1. Division of Mathematical Sciences, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2. Hubei Subsurface Multi-scale Imaging Key Laboratory, School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
3. Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Abstract
Singapore is dedicated to developing geothermal resources to meet rising energy demand and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. While above-average heat flow and local hot springs suggest high geothermal potential beneath Singapore, the associated deep thermal sources remain underexplored due to a limited understanding of the subsurface structure. Applying ambient noise tomography and converted/reflected body-wave imaging to new seismic data from North Singapore reveals a highly fractured, fluid-saturated shallow geothermal reservoir located southeast of the Sembawang Hot Spring in the Yishun district. This reservoir exhibits low Vs (< 3.2 km/s) and high Vp/Vs (> 2.1). At a greater depth of ∼4 km, a crustal seismic discontinuity indicates a transition from the upper Bukit Timah Granite to the porous metasedimentary basement, where a deep aquifer might form, supplying the shallow reservoir and, ultimately, the Sembawang Hot Spring through the fault and fracture system. Our results highlight Yishun as a potential site for deep drilling in future geothermal explorations, and more broadly, provide new insights into the deep heat sources of numerous medium-to-low enthalpy geothermal sites throughout the Southeast Asian batholiths.