The current thermal regime around the red Sea
was initiated by a mantle plume beneath Ethiopia, Eretria,
Yemen and SW of Saudi Arabia at about 31 Ma before the
present. The evolution of the geothermal systems around the
Red Sea is coeval to the initial onset of volcanism over the
separated land masses (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen,
Saudi Arabia and Egypt at 14 Ma. The entire tectono-magmatic activities around the Red Sea gave rise to several geothermal provinces over the continents surrounding the Red Sea, represented by thermal springs and fumaroles at several locations in Eretria, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. These countries have the potential to develop these resources, like Ethiopia, to mitigate CO2 emissions in countries like Saudi Arabia and to enhance the GDP (gross domestic product) of the economically backward countries. The geothermal resources have the potential to make these countries energy independent in future. |
