Federal Geothermal Research Program Update Fiscal Year 2000

Technical Report · Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/794382· OSTI ID:794382

Renner, J L

The Department of Energy's Geothermal Program serves two broad purposes: (1) to assist industry in overcoming near-term barriers by conducting cost-shared research and field verification that allows geothermal energy to compete in today's aggressive energy markets; and (2) to undertake fundamental research with potentially large economic payoffs. The four categories of work used to distinguish the research activities of the Geothermal Program during FY 2000 reflect the main components of real-world geothermal projects. These categories form the main sections of the project descriptions in this Research Update. Exploration Technology research focuses on developing instruments and techniques to discover hidden hydrothermal systems and to explore the deep portions of known systems. Research in geophysical and geochemical methods is expected to yield increased knowledge of hidden geothermal systems. Reservoir Technology research combines laboratory and analytical investigations with equipment development and field testing to establish practical tools for resource development and management for both hydrothermal reservoirs and enhanced geothermal systems. Research in various reservoir analysis techniques is generating a wide range of information that facilitates development of improved reservoir management tools. Drilling Technology focuses on developing improved, economic drilling and completion technology for geothermal wells. Ongoing research to avert lost circulation episodes in geothermal drilling is yielding positive results. Conversion Technology research focuses on reducing costs and improving binary conversion cycle efficiency, to permit greater use of the more abundant moderate-temperature geothermal resource, and on the development of materials that will improve the operating characteristics of many types of geothermal energy equipment. Increased output and improved performance of binary cycles will result from investigations in heat cycle research.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Geothermal Technologies (EE-12) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-99ID13727
• OSTI ID: 794382
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID-10907; TRN: US200210%%29
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 15 Aug 2001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
DRILLING FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
LOSSES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
HYDROTHERMAL
RESERVOIRS
GEOTHERMAL
TRACER
INJECTION
FLUID FLOW
DRILLING
PACKER ELEMENTS
LOGGING INSTRUMENTS
ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY
CONVERSION
DRY STEAM CONVERSION
FLASH STEAM PLANTS
BINARY CYCLES
Geothermal Legacy