Exploration can be described as consisting of two components: finding something worth drilling and testing; and defining and constraining that system after it has been drilled and tested. To date, geothermal exploration in the United States has concentrated on the drilling and testing of rather obvious targets--places where steam and boiling water issue from the ground. Relatively little has been done in the exploration of concealed or blind systems, probably because there have been so many obvious targets. However, these largely have been drilled, tested and constrained by boundaries, and almost entirely are committed to development schemes. The need now is to develop an exploration methodology for the '90s and thereafter that will be effective in the search for blind geothermal systems. Such work is being done currently in Japan; my company was privileged to have served the New Energy Development Organization and the Electric Power Development Company, both Japanese government companies, in the design of a methodology to assess concealed heat sources in 4 different terrains: recent volcanic with abundant thermal manifestations; volcanic outflow; volcanic or non-volcanic with few surface manifestations; and non-volcanic with background-level heat flow. work was based on the application of existing exploration techniques. The Japanese …

I am pleased with the research support provided by DOE, as it has resulted in products that are in use today, which reduce our cost of producing energy. Since we must compete in the energy market against other energy sources, such as coal, we needed to be cost competitive with these other sources. Research on these competitive sources will lower their costs in the future. We need to progress in our research to remain competitive. One question is whether the current DOE program will continue to provide the level of research advances we have benefited from in the past, even though the level of funding is significantly less. I believe that the funding level is too low if we want to maintain the same technology development pace. Ignoring the funding level, the remaining question is whether the highest priority projects (by industry's definition) are the ones being worked on by DOE. There is a mix of medium-term and long-term projects in the DOE Drilling and Completion program (about 30% short/70% long). I believe that industrial research would operate with these percentages reversed, and the preference for more short-term research is manifested by questioning the appropriateness of HDR & Magma research. …

The Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal energy program is a renewable energy program that can contribute significantly to the nation's balanced and diversified energy mix. Having extracted energy from the first Fenton Hill HDR reservoir for about 400 days, and from the second reservoir for 30 days in a preliminary test, Los Alamos is focusing on the Long Term Flow Test and reservoir studies. Current budget limitations have slowed preparations thus delaying the start date of that test. The test is planned to gather data for more definitive reservoir modeling with energy availability or reservoir lifetime of primary interest. Other salient information will address geochemistry and tracer studies, microseismic response, water requirements and flow impedance which relates directly to pumping power requirements. During this year of ''preparation'' we have made progress in modeling studies, in chemically reactive tracer techniques, in improvements in acoustic or microseismic event analysis.

This paper is a summary of the proposed drilling plan for the first phase (to 2500 feet depth) of the Magma Energy Exploratory Well. The drilling program comprises four phases, spaced approximately one year apart, which culminate in a large-diameter well to a total depth near 20,000 feet. Included here are descriptions of the well design, predictions of potential drilling problems, a list of restrictions imposed by regulatory agencies, an outline of Sandia's management structure, and an explanation of how the magma energy technology will benefit from this drilling.

The U.S. Interagency Geothermal Coordinating Council was a multi-agency group charged with identifying and reducing barriers to geothermal energy development in the U.S. Many of the issues covered related to regulations for and progress in the leasing of Federal lands in the West for power development. The IGCC reports are important sources of historical information. Table 1 lists significant events in the history of use of geothermal energy in the U.S., starting in1884. That is useful for tracking which Federal departments and agencies managed aspects of this work over time. Table 2 gives a complete accounting for all Federal outlays for geothermal energy development for FY 1979 -1989, including non-DOE outlays. Table 3 shows the status of the U.S. Geothermal Loan Guarantee Program at end of FY 1989: of the $500 million authorized, $285 million was committed to eight projects, and about $40 million had been paid out on project defaults. An additional $101 million had been repaid by the borrowers. (DJE - 2005)

We have examined changes in Argonne Premium samples of Wyodak coal following 30 min treatment in liquid water at autogenous pressures at 150{degrees}, 250{degrees}, and 350{degrees}C. In most runs the coal was initially dried at 60{degrees}C/1 torr/20 hr. The changes were monitored by pyrolysis field ionization mass spectrometry (py-FIMS) operating at 2.5{degrees}C/min from ambient to 500{degrees}C. We recorded the volatility patterns of the coal tars evolved over that temperature range, and in all cases the tar yields were 25%--30% of the starting coal on mass basis. There was essentially no change after the 150{degrees}C treatment. Small increases in volatility were seen following the 250{degrees}C treatment, but major effects were seen in the 350{degrees} work. The tar quantity remained unchanged; however, the volatility increased so the temperature of half volatility for the as-received coal of 400{degrees}C was reduced to 340{degrees}C. Control runs with no water showed some thermal effect, but the net effect from the presence of liquid water was clearly evident. The composition was unchanged after the 150{degrees} and 250{degrees}C treatments, but the 350{degrees} treatment brought about a 30% loss of oxygen. The change corresponded to loss of the elements of water, although loss of ``OH`` seemed to fit the …

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One of the big successes of the DOE program is in the area of conversion technology. The experiment that went on in the 1970's at the south end of the Salton Sea, with a major effort on the part of DOE, was the initiation of a major commercial development. At the site of the Geothermal Loop Experimental Facility (GLEF) there now operates a 35 megawatt commercial plant and by the end of 1989 there will be over 200 megawatts of geothermal power on the line within the Salton Sea KGRA. The involvement of DOE with industry in the GLEF venture was truly a success. The modeling of the behavior of geothermal brine from downhole conditions to injection as reported on by John Weare is a function that could be used to the advantage of industry in commercialization. The prediction of behavior is very important in process design and operation. The project would be helpful if the modeling could be expanded beyond the Calcium Carbonate and Silica formation to include other reactions, such as the formation of heavy metal sulfides. Larry Kukacka's report on Material Advances was useful and the continuation of materials research to enable more economical operations will always …

This report describes Closed Orbit Analysis for RHIC.

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The Magma Energy Program of the Geothermal Technology Division is scheduled to begin drilling a deep (6 km) exploration well in Long Valley Caldera, California in 1989. The drilling site is near the center of the caldera which is associated with numerous shallow (5-7 km) geophysical anomalies. This deep well will present an unparalleled opportunity to test and validate geophysical techniques for locating magma as well as a test of the theory that magma is still present at drillable depths within the central portion of the caldera. If, indeed, drilling indicates magma, the geothermal community will then be afforded the unique possibility of examining the coupling between magmatic and hydrothermal regimes in a major volcanic system. Goals of planned seismic experiments that involve the well include the investigation of local crustal structure down to depths of 10 km as well as the determination of mechanisms for local seismicity and deformation. Borehole electrical and electromagnetic surveys will increase the volume and depth of rock investigated by the well through consideration of the conductive structure of the hydrothermal and underlying regimes. Currently active processes involving magma injection will be studied through observation of changes in pore pressure and strain. Measurements of in …

One of the main objectives of the DOE Geothermal Program is to improve the efficiency and reliability of geothermal operations so that this renewable form of energy can be integrated into the nation's energy system. Scale formation and other chemical problems associated with energy extraction from high temperature brines frequently inhibit the economical utilization of geothermal resources. In some cases, these chemical problems can be so severe that development of a site must be abandoned after considerable capital investment. The goal of our research efforts is to construct an accurate computer model for describing the chemical behavior of geothermal brines under a wide range of operating conditions. This technology will provide industry a cost-effective means of identifying scaling problems in production and reinjection wells as well as in surface equipment, and also devising and testing methods for well as other uses described in table (1) can contribute significantly to meeting the objectives of the Geothermal Program. The chemical model we have developed to date can simulate calcium carbonate scale formation and gas solubilities in concentrated brines containing sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and sulfate ions as a function of temperature to 250 C and for variable partial pressure of CO{sub 2}. …

Progress in research and development of four of UURI's projects are reviewed in this paper. First, the development of chemical tracers has evolved to a field test in the Dixie Valley geothermal system in Nevada. Second, the measurement of in situ stress continues to demonstrate changes with location in the orientation of stress within active geothermal systems. Third, we continue to develop hydrologic models of geothermal systems based upon fluid inclusion measurements. Fourth, we are developing equipment that will allow testing of borehole to borehole and borehole to surface electrical resistivity techniques for locating fluid-filled fractures.

The DOE Hard Rock Penetration program is developing technology to reduce the costs of drilling geothermal wells. Current projects include: R & D in lost circulation control, high temperature instrumentation, underground imaging with a borehole radar insulated drill pipe development for high temperature formations, and new technology for data transmission through drill pipe that can potentially greatly improve data rates for measurement while drilling systems. In addition to this work, projects of the Geothermal Drilling Organization are managed. During 1988, GDO projects include developments in five areas: high temperature acoustic televiewer, pneumatic turbine, urethane foam for lost circulation control, geothermal drill pipe protectors, an improved rotary head seals.

This project will demonstrate the Hybrid Cycle Concept for electricity generation using geopressured-geothermal resources. The test is scheduled to be a minimum of one year, which may be extended. The majority of the equipment came from the DOE facility at East Mesa, CA. The hybrid cycle has been designed for 10,800 BPD brine and 220,000 SCFD of gas. The power output will be about one megawatt, which will be sold to Houston Lighting and Power Company. An important research objective is to determine the size and ultimate production capability of the geopressured-geothermal reservoir. The long-term deliverability of these type reservoirs is a significant factor in determining the ultimate economic capability of these systems.

For both petroleum and geothermal resources, many of the reservoirs are fracture dominated--rather than matrix-permeability controlled. For such reservoirs, a knowledge of the pressure-dependent permeability of the interconnected system of natural joints (i.e., pre-existing fractures) is critical to the efficient exploitation of the resource through proper pressure management. Our experience and that reported by others indicates that a reduction in the reservoir pressure sometimes leads to an overall reduction in production rate due to the ''pinching off'' of the joint network, rather than the anticipated increase in production rate. This effect occurs not just in the vicinity of the wellbore, where proppants are sometimes employed, but throughout much of the reservoir region. This follows from the fact that under certain circumstances, the decline in fracture permeability (or conductivity) with decreasing reservoir pressure exceeds the far-field reservoir ''drainage'' flow rate increase due to the increased pressure gradient. Further, a knowledge of the pressure-dependent joint permeability could aid in designing more appropriate secondary recovery strategies in petroleum reservoirs or reinjection procedures for geothermal reservoirs.

The performance of binary geothermal power plants can be improved through the proper choice of a working fluid, and optimization of component designs and operating conditions. This paper reviews the investigations at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) which are examining binary cycle performance improvements: for moderate temperature (350 to 400 F) resources with emphasis on how the improvements may be integrated into design of binary cycles. These investigations are examining performance improvements resulting from the supercritical vaporization of mixed hydrocarbon working fluids and achieving countercurrent integral condensation with these fluids, as well as the modification of the turbine inlet state points to achieve supersaturated turbine vapor expansions. For resources where the brine outlet temperature is restricted, the use of turbine exhaust recuperators is examined. The baseline plant used to determine improvements in plant performance (characterized by the increase in the net brine effectiveness, watt-hours per pound of brine) in these studies operates at conditions similar to the 45 MW Heber binary plant. Through the selection of the optimum working fluids and operating conditions, achieving countercurrent integral condensation, and allowing supersaturated vapor expansions in the turbine, the performance of the binary cycle (the net brine effectiveness) can be improved by …

In geothermal energy technology, the hydrothermal systems rely on volcanic hot rocks being fortuitously co-located with an adequate supply of natural ground water, usually at some considerable depth within the earth. This represents essentially two accidents in the same place, and the occurrence is relatively rare. Yellowstone Park and the desert valley of southern California are the most noteworthy US. examples. Since the heat is the energy needed, if we could just get the water down to it and back. Well, that's what is being done with the hot dry rock program. A well is drilled down to where there is adequate heat in the rocks. The well is then pressurized until the rock fractures creating what amounts to a reservoir full of hot, shattered rock. Finally, a well is drilled into the reservoir and water is pumped in one well, heated by the rock, and taken out through the other well at useful temperatures and pressures. We are getting ready to run significant long-term flow tests at the Fenton Hill Hot Dry Rock site west of Los Alamos, New Mexico. We expect the operational information to provide the data to forecast the energy life of the wells as a …

The application of passive seismic studies in geothermal regions have undergone significant changes in the last 15 years. The primary application is now in the monitoring of subsurface processes, rather than exploration. A joint Geothermal Technology Organization (GTO) industry/DOE, monitoring project involving GEO, Unocal Geothermal, and LBL, was carried out at The Geysers geothermal field in northern California using a special high frequency monitoring system. This several-month-long experiment monitored the discrete and continuous seismic signals before, during, and after a fluid stimulation of a marginal production well. Almost 350,000 liters of water were pumped into the well over a four-hour, and a three-hour time period for two consecutive days in June of 1988. No significant changes in the background seismicity or the seismic noise were detected during the monitoring period. Analysis of the background seismicity did indicate that the earthquakes at The Geysers contain frequencies higher than 50 Hz. and possibly as high as 100 Hz.

The U.S. Interagency Geothermal Coordinating Council was a multi-agency group charged with identifying and reducing barriers to geothermal energy development in the U.S. Many of the issues covered related to regulations for and progress in the leasing of Federal lands in the West for power development. The IGCC reports are important sources of historical information. (DJE 2005)

This is a status report on a Student Science Enrichment Training Program held at the campus of Claflin College, Orangeburg, SC. The topics of the report include the objectives of the project, participation experienced, financial incentives and support for the program, curriculum description, and estimated success of the program in stimulating an occupational interest in science and research fields by the students.

This letter report describes the technical activities of the waste element solubility study during Fiscal Year (FY88, October 1, 1987 to September 30, 1988). This experimental waste element solubility study provides experimentally determined limits on radionuclide concentrations in groundwater from Yucca Mountain. Furthermore, the results of this study are essential for verifying the validity of radionuclide transport calculations, and for providing the maximum concentrations for the radionuclide sorption tests. Solubility is the source term for radionuclide transport calculations. The solubility in this study is controlled by fewer variables than are used in the multiparameter transport model. Therefore, modeling must be capable of predicting the results of this waste element solubility study. Agreement between the experimental result and the modeling predictions will validate the geochemical module of the transport model. 3 refs., 8 figs.

The Geothermal direct use industry potential, growth trends, needs, and how they are being met, are addressed. The high potential for industry growth, coupled with a rapidly expanding use of geothermal energy for direct use, and concerns over the greenhouse effect is the setting in which a new engineering and design guidebook is being issued to support the growth of the geothermal direct use industry. Recent investigations about the current status of the industry and the identification of technical needs of current operating district heating systems provide the basis upon which this paper and the guidebook is presented. The guidebook, prepared under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy, attempts to impart a comprehensive understanding of information important to the development of geothermal direct use projects. The text is aimed toward the engineer or technical person responsible for project design and development. The practical and technical nature of the guidebook answers questions most commonly asked in a wide range of topics including geology, exploration, well drilling, reservoir engineering, mechanical engineering, cost analysis, regulations, and environmental aspects.

In this session, this vast resource of thermal energy was described by Dr. James C. Dunn (SNLA) as an estimated 500,000 quads in U.S. crustal magma bodies with temperatures in excess of 600 degrees Celsius and at depths of less than 10 km. The aim is to develop technology which can experimentally extract energy from a silicic magma body to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing this resource. Energy extraction from molten rock has been demonstrated in Hawaii at the Kilauea Iki lava lake. The program is showing significant progress in Geophysics and Site Selection, Energy Extraction Processes, and Geochemistry/Materials. The next major step is to drill and evaluate a deep exploratory well at the Long Valley caldera in California. Extensive analyses by the program and from previous work indicate that active magma may be expected. John T. Finger (SNLA) then summarized the proposed four-phase drilling plan. The four phases will be approximately one year apart, and are expected to result in a large diameter well to a total depth of about 20,000 feet. The well design (by Livesay, Inc.) was described in considerable detail, together with predictions of the expected drilling problems. The well design and schedule includes accommodation of …