Geothermal investigations in Nebraska: methods and results

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:7369416

Gosnold, Jr, W D ^[1]; Eversoll, D A; Carlson, M P; Ruscetta, C A; Foley, D ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Nebraska, Omaha
2. eds.

At the inception of the geothermal resource assessment program in Nebraska there was some skepticism about the existence of any geothermal resources within the state. Now after two years of study and collaboration with other workers in the geothermal field it is found that about two-thirds of the state has access to a potential low-temperature resource. The nature of the resource is warm water in laterally extensive aquifers which are overlain by thick (> 1 km) sections of low thermal conductivity sediments. For most of the resource area the high temperatures in the aquifers result from high temperature gradients in the overlying shales. However, in the northcentral and far western parts of the state there is evidence for convective heat flow due to updip water flow in the aquifers. The success of the program has resulted from the synthesis of heat flow and temperature gradient measurements with stratigraphic and lithologic data. The methods used and the results obtained during the study are described.

• OSTI ID: 7369416
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12079-39; ESL-59; CONF-8105132-15; ON: DE82003944
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150101* -- Geothermal Energy-- Resources & Availability-- USA-- (-1989)
AQUIFERS
GEOLOGY
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Geothermal Legacy
HEAT FLOW
LITHOLOGY
MIDWEST REGION
NEBRASKA
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
STRATIGRAPHY
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA