DOE- Industry Geothermal Program Briefing

Geothermal Resources CouncilPerspective

March 20, 2003

Data Gathering Procedure• Jay Nathwani and Joel Renner

presentation to GRC Board, 1/30/2003• Sabodh Garg Facilitator• Initial input from 16 GRC Board

Members• Subsequent Discussion and Comments

Available in Text Form

Summary of Recommendations• Exploration and Resource Definition• Drilling Technology• Reservoir Confirmation, Characterization and

Management• Enhanced Geothermal Systems• Hardware Development• Low Temperature Conversion Technology• Basic Research Efforts• Information Dissemination, Education and Outreach• Non-Electrical Uses and Distributed Power

Exploration and Resource Definition

• Expanded GRED (Geothermal Resource Exploration and Definition)

• Cost-Shared Drilling– Slim-hole– Reservoir confirmation– New Exploration

• Fracture Targeting– Geochemical Techniques– Geophysical Techniques

Drilling Technology• Reactivate GDO (Geothermal Drilling Organization)

• Continue Lost Circulation Control Research

• Develop Suite of Cementing Materials and Techniques

• Basic Research– Bit Technology– Logging while drilling

Reservoir Confirmation, Characterization and Management

• Integration of Basic Geophysical, Geochemical Data into more Robust Reservoir Models

• Incorporate Fluid Chemistry and non-conservative tracers into numerical modeling techniques

• Support publication of case studies with demonstrated efficacy of Reservoir Modeling

Enhanced Geothermal Systems

• Expand Funding Level– Potential for near-term deployment– Requirement to test multiple concepts

• Near-term focus should be on EGS coupled with producing hydrothermal

Hardware Development• Downhole Pump Temperature

limitations• Materials Demonstration

– Anti-scalant Coatings– Corrosion Protection

• Combination Logging Tools– PTS-Density Tool

• Advanced H2S abatement

Conversion Technology• Aggressively Develop and Demonstrate

a power cycle that is economic in the low temperature range.– 212-300 oF – Lower temperatures?

Distributed Power and Non-Electric Uses

• Off-grid Village Power Generation– 50 kW to 5 MW

• Mineral Recovery– Zinc, Manganese– Silica– Lithium, Potassium, Cesium, Rubidium

• Agribusiness and space heat, industrial process heat

Information Dissemination, Education and Outreach

• Maintain funding for Scientific Meetings and Publications

• Geothermal is a viable renewable energy source for the future– Indigenous– Energy security– Low Emissions

• Educate Public, Policy Makers

US and Mexico Co-operative Work

• Presented to and Discussed with Mexico Secretary of Energy Martens– Geothermal Reservoir Identification and

Management– Geothermal Deployment Strategy– Integrated Uses of Geothermal Resources

• Secretary Martens intends to discuss with US Secretary of Energy Abraham

Barriers to Short Term Deployment

• Lack of Power Sales Contracts• Capital Front-End Loading of

Geothermal Projects• Limited Inventory of Proven

Resources• Attracting Capital Investment