HDR Opportunities and Challenges Beyond the Long-Term Flow Test
Conference
·
OSTI ID:891927
The long term flow test (LTFT) of the worlds largest, deepest, and hottest hot dry rock (HDR) reservoir currently underway at Fenton Hill, NM, is expected to demonstrate that thermal energy can be mined from hot rock within the earth on a sustainable basis with minimal water consumption. This test will simulate the operations of a commercial facility in some ways, but it will not show that energy from HDR can be produced at a variety of locations with different geological settings. Since the Fenton Hill system was designed as a research facility rather than strictly for production purposes, it will also not demonstrate economic viability, although it may well give indications of system modifications needed for economic HDR operations. A second production site must be constructed, ideally under the direction of the private geothermal community, to begin the process of proving that the vast HDR resources can be accessed on a worldwide scale. This facility should be designed and engineered to produce and market energy at competitive prices. At the same time, a wide variety of techniques to advance the state-of-the-art of HDR technology must be pursued to develop this infant technology rapidly to its maximum potential. A number of design and operational techniques have been conceived which may lead to improved economics in HDR systems. After careful technical and economic scrutiny, those showing merit should be vigorously pursued. Finally, research and development work in areas such as reservoir interrogation, and system modeling must be accelerated to increase the competitiveness and geographical applications of HDR and the geothermal industry in general. This paper addresses the above issues in detail and outlines possible paths to future prosperity for the commercial geothermal industry.
- Research Organization:
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 891927
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-920378--26
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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