Thermal field and geothermal resources of the Minsk Region

Authors

  • Vladimir I. Zui Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

Keywords:

geothermal field, temperature distribution, geothermal map, geothermal installation, Minsk Region, Belarus

Abstract

Numerous thermograms were recorded using high-precision borehole thermometers in dozens of boreholes in the Minsk Region. The accumulated data allowed us to construct temperature distribution maps within the region and make initial estimates of the distribution density of low-enthalpy geothermal energy resources. As an example, maps of temperature distribution at depths of 100 and 200 m and a map of the density of recoverable underground heat resources available within the 100 –200 m depth interval are presented. Significant heterogeneity in both the temperature distribution and geothermal resources within the region was revealed. This paper examines the parameters of the region’s geothermal field and demonstrates the potential for using the underground heat for practical purposes, specifically for heating buildings, greenhouses, drying processes, and more. It also describes the main technological schemes for extracting natural heat from underground horizons, suitable for developing geothermal resources in the Minsk Region. Dozens of small geothermal installations based on industrial heat pumps have already been created and are operating in the region.

Author Biography

  • Vladimir I. Zui, Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

    doctor of science (geology and mineralogy), full professor; professor at the department of regional geology, faculty of geography and geoinformatics

References

  1. Беляков МФ. Геотермические измерения в Белоруссии. Нефтяное хозяйство. 1954;11:50 –51.
  2. Чекалюк ЭБ, Федорцов ИМ, Осадчий ВГ. Полевая геотермическая съемка. Китык ВИ, редактор. Киев: Наукова думка; 1974. 103 с.
  3. Дядькин ЮД, Богуславский ЭИ, Вайнблат АБ, Остроумова ИМ, Троицкая ЕБ, Моисеенко УИ. Геотермальные ресурсы СССР. В: Моисеенко УИ, Гордиенко ВВ, редакторы. Геотермические модели геологических структур. Санкт-Петербург: [б. и.]; 1991. с. 168 –176.
  4. Кудельский АВ, Шиманович ВМ, Махнач АА. Гидрогеология и рассолы Припятского нефтегазоносного бассейна. Минск: Наука и техника; 1985. 223 с.
  5. Кудельский АВ, Пашкевич ВИ, Карабанов АК, Павловская ИЭ, Коркин ВД. Гидросфера Беларуси на новейшем тектоническом этапе. Доклады Национальной академии наук Беларуси. 2000;44(6):79 – 83.
  6. Богомолов ГВ, Цыбуля ЛА, Атрощенко ПП. Геотермическая зональность территории БССР. Минск: Наука и техника; 1972. 212 с.
  7. Любимова ЕА, Старикова ГН, Шушпанов АН. Теплофизические исследования горных пород. В: Любимова ЕА, редактор. Геотермические исследования. Москва: Наука; 1964. с. 115 –173.
  8. Zui VI, Gribik YaG, Martynova OA, Dubanevich MA, Vasilionak EA. Geothermal field and geothermal resources in Belarus. Litasfera. 2016;2:108 –121. EDN: VAHZEM.
  9. Зуй ВИ. Тепловое поле платформенного чехла Беларуси. Минск: Экономпресс; 2013. 256 с.
  10. Buntebarth G. Geothermics: an introduction. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 1984. X, 144 p.
  11. Kohl T, Salton M, Rybach L. Data analysis of the deep borehole heat exchanger plant Weissbad (Switzerland). In: Iglesias E, Blackwell D, Hunt T, Lund J, Tamanyu S, Kimbara K, editors. Proceedings of the World geothermal congress – 2000; 2000 May 28 – June 10; Kyushu – Tohoku, Japan. Auckland: International Geothermal Association; 2000. p. 3459 –3464.
  12. Калинин МИ, Баранов АВ. Метод расчета глубинных теплообменников для односкважинной технологии геотермального теплоснабжения. Разведка и охрана недр. 2003;6:53– 60.
  13. Kujawa T, Nowak W. Thermal calculations of geothermal heat utilizing one-well systems with both injection and production. In: Iglesias E, Blackwell D, Hunt T, Lund J, Tamanyu S, Kimbara K, editors. Proceedings of the World geothermal congress – 2000; 2000 May 28 – June 10; Kyushu – Tohoku, Japan. Auckland: International Geothermal Association; 2000. p. 3483–3488.
  14. Зуй ВИ, Грибик ЯГ, Сусленко АЛ. Опытные работы по созданию теплообменника в скважине «Березинская-1» Припятского прогиба. В: Высоцкий ЭА, редактор. Проблемы региональной геологии Беларуси. IV Университетские геологические чтения, посвященные 15-летию кафедры динамической геологии БГУ; 2–3 апреля 2010 г.; Минск, Беларусь. Минск: БГУ; 2010. с. 69 –70.
  15. Fridleifsson IB, Bertani R, Huenges E, Lund JW, Ragnarsson A, Rybach L. The possible role and contribution of geothermal energy to the mitigation of climate change. In: Hohmeyer O, Trittin T, editors. Proceedings of the IPCC scoping meeting on renewable energy sources; 2008 January 20 –25; Lübeck, Germany. [S. l.]: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; 2008. p. 59 – 80.
  16. Петин ЮМ, Накоряков ВЕ. Тепловые насосы. Российский химический журнал. 1997;41(6):107–111.
  17. Zhidovich IS. Natural heat resources of the territory of Belarus: an experience of their utilization. Geoterminis biuletenis. 2004;5:82– 86.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2026-03-24

Issue

No. 2 (2025): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Geography and Geology

Section

Geology

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of the Belarusian State University. Geography and Geology

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The authors who are published in this journal agree to the following:

  1. The authors retain copyright on the work and provide the journal with the right of first publication of the work on condition of license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial. 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
  2. The authors retain the right to enter into certain contractual agreements relating to the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the work (e.g. post it on the institutional repository, publication in the book), with the reference to its original publication in this journal.
  3. The authors have the right to post their work on the Internet (e.g. on the institutional store or personal website) prior to and during the review process, conducted by the journal, as this may lead to a productive discussion and a large number of references to this work. (See The Effect of Open Access.)

How to Cite

[1]
Zui, V.I. 2026. Thermal field and geothermal resources of the Minsk Region. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Geography and Geology. 2 (Mar. 2026), 106–118.