Oxygen isotope exchange in rocks and minerals from the Cerro Prieto geothermal system: indicators of temperature distribution and fluid flow
Oxygen isotopic compositions have been measured in drill cuttings and core samples from more than 40 wells ranging in depth to more than 3.5 km in the Cerro Prieto geothermal field. Oxygen isotopic profiles of pore-filling calcites in sandstones appear to be a reliable measure of the recent equilibrium temperature distribution in the field before production began. From these data, a detailed, three-dimensional map has been developed, showing the equilibrium temperatures in the geothermal field. A mass balance calculation has been performed using measured /sup 18/O enrichment of the geothermal brine. This calculation implies an overall water; rock volume ratio of approximately 3:1 during the history of the Cerro Prieto system. Paleotemperatures different from the present thermal regime have been studied by examining coexisting mineral systems which exchanged their oxygen with the geothermal brines at different rates.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Riverside (USA). Inst. of Geophysics and Planetary Physics
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT03-80SF11458
- OSTI ID:
- 6054090
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-810399-1; ON: DE82001077
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3. symposium on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field in Baja California, Mexico, San Francisco, CA, USA, Mar 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Oxygen isotope exchange in rocks and minerals from the Cerro Prieto geothermal system: Indicators of temperature distribution and fluid flow
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Related Subjects
CERRO PRIETO GEOTHERMAL FIELD
DRILL CORES
ISOTOPE RATIO
CALCITE
FLUID FLOW
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
ISOTOPIC EXCHANGE
MINERALS
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
ISOTOPES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
150302* - Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology- Geochemical Techniques & Surveys