China (Yunnan Province) Geothermal Screening
High-resolution 3D simulation identifies 85.7% prospective area reaching 185°C by 5.5 km depth in China (Yunnan Province).
Key Geothermal Metrics
Primary baseline screening criterion
Minimum drill depth for high enthalpy
Maximum modeled temperature
Average to 5 km depth (15°C surface)
Hot territory within 50 km transmission
Thermal volume in place (>80°C baseline)
Depth vs. Temperature Matrix (% Land Area)
Proportion of national territory exceeding target isotherm at specified depth
| Isotherm | 3.0 km | 4.0 km | 5.0 km | 6.0 km | 7.0 km | 8.0 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150°C | 13.4% | 75.7% | 96.4% | 98.9% | 99.7% | 100% |
| 175°C | 3% | 26.8% | 81.1% | 96.8% | 98.8% | 99.6% |
| 200°C | 0.7% | 5.2% | 40.5% | 84.2% | 96.9% | 98.7% |
| 225°C | — | 1.8% | 6% | 41.2% | 82.8% | 96.5% |
| 250°C | — | — | 1.8% | 5.2% | 33.2% | 76.8% |
4-Stage Geothermal Resource & Infrastructure Funnel
Progressive screening from gross national territory down to grid-connected & populated prospective zones
Geological Setting & Subsurface Parameters
Lithology, basement thickness, stress and thermal boundary constraints
| Median Depth to 200°C Isotherm | 5.2 km |
| Best 10th Percentile Depth to 200°C | 4.5 km |
| Median Temperature at 5 km Depth | 196 °C |
| Best 10th Percentile Temp at 5 km | 219 °C |
| Median Sediment Thickness | 160.9 km |
| Sediment / Hard-Rock Well Share | 16.9% |
| Territory Under 1 km Sediment Cover | 15.6% |
| Lithostatic Pressure at 5 km Depth | 135 MPa |
| Moho Crustal Discontinuity Depth | 38.8 km |
| Thermal Lithosphere Thickness | 67.5 km |
| Curie Temperature Isotherm Depth | 16.2 km |
| Model Temperature Spread Uncertainty (200°C) | ±0.9 km |
Transmission Grid & Demand Colocation
Infrastructure interconnectivity and urban power demand proximity
| High-Voltage Transmission Network Length | 17 578 km |
| Land Area Within 25 km of Grid | 99.6% |
| Land Area Within 50 km of Grid | 100% |
| Land Area Within 100 km of Grid | 100% |
| Average Proximity to Nearest Substation / Line | 3.7 km |
| Urban Centers (>10,000 Population) | 157 |
| Total Urban Population | 15.7 M |
| Prospective Resource Colocated Near Demand (>1M Pop) | 45% |
Target Sensitivity & Deep EGS Upside
Sensitivity of prospective resource area to adjusted depth and temperature thresholds
Global Peer Benchmarking (vs. 278 Assessed Jurisdictions)
Relative ranking distribution of China (Yunnan Province) across 11 standardized geothermal indicators
Live Interactive 3D Model Explorer: China (Yunnan Province)
This area is enabled in the live interactive sandbox demonstrating real 3D subsurface thermal inversion, grid layers, and EGS capacity evaluation.
Analytical Geothermal Assessment & Discussion: China (Yunnan Province)
Subsurface thermal interpretation, model uncertainty, infrastructure colocation, and resource quality analysis
Resource Overview
Empirical 3D thermal modeling for China (Yunnan Province) indicates 85.7% of assessed territory reaches the 185°C baseline threshold at 5.5 km depth, with peak modeled temperatures at 5 km reaching 268°C.
Uncertainty & Model Variance
Model convergence across 1137 inversion grid cells exhibits consistent parameter stability, calibrated against regional borehole temperature logs and crustal thickness constraints.
Grid & Infrastructure Colocation
Spatial proximity analysis indicates 100% of assessed land area is within 50 km of high-voltage transmission lines, providing favorable interconnectivity for commercial geothermal development.
Geological & Basement Setting
Subsurface structure shows a median sediment thickness of 160.9 km and crustal Moho depth of 38.8 km, defining the transition into competent crystalline basement formations.
Stored Heat Volume
Total stored thermal energy in place across 3–7 km depth (above 80°C baseline) is estimated at 467.9 ZJ (10²¹ Joules).
Peer Comparison
Relative to global benchmark jurisdictions, China (Yunnan Province) ranks in the 99th percentile for prospective resource area and 51th percentile for geothermal gradient.
Target Sensitivity Analysis
Adjusting target isotherm criteria to 150°C or extending drilling depth to 7.5 km expands accessible resource capacity substantially.
Screening Methodology, Parameters & Limitations
This screening assessment for China (Yunnan Province) is generated from Geothermal Radar Data Pack 2026.1 (3D Inversion Mesh) utilizing global 0.1° hex-grid thermal inversion across 1 137 model cells (land area: 394 100 km²). Baseline prospective criterion is defined as reaching 185°C at or above 5.5 km depth with surface temperature normalized to 15°C.
- Screening estimates represent regional-scale heat in place and do not replace localized 3D seismic or exploratory drilling.
- Model uncertainties expand in regions with sparse deep boreholes and complex thrust fault kinematics.
- Grid proximity indicators reflect line-of-sight distance to high-voltage transmission and do not account for local substation thermal capacity.
Access 3D temperature grids, drilling cost curves, and micro-siting GIS layers.
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