Albian drilling's and its hydropower potential in Algeria: Study and exploitation

Abstract

The Continental intercalary groundwater is highly sought for its water as resources hugely mobilized in Northern Sahara. A very high flow rate and output pressure characterizes this underground water. It amounts from 50 to 400 l.s-1 for the flow, and from 5 to 40 bar for pressure. A survey of the Northern Sahara Aquifer System was essential to prove the existence of this potential. This energy appears into the artesian form, which remains very considerable for a very long time in most drilling. We have realised that this energy is immense, as well as the expanded volume of the groundwater, and the importance of its use in agriculture. Unfortunately, this potential remains untapped to this day and the energy of this water is completely neglected. Several turbo generator and/or inverted pump (PATs) integration tests were undergone. The new concept of reflection with respect to the environment and sustainable development has led us to structure our work towards the extension of this potential in order to extract the exploitable energy.

Keywords

• Albian
• Continental Intercalary
• Borehole
• Northern Sahara
• Turbo generator