Geopressured-geothermal resources in California

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6761133

Kharaka, Y K; Lico, M S; Law, L M; Carothers, W N

Geopressured-geothermal waters exist in California within the Great Valley and Franciscan sequences on the west side of the Central Valley and adjacent Coast Ranges. They are also present in Cenozoic rocks within three deep sedimentary depressions (depocenters) of the Central Valley, and in the Ventura, Los Angeles, and several relatively small offshore basins. The areal extent of geopressured zone in California is about 100,000 km/sup 2/. Geopressured zones may be encountered at very shallow depths (< 1000 m) within the Franciscan and Great Valley sequences, but the depths increase in the Central Valley from west to east reaching depths of 3000 m or more. Temperature gradients in the normally pressured zones from the Central Valley are generally 18 to 27/sup 0/ C/km (1 to 1.5/sup 0/F/100 ft) and range up to 45/sup 0/ C/km (2.5/sup 0/F/100 ft); temperature gradients in the geopressured zones are higher by a factor of up to two. Water salinities in the geopressured zones are generally less than 20,000 mg/L total dissolved solids, and in many locations, less than 10,000 mg/L. Lower water salinities in California, compared to the Gulf Coast, result in higher dissolved methane and less environmental and disposal problems. In addition, several areas in San Joaquin Valley may be more attractive because faulting may not be as extensive as in the Gulf Coast.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA
• OSTI ID: 6761133
• Report Number(s): CONF-811015-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150101* -- Geothermal Energy-- Resources &amp; Availability-- USA-- (-1989)
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
SALINITY
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
WATER