Geothermal-resource survey of the Tennessee Valley Region
An overview appraisal of the geothermal resources in the Tennessee Valley Region revealed geothermal resources of potential usefulness in two of 13 subregions: the New Madrid Seismic Zone and the central segment of the Northern Gulf Coastal Plain. The appraisal was based on geologic features of the region (hot springs, groundwater aquifers, and structure) and temperature data for oil and gas wells and shallow water wells. Site-specific exploration for economic appraisal was not carried out. The geothermal gradient for each of the subregions was established by linear regression of all of the bottom-hole temperature data for the oil and gas wells. A routine statistical procedure identified all unusually warm wells within each subregion, and their locations were plotted. Hot spots in a subregion were identified by localized clustering of such wells in numbers exceeding statistical expectations based on the intensity of drilling activity. Of the two areas most likely for extraction of geothermal energy, the New Madrid Seismic Zone has a high geothermal gradient at shallow depths (less than 500 meters). However, the higher gradient does not continue at greater depth since convective circulation is the probable cause of the higher-than-normal groundwater temperatures. Although a high geothermal gradient does persist at depth in the central segment of the Northern Gulf Coastal Plain, engineering problems are likely to hinder the current economic use of geothermal energy in this subregion. The extraction of geothermal resources in the 11 other subregions is not considered to be feasible at present because (1) the heat source is too deep, or (2) there are no suitable aquifers.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76OR00033
- OSTI ID:
- 5053181
- Report Number(s):
- ORAU/IEA-82-7(M); ON: DE82021951
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
TENNESSEE VALLEY REGION
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
AQUIFERS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
GROUND WATER
HOT SPRINGS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
WATER WELLS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOURCES
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMAL SPRINGS
WATER
WATER SPRINGS
WELLS
150101* - Geothermal Energy- Resources & Availability- USA- (-1989)
299002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Geothermal- (-1989)