In the decline of the twentieth century, only ‘four days’ ago, the Community of Madrid, in its eagerness for progress and industrial development, dreamed of becoming an oil city. The black gold fever, which was transforming economies into other parts of the world, reached the Castilian plateau as a promise of wealth and energy self -sufficiency that promised to reduce (slightly) the dependence of Spain of the most important energy source in the world. Stories of hidden deposits were woven, geologists were consulted and expeditions were launched in search of crude oil that was believed, it could lie in the Madrid subsoil. The dream did not come true, but the truth is that the results have opened the door of a new energy that still has a lot to say.
Although the dream did not materialize, there were reasons to dream. Jorge Navarro, vice president of the Association of Spanish Geologists and Geophysics of Petroleum (AGGEP), explains that “in the Madrid environment the possible presence of hydrocarbons was investigated years ago. In the surroundings of the city several 2D seismic campaigns were acquired and several exploration wells were drilledn, but all were negative. “The Madrid subsoil, despite its mysteries, did not house the expected wealth.
One of the most ambitious attempts took place in 1980, when Shell perforated the Pozo El Pradillo-1, located next to kilometer 22.2 of the current North Highway (A-1). The drilling reached a depth of 3,534 meters, crossing cenozoic materials and carbonates from the upper cretaceous until reaching a metamorphic paleozoic. No signs of hydrocarbons were found. But in the exploration another hidden potential was discovered: “The temperature measurements in the well showed values of 88ºC to 1,700 meters and 156ºC to 3,400 meters, which promoted new investigations on the geothermal potential of the area,” says the expert in statements in statements to electionomista.es.
From oil failure to the opportunity
The search for black gold mutated in a new purpose: the heat of the subsoil could become an alternative energy source. In the following years, three geothermal research wells were drilled in three songs, San Sebastián de los Reyes and Geomadrid-1. “These confirmed the geothermal potential of a multicapa aquifer in the detritic filling The Cenozoic basin of Madrid, with temperatures between 70ºC and 90ºC at depths of 1,500 to 2,150 meters“Navarro points out. Interest in this clean energy has been growing over time, transforming oil failure into an opportunity to explore new forms of subsoil.
The geothermal energy of an aquifer is based on the use of heat stored in groundwater to generate electricity or for direct use in heating and industrial processes. This type of energy is considered renewable and sustainable, provided that heat extraction does not exceed the recharge capacity of the geothermal system. Geothermal aquifers can be classified according to their temperature in low enthalpy (less than 90 ° C), medium enthalpy (90-150 ° C) and high enthalpy (more than 150 ° C), the latter being the most suitable for production of electricity. In the case of Madrid, this energy has not yet been exploited in a massive way, but the aforementioned findings open the door to begin to explode in the near future. From oil to geothermia.
The operation of a geothermal system based on an aquifer requires the drilling of extraction and reinjection wells, such as those performed with the search for oil. In high enthalpy aquifers, hot water or steam emerge at high pressure and temperature, promoting a turbine connected to an electric generator. On the other hand, low and medium enthalpy aquifers usually require the use of geothermal heat pumps, which extract thermal energy for air conditioning and industrial processes. In any case, cooled water is reinjected to the aquifer to maintain its thermal and hydraulic balance.
The geothermal potential
He Geothermal potential of an aquifer depends on several factorssuch as depth, the natural recharge of water, the thermal conductivity of the subsoil and the geological stability of the system. Volcanic activity regions usually have the best high -enthalpy resources, while deep sedimentary aquifers can be exploited for medium and low temperature uses in more geologically stable areas. Spain, for example, has important resources of medium and low enthalpy, especially in the northeast peninsular and in the environment of the Iberian system, everything indicates that the Community of Madrid is no exception.
This subsoil information comes from oil exploration, obtained over decades and has been a high cost, although there are no cost estimates, it is believed that it could reach several billions of euros. Thus, Madrid looks at the interior of the earth againbut not in search of oil, but of geothermal energy.
Repsol is the current head of a geothermal research permit in the area, and thanks to the digitalization and reinterpretation of The seismic data of campaigns carried out between 1960 and 1980, can evaluate whether the Madrid subsoil is viable for the exploitation of this renewable energy. “Before July 2026, it must determine whether the Madrid subsoil is viable to exploit this renewable energy source and decide if it continues with the following exploration phase,” says Navarro.
This story is a clear example of how geological knowledge, far from being static, evolves over time and the needs of society. Madrid, who once dreamed of becoming an oil -producing region could find its hidden wealth in a cleaner and more sustainable resource. “These works highlight the importance of subsoil databases for any energy resources research or geological storage project,” emphasizes Navarro. Without this information, obtained over decades of exploration, the development of infrastructure and the prevention of geological risks would be much more uncertain.
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