The event described here can be limited to specific settings and might not be encountered in every geothermal projects. More details about this topic are presented in a report that can be found on GEOENVI website.
During surface operations, energy consumption results from the use of engines. Energy consumption can also result from electricity consumption during drilling or during operation for heat plants. Small amount of water can be consumed during drilling (to produce mud and, to a minor extent, cement) or during operations (well cleaning for example). On the other hand, emissions in the atmosphere are caused by the fuels burnt: vehicular traffic for everyday business, machines used during the plant operation or decommissioning phases, and in particular those associated to the drilling; for drill pad construction, for operating the drill rig, for road making. Effects of operations are, in most cases, limited in time but can have some minor consequences on humans, on the atmosphere and on ecosystems. The use of engines and water is inevitable, and these adverse effects, which are not specific to geothermal operations and can be encountered in many diverse industries (oil and gas, water pumping for drinking water supply or agriculture, etc.), are negligeable (Bayer et al., 2013; Tomasini-Montenegro et al., 2017).
This topic concerns only chronic emissions related to surface operations. The potential emissions of geothermal gases are dealt in Degassing; liquids, solids extruded from underground are treated in Liquid and solid effusions on surface; and accidental emissions due to blowouts are described in Blowout.
The table here below provides an overview of this topic in terms of risk and impact assessment i.e. its causes, consequences, the phases concerned, the influencing contexts or the principals monitoring and mitigation measures that can be adopted.
