The Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (EAGME), within the framework of its institutional responsibility to monitor the country’s geothermal fields, proceeded in June 2020 with the installation of the first telemetric monitoring stations for geothermal fields, thermal springs, and geothermal manifestations across Greece.
These are continuous monitoring, recording, and real-time data transmission stations that measure key parameters such as temperature and/or pressure (water level), depending on the location. From June 2020 to the present, a total of 14 stations have been installed and are operating in various regions of Greece, specifically in the following locations:
- Three (3) stations on Nisyros Island, which record and transmit:
(a) The temperature of the hot spring at Avlaki
(b) The temperature and water level of the well at Loutra Mandrakiou
(c) The maximum temperature of steam vents and three ground points at the bottom of the Stefanos hydrothermal crater.
- One (1) station on Nea Kameni, Santorini, recording and transmitting the maximum temperature of the steam vents and three ground points at the volcano’s summit.
- One (1) station on Milos Island, which records and transmits the maximum temperature of the steam vents at Agia Kyriaki and one ground point.
- Four (4) stations at boreholes within the Nea Apollonia geothermal field in Thessaloniki, which record and transmit temperature and pressure (water level) data at boreholes G1, K1, GB1P, and GB5P.
- Four (4) stations at boreholes within the Neos Erasmos–Magganon geothermal field in Xanthi, recording and transmitting temperature, pressure, and pipeline temperature data at boreholes TH2, GP6, GP15, and GP9.
- One (1) station at a borehole in Agkistro, Serres, which records and transmits temperature and pressure at borehole GA4.
The measurements are taken at regular intervals, and the data are transmitted via a specialized software system over the mobile network to a dedicated EAGME server in real time. The information is then stored in a relational database (RDBMS), from which it can be visualized and further analyzed.
The installation of these telemetric stations was implemented as part of two EAGME subprojects: “Long-Term Monitoring of Thermal Natural Resources and Geothermal Fields of Greece” under the GEOTHERM project (“Studies and Research Supporting the Energy Sector of Industry and Entrepreneurship – OPYGEC”), and the “Management Plans for Low-Temperature Geothermal Fields” (DIAGEOTH). Both are executed by the Department of Geothermal Energy and Thermal Natural Resources (GEOTHE) of EAGME.
The common goal of these initiatives is the rational utilization and sustainable management of the country’s low-temperature geothermal fields, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the geothermal resource through systematic data collection, storage, analysis, and evaluation from continuous monitoring and telemetric systems.
The installation team of the telemetric stations includes:
- Apostolos Arvanitis, Head of the GEOTHE Department and Project Manager of DIAGEOTH
- George Vougioukalakis, Manager of the “Long-Term Monitoring of Thermal Natural Resources and Geothermal Fields of Greece” initiative under GEOTHERM
- Markos Xenakis, Geologist, GEOTHE Department
- Christos Mylonas, Electronics Specialist, GEOTHE Department
- Dimitrios-Marios Ambrazis, Mineral Resources Engineer, GEOTHE Department
- Polyánthi-Maria Trimi, Mining and Metallurgical Engineer, GEOTHE Department