Three-dimensional temperature field simulation of magma chamber in the Los Humeros geothermal field, Puebla, Mexico

Three-dimensional (3-D) thermal modeling of a magma chamber in the Los Humeros geothermal field of Mexico was carried out for the entire geological history of about 500,000 y. Earlier application of 3-D modeling for only about 30,000 y of total simulation time with discretization time of 1000 y and mesh size of 0.25 km, had indicated that the thermal regime is affected more by the depth of magma chamber than its volume. Now using a chamber depth of 5 km, chamber volume of 1400 km3, shorter discretization time of 10 years, mesh size of 0.25 km, convection in the geothermal reservoir, and magma recharge in the chamber, we present our best 3-D thermal model for the Los Humeros geothermal field. Although this model is consistent with the static formation temperature estimates from geothermal wells, ways to improve this model to make it suitable for the estimation of geothermal budget are also pointed out.

► Three-dimensional (3-D) thermal modeling of a magma chamber. ► Processes of convection in the reservoir and magma recharge in the chamber. ► Modeling was achieved by discretization time of 10 y and mesh size of 0.25 km. ► Successfully evaluated one conductive and three convective models. ► The proposed model is consistent with the static formation temperature estimates.