Description
"SDG Short Course III on "Geothermal Reservoir Characterization: Well Logging, Well Testing and Chemical Analysis" was held in El Salvador during September 16-22 in cooperation with LaGeo S.A. de C.V. This course was the third in a series of short courses held in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it was the eleventh event to be held jointly by UNU-GTP and LaGeo since 2006.
This year the Short Course's focus was on the role of well logging, well testing and chemical analysis in characterizing geothermal reservoirs and assessing their potential for utilization. The lectures covered topics on logging, testing and monitoring of wells as well as the role of geochemistry in geothermal exploration and utilisation. The participants then did exercises at the end of each day in groups. A one day field excursion was made to Ahuachepan geothermal field where the participants got the chance to visit a geothermal power plant.
As for the last two years, the Short Course was an integral part of the Geothermal Diploma Course for Latin America, which is funded by the Nordic Development Fund through the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs and managed cooperatively by LaGeo, University of El Salvador and UNU-GTP. The 30 students of the Diploma Course attended the Short Course along with other participants specifically invited from the region. A record number of 76 participants from 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean took part in the course. The number of participant countries signifies the large geothermal potential found within the LAC region, most of which has still not been utilized.
Lectures were in the hands of experts from Iceland GeoSurvey (ISOR), Benedikt Steingrímsson physicist, Valdís Guðmundsdóttir geophysicist, and Iwona Galeczka geochemist as well as staff from LaGeo in El Salvador, and participants from Costa Rica, Octavio Acuna Avendano, Mexico, Lisette Reyes and Martha Martínez were invited to present the status on geothermal project development in their home countries on the opening day.
The Short Course received very positive feedback from the participants and the exercises sparked some interesting discussions.