- Volcanic Geothermal Systems may be located in remote locations not necessarily accessible by existing transportation infrastructure. Mountainous terrain far from coastlines may have minimal existing access, whereas more populated coastline areas may already have transportation infrastructure. Volcanic Island Arc islands may not have any transportation infrastructure (i.e., without formal docks or quaysides for the offload of Geothermal exploration and development equipment, and minimal roads).
- Exploration logistical challenges can be somewhat easier than development logistical challenges until such time as borehole and wells are needed to be drilled. Initial surface geological field work can be by foot with temporary access provided on the ground. Geophysical survey field work can initially be by satellite and aerial, but once ground access is required there could be a need to distribute multiple equipment and lines over the ground surface (e.g., for 3D magnetotellurics). Once a potential subsurface resource is identified, the next step would be to bring in specialist drilling equipment.
- •Road access could require roads up to ~8-15m wide (including drainage ditches) with adequate load carry capacity based on the expected transport vehicle loads. For remote locations this is a challenge.
- Initial small diameter boreholes and some slimhole well drilling may utilise truck mounted equipment that would need road access. Other equipment would be required on the drill pad location including support infrastructure.
- Once larger diameter development wells are required, larger modular drill rigs may be required. Some of these drill rigs may have up to ~400 different parts with weights up to 40 tons each that would have had to be transported to location, offloaded if by sea transport, then transported to site on existing or newly constructed dirt roads over rough, mountainous or wet swampy terrain. Drill pad infrastructure would be similarly more involved and require more space.
- All these logistical challenges would need to be identified in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and discussed/reviewed with local communities and landowners as well as the local governments. Approval by all these stakeholders and land access compensation where appropriate would need to have been arranged.
