Petrophysical properties in faulted basement rocks: Insights from outcropping analogues on the West European Rift shoulders
Abstract
In continental extension settings like the West European Rift, the main target for high-temperature geothermal drillings is the fault zones in basement rocks of the grabens. However, the reservoir properties of these structures remain almost unknown during the predrilling resource evaluations. This study shows the petrophysical evolution in fault zones on three outcropping areas at the basins’ shoulders. We highlight three petrographical groups with different petrophysical evolution in the fault zones: granites and granodiorites, metamorphic rocks with schistosity, and massive metamorphic or magmatic facies. It provides a first estimation of their reservoir properties that can be used for dual-porosity modeling.