Final report - Magma Energy Research Project

Technical Report · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6588943· OSTI ID:6588943

Colp, J L

Scientific feasibility was demonstrated for the concept of magma energy extraction. The US magma resource is estimated at 50,000 to 500,000 quads of energy - a 700- to 7000-yr supply at the current US total energy use rate of 75 quads per year. Existing geophysical exploration systems are believed capable of locating and defining magma bodies and were demonstrated over a known shallow buried molten-rock body. Drilling rigs that can drill to the depths required to tap magma are currently available and experimental boreholes were drilled well into buried molten rock at temperatures up to 1100/sup 0/C. Engineering materials compatible with the buried magma environment are available and their performances were demonstrated in analog laboratory experiments. Studies show that energy can be extracted at attractive rates from magma resources in all petrologic compositions and physical configurations. Downhole heat extraction equipment was designed, built, and demonstrated successfully in buried molten rock and in the very hot margins surrounding it. Two methods of generating gaseous fuels in the high-temperature magmatic environment - generation of H/sub 2/ by the interaction of water with the ferrous iron and H/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, and CO generation by the conversion of water-biomass mixtures - have been investigated and show promise.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6588943
• Report Number(s): SAND-82-2377; ON: DE83004761
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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