Temperature-At-Depth Maps For the Conterminous US and Geothermal Resource Estimates
A third generation geothermal resource assessment has recently been completed for the conterminous US based on a revised heat flow map using over 35,000 data sites. Improvements include: nearly doubling the number of data points used in the analysis, more detailed thermal conductivity models for temperature-at-depth and heat flow calculations, and addition of a significant number of calibration wells as checks on the bottom hole temperature (BHT) correction. The results increase the accuracy of temperature-at-depth models for the conterminous US. These temperature models are the key input required for evaluating the non-conventional geothermal resources on a regional to sub-regional basis. The new resource assessment was prepared according to a proposed global protocol for estimating Enhanced/ Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS) resource potential. A comparison of the new assessment approach with previous studies is provided, along with a discussion of the differences associated with the revised approach.
- Research Organization:
- Southern Methodist University Geothermal Laboratory, Dallas, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- EE0002852
- OSTI ID:
- 1137036
- Report Number(s):
- GRC1029452
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Geothermal Resources Council 2011 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, 10/24/2011 to 10/27/2011, San Diego, CA (United States), 24-27 Oct 2011; Related Information: GRC Transactions, Volume 35. See http://pubs.geothermal-library.org/lib/grc/1029452.pdf
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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