Alturas -- the development of a blind resource
- Geo-Heat Center, Klamath Falls, OR (United States)
Alturas is a small city in northeastern California -- population about 3,500. In response to increasing interest in renewable resources and prospects for expanding the county's economic development, a project was proposed to provide a county-wide inventory of geothermal resources and prospects, collect new field data and temperature gradients in areas lacking data, and preparation of initial plans for expanded resource utilization. One result of the Allen study was the location of twenty-six unreported sites of warm irrigation wells ranging from 68[degrees]F to 111[degrees]F in a somewhat linear alignment south of Alturas and several wells with temperatures of 75[degrees]F to 80[degrees]F north of Alturas along a similar alignment. Exploratory/production well AL-1 was drilled to total depth of 2,424 feet. Below 2,300 feet, a production zone at 187[degrees]F was encountered in fractured, low permeability, fine grained tuff. Well AL-2 was drilled to total depth of 1,940 feet in September and October 1991. The well produces 182[degrees]F fluid with shut-in pressure of 117 psi. Wellhead pressure decreased from 112 psi to 40 psi after ten days. The well is an apparent success and retrofit of the elementary/middle school complex is currently progressing. Plans are also progressing for heating the nearby city pool and potentially a planned community/horse activities center. Although longer term productivity is required to verify the total resource potential, it appears the resource could support a district heat system for at least the business district of Alturas. At current and near-term projected prices for natural gas, retrofit to gas will probably be more economic than a geothermal district heating system. Further development will likely be postponed for 10--20 years when natural gas will be in short supply and prices increased. 3 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5389956
- Journal Information:
- Geo-Heat Center Quarterly Bulletin; (United States), Vol. 15:1; ISSN 0276-1084
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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CALIFORNIA
RENEWABLE RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
SURVEYS
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
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ENERGY SOURCES
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150100* - Geothermal Energy- Resources & Availability
151000 - Geothermal Energy- Direct Energy Utilization