Drilling into molten rock at Kilauea Iki
The scientific feasibility of extracting energy directly from buried circulating magma resources is being assessed. One of the tasks of the project is the study of geophysical measuring systems to locate and define buried molten rock bodies. To verify the results of a molten rock sensing experiment performed at Kilauea Iki lava lake, it is necessary to drill a series of holes through the solid upper crust and through the molten zone at that location. Thirteen holes have been drilled in Kilauea Iki. The results achieved during the drilling of the last two holes indicated that the molten zone in Kilauea Iki is not a simple, relatively homogeneous fluid body as expected. The encountering of an unexpected, unknown rigid obstruction 2.5 ft below the crust/melt interface has led to the conceptual development of a drilling system intended to have the capability to drill through a hot, rigid obstruction while the drill stem is immersed in molten rock. The concept will be field tested at Kilauea Iki in the summer of 1978.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-04-0789
- OSTI ID:
- 6700728
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-78-0443C; CONF-780708-11
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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POWER RECOVERY FROM THE KILAUEA IKI LAVA POOL
Probing the melt zone of Kilauea Iki lava lake, Kilauea volcano, Hawaii
Related Subjects
150303* -- Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology-- Exploratory Drilling & Well Logging
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
DESIGN
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
Geothermal Legacy
HAWAII
IGNEOUS ROCKS
KILAUEA VOLCANO
LAVA
LAYERS
MAGMA SYSTEMS
NORTH AMERICA
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
ROCKS
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANOES
WELL DRILLING
WESTERN REGION