geothermal
factors as well as development towards Development Promotion Survey since FY 1980
commercialization and installation of in the promising geothermal areas in which
generating facilities. A preliminary survey private enterprise has avoided development
requires a great amount of investment for reasons of explorational risks, etc. The
because ( 1 ) the area to be covered by the project involves 3-year survey work for each
survey is very large (2) and numerous kind area studied after FY 1983 and 2-year work
of ground surface investigations and for each area studied up to FY 1983. Details
drillings are required. of the survey by year are shown in Table-1.
The present survey is a preliminary one It is a pioneer survey on geothermal
in which NEDO acts as a pioneer with the aim resources storage and the environment of
of reducing explorational risks of private geothermal resources with the object of
enterprises so as to induce and promote including and promoting a detailed survey
geothermal development by them. The various and development of such fields towards
steps of the geothermal development process geothermal power generation by private
are shown in a flow chart in Fig.-1. At enterprise. During the course of the survey,
first stage, NEDO surveys geothermal the work is carried forward to the following
resources in nationwide range, about year when areas are judged to be paticularly
and detects many prospective regions. At promising, based on the evaluation at the
next stage NEDO selects some much promising end of each fiscal year.
areas within individual extracted fields and The survey has been conducted in 29 areas
starts reconnaissance surveys in some of so far shown in The surveys have
 330

Table-1 Geothermal survey details by year

resources 3rd year

survey
survey *
survey
I
prospecting
prospecting
(heat *
I

electromagnetic method)
survey
drillings *
(two walls averaging 1,000
meters in depth) *
structural drillings
(three wells on the average
1,500 meters in depth) *
***
assessment d year

( )Ground surf ace

atmosphere, water
chemistry, *
ground level, *I
of nature
spring)
survey I

a.Obscrvation of
micro-earthquakes
for
. I
*
assessment *
(two wells on the average ** *
1.500 meters in depth)
( 3 ) Evaluation *** *** Legend
evaluation *** *** volcanic front
volcanic b e l t
Geothermal Development Promotion
(Figures show years of commencement)

Geothermal power plant

Fig.-2 Location Map of

Geothremal 'Development
is higher than 180 (Index to the
Geothermal Fields of Japan : The Agency of
Natural Resources and Energy, Geological
Survey of Japan, 1976, etc.)
b. It is also said that the economy of
binary power generation (using a down hole
pump) can be ensured when the temperature of
the reservoir is in the range of 150 to
200 (Interim Report of the Industrial
Technology Council, 1985).
Table-2 Survey Results

Prefecture t ion
Year

Eastern part of Iwate 213

1981
reaches of 247
the river
281 33.0
298
Iburi Hokkaido 271
1982 Okiura 167
18 areas where the survey has been part of Hokkaido 140
completed are summarized in Table-2, with 1983 Teshikaga
Akita 291 5.7 5.5
maximum temperatures and well data where 266
production tests were successful. 286
3.4

1
The well tests made during the Geothermal
Development ion Survey are Northern part of
preliminary ones and are different in Area around
purpose and accuracy from the well tests Lake
detailed surveys conducted by private 1984- Toyoha 309 2.9
enterprise. The well tests in the Promotion 237
266 N61-RI-6 8.5
Survey are made primarily for detection of 8.5
high temperature zones. Geothermal survey Kayabe Hokkaido 177 0.5
N61-HK-6 1.4
areas where the survey has already been
completed or almost completed are classified
into areas of over 200
t o 180 100 to 150
180 to
and below 100
150
as
part of

I 158
248 5.0

shown in Table-3 based on the following

concepts.
a. Generally speaking that the economy of
steam power generation can be ensured when survey is also on going in 11 in addition to
I
the temperature of the reservoir is higher the rbove . the hole temperature
than 200 and steam power generation is in the area.
viable when the temperature of the reservoir in "Production rates' shows no discharged well i n
the
 331

Table-3 Classification of Geotherral Development Promotion A s geothermal manifestations, Unzen spa

Survey Areas by Temperature is situated to the east of the area and
Obama spa of high temperature is situated to
Temperature Conditions Names of Areas the west of the area.' Hydrothermal
Uachirantai,
alteration zones are situated in the both
Areas whose temperatures Kurino-Tearai, Iburi, spas and in the vicinity of and
reached over 12 Yuzawa-Ogachi, Oku-Aizu, in the Chijiwa basin.
Toyoha. Shirokita,
Survey Content
Area whose temperature 1 Kayabe
reached to The survey in the area had been carried
Areas whose temperatures 2 Okiura. Yuda out from 1984 to FY 1986 for three years.
reached to The survey applied in the area were
Areas whose temperatures 2
geological and alteration mapping,
reached to geochemical prospecting, gravity survey,
electric prospecting (Charged potential
Area whose temperature 1 Ohtaki method), electromagnetic prospecting
did not reach
method), and drillings (11 wells of 400 to
1,500 meters in depth).

c. For small and medium-sized geothermal Geology and Geological Structure

power ion, economical power Geology and geological structure in the
generation is considered possible by the
use of a binary system or condensing system area is characterizd by volcanic products of
which simplifies power generation facilities Unzen volcano locating on the Unzen graven
even at a well-head temperature of around as shown in
100 Technology for this purpose is now The area is underlain by Middle
being developed and verified. If such Pleistocene-Holocene Unzen volcanic rocks
systems become available for practical and the Oligocene-Early Pleistocene
application, power generation would be Kuchinotsu group. It is considered that they
expected to become possible even at the overlie Palaeogene basement, the Mukaigoya
reservoir temperature ranging between formation.
to Unzen volcanic rocks are composed of
hornblende andesite lava and pyroclastic
Outline of Western Part of Unzen Area equivalents. The active volcanism has begun
since 0.7 million years ago. They can be
Geothermal Development Promotion Survey classified into base volcanic rocks
in Western Part of Unzen Area has been (Tatsuishi formation, Obama volcanic rocks)
completed lately and a large promising Taka-dake, Kinugasa-yama and Kusenbu-dake
reservoir has been confirmed. The Unzen area volcanic rocks in an ascending order.
is situated on the western breast of the The Unzen graben crosses the Shimabara
Unzen volcano in the center of the Shimabara peninsula on E-W, and is bordered on the
peninsula on Island, southwest Japan north by Chijiwa faults running on E-W and
as shown in Fig.-3. The Shimabara peninsula on the south by Kanahama faults running on
faces to the Tachibana bay on the west side E-W or NE-SW. The Unzen graben subsides
and to the Ariake sea on the east side. deeper in the north than south and in the
There are E-W trending faults, developed west than east. E-W, NE-SW, and NW-SE
fault scarps, and fault valley in the Unzen
area. The slope from Unzen volcano to the
Tachibana bay is very steep. A caldera
presumably exists just on the Tachibana bay.

The direction
of
Caldera

0 e
I

Location of Western Fig.-4 F a u l t s System in t h e Unzen Graben

P a r t of Unzen A r e a
 332

trending faults are recognized in the Unzen one extending from Unzen spa to Shimo-dake
graben and it is considered that they divide and another small one settling in Obama spa.
this area into block complex.
An analysis of hypocenter of
suggests that most of them are
related to presumed faults and it is
consi dered that the geolog structure
largely controls geothermal resources
storage field.
Geothermal Structure
Fumaroles, spas, hydrothermal alteration
zones, and anomalous underground temperature
are recognized in this area. It is
considered that these geothermal activity
are related to Unzen volcanism which began
700,000 years ago and was reactivated
200,000 years ago. Spas in the area are
largely devided into Unzen spa and Obama spa
besides Chijiwa spa. Heat flow accompanied
with Obama spa and Unzen spa are estimated
to be and calories
per second respectively. Heat flow in Obama
spa i s almost accompanied with hot water; on
the other hand, 40% of heat flow in Unzen
spa is caused by fumarolic activity and
thermal conduction (Yuhara, et al. 1981).
Hydrothermal alteration zones are formed
on the local surfacein the Unzen spa and
Shimo-dake under acidic environment but
widely in the deep place under neutral or
alkaline environment. These hydrothermal
alteration zones are consistent with
positive SP anomaly on electrical
prospecting (Self potential method), low
resistivity zones on electromagnetic
prospecting (CSAMT method), and electric 2 4 6 8
prospecting (Schlumberger method). I
Bore hole temperature loggings reveal
that the maximum down hole temperatures Fig.-6 I sotherm
reach 142 at the depth of 440 meters in
N60-UZ-4 and 243 at the depth of 7 7 0 in the Level of - 500 meters
meters in as shown in The
highest temperature part in both wells Hydrothermal System
characteristically observed at shallow
parts rather than deep parts. It is highly probable that meteoric water
The maximum homogenization temperatures penetrates to sea level vertically through
of fluid inclusions agree with bore hole fissures in volcanic rocks; m o s t of it flows
logging temperature in many cases. However, towards the coast, and others penetrates to
homogenization temperatures of fluid the depth. Ground water near the surface is
inclusions which seem to be formed heated by fumarolic gas and steam, and forms
repeatedly don't agree with bore hole hot water in Unzen spa. M o s t of fumarolic
logging temperature sometimes. gas and steam arise from deep hot water.
Fig.-6 shows underground temperature at the Deep hot water is inferred to be neutral
level of -500 meters. from high molar ratio of in
High temperature zones are devided into non-condensable gas. Hot waters discharged
from N60-UZ-3 and are neutral and
N 60- UZ- 4 N 61-UZ-7 belong to type with 2,430 to 3,700
level) level) concentration of Concentration in
agreement with the thought described above.
Hot water in Obama spa belongs to
type with 3,000 to 5,000 of
concentration. It is inferred that ground
water meteoric water is mixed
with sea water and then form water in
Obama spa. Recharge zone of ground water is
inferred to be situated on the level around
or Taka-dake from consideration
on hydrogen isotopic ratio of hot water in
Obama spa.
E shows the relationship between
(isotopic ratio of oxygen) and
4 (isotopic ratio of hydrogen) of hot water,
surface water, and geothermal fluid. Both
and of hot water in Unzen spa and in
Chijiwa spa both range among those of
surface water. of hot water in Obama
spa and that of geothermal fluid from
N61-UZ-7 are shifted by 1 to 2 from that
of meteoric water, which indicates that the
exchange of oxygen isotope between hot
waters and rocks occurs in the depth.
Geothermal water discharged from
Drilling Drilling has the value less than that of hot water
M a x . Temp. M a x . Temp
in Obama spa by 10 %.
Hot water of 28.6 C Of a hot
Down Hole Temperatures spring well in Chijiwa spa at the rate of
 333

--- Border water water

Legend
Fig.-8 Geothermal Structure
Hot water from spas
in NE-SW section
water in the Chijiwa spa
2 to 7 and 15 to 23:
H o t water the Obama spa
Geothermal Development Promotion Survey
in Western Part of Unzen Area has been
water east of Obama spa completed in FY 1986 obtaining hopeful
water the Unzen spa result. In future, private enterprise will
water 'from bore holes continue to study the area.
by down hole sampler Moreover, in three areas besides Western
by down hole sampler
Part of Unzen Area, developers continue
survey, aiming at construction of Power
by air lift Station as following. The relation of new
by swabbing geothermal Power Station is eagerly
by production test expected.
Surface water
Gnerating capacity of each project.
Kirishima (kurino-Tearai)
(Yuzawa-Ogachi)
of Water and Surface Water area

5.5 Hot water in Chijiwa spa

to HC03 type. It is inferred from isotopi I greatly appreciate Directer
composition that ground water originated and
meteoric water which is discharged in the for giving advice to my manuscript.
north or east of the area is heated by
Reference
Structural Model
The Agency of Natural Resources and Energy,
Normal faults were caused in tensional Geological Survey of Japan (1976):
stress field in the N-S direction. Index to the Geothermal
Accordingly, the basement collapsed along Fields of Japan
the Chijiwa fault in the north and the Yuhara, et al. of Heat
Kanahama fault in the south, forming the Discharge Rates using Infrared
Unzen graben. Faults system trending in the Measurements by a Helicopter-borne
E-W direction and crossly trending in the Thermocamera over the Geothermal Areas
NE-SW divide the area into block complex. of Unzen Volcano, Japan, Journal of
Unzen volcanism presumably began about Volcanology and Geothermal Research,
700,000 years ago and, continued on into
Quaternary. It is presumed to the The Industrial Council (1985):
influential heat source. Hypocenters of Interium report
microseisms are situated 4 to 10 kilometers Yuhara, et report of Heat Flow
under the surface in the graben. It is in Obama of Engineering,
inferred that they are caused by tectonic Kyushu University
movement or hot water flows. New Energy Development
Geothermal reservoir is expected in the Analysis Report of Geothermal
depth of the vicinity of Obama spa, Development Promotion Survey
Shimo-dake, Taka-dake, and Unzen N0.15 Western Part of Unzen Area
Nuetral or weak alkaline deep hot water is
inferred from chemical composition of hot
water in Obama spa, N60-UZ-3 and N61-UZ-7
presumably circulates in the depth.
Hot water discharged from is
presumably in the E-W, N-S or NW-SE
direction from the vicinity of Unzen spa.
A trend of Western Part of Unzen Area and
Another Area in future