Are Crustal Fault Zones viable geothermal resources? Insights from the Pontgibaud Fault in French Massif Central

International audienceNumerous recent studies indicate that crustal-scale fault zones represent efficient conduits for meteoric fluid to flow down to mid-crustal depths (Haines et al., 2016), in particular near the brittle-ductile transition where temperature are around 350-450°C (Violay et al., 2016). The present study aims to understand the potential of a new and novel type of geothermal system for high temperature and electricity production: the Crustal Fault Zones (CFZ). The geothermal potential estimation in a basement context requires combination of geological, geophysical and thermal data. The Pontgibaud fault zone (Puy-de-Dôme, French Massif Central) includes an intensive multivariate dataset