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Citation URL: http://www.osti.gov/geothermal/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=1052899
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| Title: |
Estimate of the Geothermal Energy Resource in the Major Sedimentary Basins in the United States (Presentation) |
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| Creator/Author: |
Esposito, A.
;
Porro, C.
;
Augustine, C.
;
Roberts, B.
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| Publication Date: | 2012 Sep 01 |
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| OSTI Identifier: | OSTI 1052899 |
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| Report Number(s): | NREL/PR-6A20-56444 |
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| DOE Contract Number: | AC36-08GO28308 |
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| Document Type: | Conference |
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| Specific Type: | |
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| Coverage: | |
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| Resource Relation: | Conference: Presented at the GRC 36th Annual Meeting, 3 October 2012, Reno, Nevada; Related Information: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) |
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| Other Number(s): | |
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| Research Org: | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO. |
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| Sponsoring Org: | USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Geothermal Technologies Program |
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| Subject: | 15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY |
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| Keywords: | GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; SEDIMENTARY BASINS; TEMPERATURE GRADIENT; RESOURCE ESTIMATE; RECOVERY FACTOR |
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| Description/Abstract: | Because most sedimentary basins have been explored for oil and gas, well logs, temperatures at depth, and reservoir properties such as depth to basement and formation thickness are well known. The availability of this data reduces exploration risk and allows development of geologic exploration models for each basin. This study estimates the magnitude of recoverable geothermal energy from 15 major known U.S. sedimentary basins and ranks these basins relative to their potential. The total available thermal resource for each basin was estimated using the volumetric heat-in-place method originally proposed by (Muffler, 1979). A qualitative recovery factor was determined for each basin based on data on flow volume, hydrothermal recharge, and vertical and horizontal permeability. Total sedimentary thickness maps, stratigraphic columns, cross sections, and temperature gradient information was gathered for each basin from published articles, USGS reports, and state geological survey reports. When published data were insufficient, thermal gradients and reservoir properties were derived from oil and gas well logs obtained on oil and gas commission databases. Basin stratigraphy, structural history, and groundwater circulation patterns were studied in order to develop a model that estimates resource size, temperature distribution, and a probable quantitative recovery factor. |
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| Publisher: | |
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| Country of Publication: | US |
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| Language: | English |
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| Size/Format: | Medium: ED; Size: 15 pp. |
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| Rights: | |
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| Availability: | |
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| System Entry Date: | 2012 Oct 15 |
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