2023/126 A KNOWLEDGE NOTE SERIES FOR THE ENERGY & EXTRACTIVES GLOBAL PRACTICE Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers The bottom line. Proper management of geothermal data is essential to the long-term development of geothermal resources at economically attractive costs. Even after a particular geothermal resource has come on stream, the data gathered in the process may be useful in the development of other projects—if they are well preserved. This Live Wire explores good data- management practices and the role of regulators and developers in promoting those practices. How does data management contribute to be motivated to keep that information confidential to main- geothermal development? tain an advantage over other developers. Preserving and sharing data can enhance the However, once a developer no longer has a commercial cost-effectiveness of an underexploited source of interest in a particular geothermal resource, the incentive to clean energy preserve the data diminishes. Yet the data may still be valu- Developing geothermal resources usually depends on the able to other developers. This is especially true over the long collection and interpretation of substantial amounts of data. term, as changes in developers, markets, and technology Unlike solar, wind, and hydro resources, whose energy gener- offer new opportunities for development. Moreover, the data ating potential can be assessed easily and affordably, ascer- may have value as a public good by providing information taining the quality of geothermal resources often requires useful in the commercial development of other resources. large investments in data collection and interpretation. Thus the failure to preserve and share data can impede Given the cost of acquiring information about a geothermal geothermal development. The absence of a framework to resource and its value in minimizing risk and optimizing manage data can raise costs and reduce opportunities for energy production, geothermal developers have strong developers and society at large, which stands to benefit to incentives to keep the information they gather secure and the extent that geothermal energy offers economic value accessible for the duration of their operations. They may also greater than that of other energy resources. It is therefore in the public interest to ensure that geothermal development is as cost-effective as possible and not hindered by the loss of valuable data. Joeri de Wit is a senior energy economist in the World Bank’s Energy and Extractives Global Authors Practice. Supported by Elin Hallgrimsdottir is a senior energy specialist with the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program at the World Bank. 2 Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers It is here that geothermal resource regulators can play a 3 The software and hardware needed for the secure stor- positive role in managing geothermal data. With the goal of age and efficient use of data for interpretation, visualiza- maximizing the value of data collected in the course of geo- tion, and calculations thermal exploration, regulators strive to ensure that devel- 3 The investment required to manage, maintain, and use opers have incentives to keep the data they gather in the an industry-standard geothermal exploration data man- course of their explorations securely stored and accessible to agement system. other developers over time. Figure 1 on the following page summarizes the informa- In practice, however, many countries lack systems to manage tion on geothermal resources that the survey identified as geothermal data, which has led to the unnecessary duplica- essential. tion of costs and possibly hindered geothermal exploration and development in the developing world. Many countries lack systems to manage To better help countries aiming to establish good practices geothermal data, which has led to the in geothermal data management, the World Bank commis- unnecessary duplication of costs and possibly sioned a survey in countries with well-established systems for managing geothermal data that serve the interest of hindered geothermal exploration and developers and the public. Detailed results of the survey are development in the developing world. reported in Darnet and others (2020). This work surveyed data management practices in France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, The collection and interpretation of data require expertise New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States using in the fields of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, well engi- a questionnaire focused on geo-scientific data collected neering, well logging, well testing, and numerical modelling. during the exploration and operation of geothermal To develop the informational database, personnel qualified resources (excluding ground source heat pumps). in these fields should work alongside individuals with data- base management skills. The appropriate individuals typi- Two versions of the questionnaire were developed, one cally have an information technology background and are for developers and one for regulators, with 122 and 149 familiar with structured query languages.1 But the backbone questions, respectively, and a significant degree of overlap of an effective exploration data management system is a between them. Eleven of the 28 developers and 13 of the comprehensive information system capable of ensuring the 20 regulators that were sent the questionnaire completed it. quality of data as well as managing its storage, ownership, The survey included questions about: and accessibility. 3 The type of data collected by developers during the exploration and operation of geothermal resources, including surface exploration and drilling and testing of wells 3 The methodology of data collection and approaches 1. Structured query language (SQL) is a standard computer language for used to ensure the quality of data relational database management and data manipulation. A relational 3 The types of data that are shared with regulators and database, in turn, is a set of multiple data sets organized by tables, what subset of the data is made available to the public records, and columns. SQL is used to query, insert, update, and modify 3 The processes used to disseminate data, including time- data in the database. Most relational databases support SQL, which bound confidentiality, data format, and dissemination is an added benefit for administrators required to support databases platforms across several different platforms. Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers 3 Figure 1. Types of data needed in the development of geothermal resources Geological data • Lithological data Geophysical data • Hydrogeological data • Gravimetric surveys • Geothermal manifestations • Geomagnetic surveys Geochemical data Models (hydrothermal alteration, • Electromagnetic surveys • Location, temperature, • Conceptual models springs, etc.) • Passive seismic surveys and type of active • Geophysical models • Geological maps • Active seismic surveys geothermal manifestations • Hydrogeological models • Geological cross-sections • Ground temperature/ • Fluid/gas composition • Geothermal resource • Remote sensing data heat flow mapping • Fluid/gas samples assessments Borehole data Well logging data Well testing data Administrative data • Well design (trajectory, • Calliper logs • Fluid temperature • Maps of natural resources diameter, casing scheme) • Cement bound logs • Pressure/drawdown other than geothermal • Drilling parameters • Temperature and • Well discharge • Maps of geothermal fields • Drilling reports pressure logs (steam and liquid) • Maps of geothermal • Well completion reports • Lithology logs • Fluid movement concessions • Descriptions of (e.g., spinner logs • Maps of issued geothermal cores/cuttings exploration licenses • Data/maps of contracts with landowners So what, exactly, is an information system, for defining an information system’s conceptual model. To and what are its essential functions? ensure the model’s applicability, the referential data of the information system must be defined. In other words, one An information system collects, processes, stores, and must define a common geothermal registry that makes it distributes information possible to qualify and quantify observations and measure- The basic components of computer-based information ments. The essential characteristics of an information system systems are hardware, software, databases, networks, and are presented in figure 2. procedures. Most regulators and developers in mature geothermal mar- The development of a thematic information system, such as kets have an information system in place, with a central sys- one that manages geothermal exploration data, addresses tem that produces new or restructures existing information. A the specific needs of a targeted community. Such an infor- fully functioning spatial data infrastructure enables users to mation system may be designed to enhance collaboration detect the types of data they are seeking, to visualize those and partnership among participants; it may also provide the data online to confirm that they will meet their needs, and, underpinnings for agreements to make data interoperable if they do, to directly access the data. International web ser- and available. vice standards and specifications must be used to facilitate the incorporation of such functionality into the spatial data Findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable data— infrastructure. represented by the acronym FAIR—are important criteria 4 Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers Figure 2. Characteristics of an information system Include metadata that Support concurrent define and describe users while maintaining data and table data integrity. relationships. Data Self- sharing description Support Include views that Protect against Backup and for multiple are specific to certain data loss. recovery views system users. Information system Transaction Minimal data Strive to ensure that Maintain data processing redundancy every data point is consistency when performing transactions. stored only once. Access Enforced control integrity Define and enforce Establish and manage certain constraints to di erent user accounts ensure that users enter with various levels of valid information and access. maintain data integrity. The system must have harvesting and diffusion systems that Systems with a simple feature or index approach already may be developed in house or with the use of commercial in place (e.g., the metadata used in the U.S. National software (e.g., ESRI Geodatabase, Microsoft SQL server, Geothermal Data System) can be maintained with minimal Oracle) or open-source solutions (e.g., RDBMS PostGreSQL). investment in the harvesting system, allowing for a focus on data diffusion. The main drawback of such systems is that An information system’s harvesting component gathers they rely heavily on third-party data (and on the secure stor- data from data providers. The data are usually retrieved via age of those data). a web service. (A web service provides a web-based interface to a database server or mobile app used by the end user.) The best way to access data is through a web service designed in house or by a third party. An example from The diffusion system enables the information system to Iceland of web-service-powered locational data on geo- deliver geospatial data. Data accessibility is managed thermal resources can be found on the site of the country’s and controlled by the information system (depending on national energy authority (https:/ /nea.is/geothermal/). the regulatory framework) as free, unrestricted, “paid-for- However, the most cost-effective but less secure option is an service unrestricted”, or “free restricted”. Data should be open-source platform and software. The main advantages available around the clock and should not require manual de- of an open system are free installation; lack of maintenance archiving. In other words, data should be as FAIR as possible. and updating fees; and, if the community is very active, rapid Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers 5 evolution and fixing of bugs. The main disadvantages relate What are the respective roles of regulators to software durability: an information system should not and developers in geothermal data be built with tools that lead to a technological dead end. management? Understanding the dynamics of the community, its sponsors, The developer’s role is to gather data and submit it to and the installed park can significantly mitigate this risk. the data management system; the regulator’s job is to integrate that data and make it accessible Relational databases are preferred over unstructured ones. A relational database is a way of structuring information in Regulators ensure the secure storage and accessibility of tables, rows, and columns. It can establish links—or relation- geothermal data collected and submitted by developers ships—between information by joining tables, which makes it under a regulatory framework that clearly defines mutual easy to gain insights about the relationship between various roles and responsibilities (figure 3). data points. However the database must also accommodate unstructured geothermal data that cannot be processed A regulatory framework should clearly articulate the proce- and analyzed using conventional tools and methods such dures for data submission. It should specify the data model as text, video, and images and that cannot be organized in to be used (e.g., INSPIRE in Europe; NGDS in the United relational databases. States) and the terminology needed to semantically har- monize submissions with existing databases. Interoperable The support and management of large geothermal explo- formats can save time by automating the data-transmission ration datasets require quality control at the data-collection process to the greatest extent possible. Ideally, data should stage to detect inconsistencies and errors. Quality control be collected annually. Regular engagements with data pro- is performed by the owner of the data, typically a geosci- viders should be scheduled to ensure full compliance and entist, the owner of the information system, or a third-party prevent discrepancies in the perceptions of regulators and consultant. developers about developers’ obligation to submit data. Data should be stored on a network server with appropri- To develop a regulatory framework for an information sys- ate security, firewall, and access restrictions. They should be tem to manage geothermal exploration data, the following stored in raw and processed (or interpreted) forms to allow for best practices are recommended: reprocessing. Whenever possible, the data format should be digital, such as photos of cores and scans of well logs; if that 3 Develop or improve national or regional regulatory frame- is not practical, metadata must be provided. Data storage works dedicated to geothermal energy. Such frameworks, should follow international and industry-wide standards. developed in compliance with the geothermal market, can harmonize the practices of various players. A clear framework is needed for data collection and storage 3 Where a regulatory framework is not in place, promote by regulatory entities, as regulators may receive proprietary its development. If that is not possible, establish a frame- or commercially sensitive data from developers. Moreover, work specifically dedicated to managing the relevant ownership of submitted data may be ambiguous. The infor- elements of World Bank projects involving geothermal mation system must therefore be capable of handling multi- exploration. ple levels of data ownership. 3 Develop or improve a national or regional standardized workflow to publish exploration data in line with current The support and management of large laws and regulations. Such a framework would facilitate data collection, reporting, and management of data by geothermal exploration datasets require developers and regulatory entities. quality control at the data-collection stage to detect inconsistencies and errors. 6 Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers Figure 3. Roles and responsibilities of regulators in data management: Best practices Regulatory • Harmonize practice of di erent players • Standardize workflow to publish data • Promote cooperation between Regulatory regulatory entities and developers • Favor public release of data • Stay abreast of international Data format best practices • Store raw data in digital format to the extent possible • Store data according to international or industry-wide standards Data format • Specify data standards • Collect data regularly • Ensure that data are FAIR: findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable Accessibility • Provide access 24/7 • Avoid manual de-archiving Accessibility • Make data available through a web service 3 Initiate or improve cooperation among regulatory entities Data-collection procedures should be clearly defined as and geothermal developers on data standards and com- part of a company’s system for managing data quality. The pliance with submission requirements, thereby minimizing system should indicate the data model to be used (type, the need for enforcement. format, and terminology). Regular engagements with data 3 Promote the public release of exploration data in the providers (internal and/or external, if outsourced) should regulatory framework to attract investors and developers be scheduled to ensure full compliance. Ideally, such data (consistent with laws and regulations on the confidential- should be collected on an annual basis. ity of proprietary data). Harvesting and diffusion systems are a must. All data should Developers gather data chiefly to assess and exploit geo- be collected from the data provider, quality controlled, stored thermal potential. Best practice is to collect data in raw, in the harvesting system, and then subsequently transferred processed, and interpreted formats to allow for reprocessing, to a diffusion system. visualization, and calculation. Whatever the format, data should be stored according to industry-wide standards to the Data should be stored according to industry- extent possible. Where such standards are missing, the best wide standards to the extent possible. Where practice is to adopt an international or national standard. such standards are missing, the best practice Data should be digitally formatted to the extent possible is to adopt an international or national (e.g., photos of cores, scans of well logs, scans of paper reports). If this is not possible, metadata should be provided. standard. Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers 7 What resources are required for the The development of an information system based on a sim- collection, conservation, and sharing of ple feature/index approach incurs lower costs because the geothermal data? harvesting system and associated quality control are mini- mized. Regardless of type, the fields of expertise needed to Time, money, and personnel are needed in proportion develop an information system are geoscience, information to the value of the resources being managed technology, geographical information systems, and some- One to five years may be needed to develop an informa- times geomatics. The intense quality control process of an tion system as proposed here. A “light information system” information system with a central system that produces (table  1) might be appropriate for a country considering new or restructured information would likely require a broad geothermal data for the first time. A “mid-range” system range of expertise in the geosciences. All experts need to be would be suitable where several geothermal fields are being assembled in a multidisciplinary team, possibly within and explored. A country in which opportunities for geothermal across institutions, organized in such a way that the knowl- resource development are abundant should ideally have an edge they gather is preserved over a long timeframe (> 5 “intensive” system. years), thereby enabling the information system to be main- tained over the long term. Systems should be designed to operate over a span of 20  years. The estimated initial investment for a mid-range This Live Wire is based on a paper presented at the World system, including salaries and the cost of hardware and Geothermal Congress in Reykjavik, Iceland, April 26–May 2, software ranges from $100,000 to $1,000,000 and 26 to 2020. The paper, “Defining Best Practices in the Management 50 person months from commissioning. The estimated bud- of Geothermal Exploration Data,” was written by M. Darnet, P. get for maintenance and operations is $10,000 to $100,000 Calcagno, S. Hauksdottir, D. Thorbjornsson, E. Trumpy, J. F. de Wit, per year. The estimated budget for system enhancements and T. Fridriksson. The author contact is m.darnet@brgm.fr. and updates ranges from $10,000 to $100,000 per year. Table 1. Investment cost of three types of geothermal data information system Mid-range information Intensive information system Light information system system (for countries in which (for countries with abundant (for countries just several geothermal fields opportunities for geothermal starting out) are being explored) resource development) Initial investment Time ≤ 1 years 1–5 years >5 years Cost ≤ $100,000 $100,000–1,000,000 $100,000–1,000,000 Human resources ≤ 25 person months 26–50 person months >100 person months Operational costs Cost $10,000–100,000 $10,000–100,000 $10,000–100,000 Human resources ≤ 3 per year 4–9 per year 4–9 per year Source: Darnet and others 2020. 8 Geothermal Data Management: Good Practices and the Role of Regulators and Developers References Live Wire 2019/99. “Beyond the Last Mile: Piloting High-Efficiency, Low-Emissions Heating Technologies in Darnet, Mathieu, Philippe Calcagno, Steinunn Hauksdóttir, Central Asia,” by Yabei Zhang, Norma Adams, and Crispin Daði Thorbjornsson, E. Trumpy, Joeri de Wit, and Thrainn Pemberton-Pigott. Fridriksson. “Defining Best Practices in the Management of Geothermal Exploration Data,” Paper presented at the World Live Wire 2021/118. “Understanding CO2 Emissions Geothermal Congress in Reykjavik, Iceland, April 26–May 2, from Geothermal Power Generation in Türkiye,” by Elin 2020. Hallgrimsdottir, Almudena Mateos Merino, Yasemin Orucu, Serhat Akin, and Oumaima Idrissi. Make further connections Live Wire 2022/122. “Opportunities for Direct Uses of Live Wire 2017/71. “Mobilizing Risk Capital to Unlock the Global Geothermal Energy in Türkiye,” by Oumaima Idrissi, Elin Potential of Geothermal Power,” by Roberto La Rocca, Peter Hallgrimsdottir, Almudena Mateos Merino, A. Yasemin Orucu, Johansen, Laura Berman, and Migara Jayawardena. and Alper Baba.