Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities
Scientists, engineers, and policy makers gathered at a workshop in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California in October 2013 to discuss the science and technology involved in developing high-enthalpy geothermal fields. A typical high-enthalpy geothermal well between 2000 and 3000 m deep pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Drilling |
| Online Access: | http://www.sci-dril.net/18/35/2014/sd-18-35-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818666096048209920 |
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| author | W. A. Elders D. Nielson P. Schiffman A. Schriener Jr. |
| author_facet | W. A. Elders D. Nielson P. Schiffman A. Schriener Jr. |
| author_sort | W. A. Elders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scientists, engineers, and policy makers gathered at a
workshop in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California in October
2013 to discuss the science and technology involved in developing
high-enthalpy geothermal fields. A typical high-enthalpy geothermal well
between 2000 and 3000 m deep produces a mixture of hot water and steam at
200–300 °C that can be used to generate about 5–10 MWe of electric
power. The theme of the workshop was to explore the feasibility and economic
potential of increasing the power output of geothermal wells by an order of
magnitude by drilling deeper to reach much higher pressures and
temperatures. Development of higher enthalpy geothermal systems for power
production has obvious advantages; specifically higher temperatures yield
higher power outputs per well so that fewer wells are needed, leading to
smaller environmental footprints for a given size of power plant. Plans for
resource assessment and drilling in such higher enthalpy areas are already
underway in Iceland, New Zealand, and Japan. There is considerable potential
for similar developments in other countries that already have a large
production of electricity from geothermal steam, such as Mexico, the
Philippines, Indonesia, Italy, and the USA.
<br><br>
However drilling deeper involves technical and economic challenges. One
approach to mitigating the cost issue is to form a consortium of industry,
government and academia to share the costs and broaden the scope of
investigation. An excellent example of such collaboration is the Iceland
Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), which is investigating the economic feasibility
of producing electricity from supercritical geothermal reservoirs, and this
approach could serve as model for future developments elsewhere. A planning
committee was formed to explore creating a similar initiative in the USA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:59:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c68dcc44592a4a77b639a2b610ea080d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1816-8957 1816-3459 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:59:05Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Drilling |
| spelling | doaj.art-c68dcc44592a4a77b639a2b610ea080d2022-12-21T22:00:57ZengCopernicus PublicationsScientific Drilling1816-89571816-34592014-12-0118354210.5194/sd-18-35-2014Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunitiesW. A. Elders0D. Nielson1P. Schiffman2A. Schriener Jr.3Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USADOSECC Exploration Sciences, 2075 S. Pioneer Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84104, USADept. of Geology, University of California Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USACalEnergy Operating Corp, 7030 Gentry Road, Calipatria, CA 92233, USAScientists, engineers, and policy makers gathered at a workshop in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California in October 2013 to discuss the science and technology involved in developing high-enthalpy geothermal fields. A typical high-enthalpy geothermal well between 2000 and 3000 m deep produces a mixture of hot water and steam at 200–300 °C that can be used to generate about 5–10 MWe of electric power. The theme of the workshop was to explore the feasibility and economic potential of increasing the power output of geothermal wells by an order of magnitude by drilling deeper to reach much higher pressures and temperatures. Development of higher enthalpy geothermal systems for power production has obvious advantages; specifically higher temperatures yield higher power outputs per well so that fewer wells are needed, leading to smaller environmental footprints for a given size of power plant. Plans for resource assessment and drilling in such higher enthalpy areas are already underway in Iceland, New Zealand, and Japan. There is considerable potential for similar developments in other countries that already have a large production of electricity from geothermal steam, such as Mexico, the Philippines, Indonesia, Italy, and the USA. <br><br> However drilling deeper involves technical and economic challenges. One approach to mitigating the cost issue is to form a consortium of industry, government and academia to share the costs and broaden the scope of investigation. An excellent example of such collaboration is the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), which is investigating the economic feasibility of producing electricity from supercritical geothermal reservoirs, and this approach could serve as model for future developments elsewhere. A planning committee was formed to explore creating a similar initiative in the USA.http://www.sci-dril.net/18/35/2014/sd-18-35-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | W. A. Elders D. Nielson P. Schiffman A. Schriener Jr. Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities Scientific Drilling |
| title | Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| title_full | Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| title_short | Investigating ultra high-enthalpy geothermal systems: a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| title_sort | investigating ultra high enthalpy geothermal systems a collaborative initiative to promote scientific opportunities |
| url | http://www.sci-dril.net/18/35/2014/sd-18-35-2014.pdf |
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