Geothermal potential of the Ukrainian part of the Pannonian Basin

The Transcarpathian Basin has the warmest subsurface terrain in Ukraine where temperatures locally may reach as much as 50° Celsius at 200 m depth. Being part of the relatively young and hot Pannonian back-arc basin system (also known as Pannonian Super Basin), this region is the most suitable to develop geothermal energy in Ukraine. The geothermal field of the Transcarpathian region was studied for more than 50 years but based on various new sources of temperature data, a more detailed temperature mapping is provided here to offer a new perspective. Given the strong anomaly seen in the region the thickness of the crust is seen as an important driver for the geothermal regime in the overlying sedimentary basin. Overall, the Transcarpathian Basin is interpreted to have a convection-dominated extensional basin-type geothermal play. On a local scale, the Miocene salt diapirs in the Solotvyno Basin also play an important role in heat conduction underlining the need for proper geomodelling to estimate heat resources. The updated evaluation of the spatial distribution of geothermal field in the Transcarpathian Basin also helps to understand its subsurface development in the context of hydrocarbon potential, the presence of deep fault conduits and intrusive bodies.