Geothermal Resource/Reservoir Investigations Based on Heat Flow and Thermal Gradient Data for the United States

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/758787· OSTI ID:758787

Blackwell, D D; Wisian, K W; Richards, M C; Steele, J L

Several activities related to geothermal resources in the western United States are described in this report. A database of geothermal site-specific thermal gradient and heat flow results from individual exploration wells in the western US has been assembled. Extensive temperature gradient and heat flow exploration data from the active exploration of the 1970's and 1980's were collected, compiled, and synthesized, emphasizing previously unavailable company data. Examples of the use and applications of the database are described. The database and results are available on the world wide web. In this report numerical models are used to establish basic qualitative relationships between structure, heat input, and permeability distribution, and the resulting geothermal system. A series of steady state, two-dimensional numerical models evaluate the effect of permeability and structural variations on an idealized, generic Basin and Range geothermal system and the results are described.

• Research Organization: USDOE Idaho Operations Office, Idaho Falls, ID; Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FG07-97ID13504
• OSTI ID: 758787
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/13504; TRN: AH200028%%93
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 1 Apr 2000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HEAT FLUX
PERMEABILITY
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
Geothermal Legacy
THERMAL GRADIENT
HEAT FLOW
WELLS
NUMERICAL MODELS
HEAT INPUT
PERMEABILITY DISTRIBUTION
BASIN AND RANGE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
BULK PERMEABILITY
SUBSURFACE
UPFLOW
DIXIE VALLEY