Los Alamos (EES-1) Experience in Geothermal Exploration and Development

Basic Research on Geothermal Processes: Beginning in the early 1980's, the Los Alamos staff members were involved in research drilling in and around hydrothermal systems; this work was in the thermal regimes element of the Department of Energy's Continental Scientific Drilling Program (CSDP). The lead work in thermal regimes at that time was associated with three research coreholes drilled in the Valles caldera, New Mexico. Los Alamos staff also collaborated on thermal regimes projects in Long Valley caldera, in the Clear Lake volcanic field, the Salton Sea, and in the fossil hydrothermal system associated with the Creede caldera, Colorado.

DOE State-Coupled Low Temperature Geothermal Program: This Department of Energy program, that existed between about 1976 and 1982, involved the assessment of low- to moderate-temperature geothermal resources throughout the nation. EES-1 was responsible for managing the program in Arizona and New Mexico and, in this capacity, managed geothermal resource assessment groups at New Mexico State University and the Arizona Geological Survey. In support of this initiative EES-1 performed temperature well logging throughout the two state area, analyzed and interpreted data, and guided the preparation of a geothermal resource map series (1:500,000 scale) of each state.

Central America/Caribbean Program: From 1983 to 1991, the Los Alamos National Laboratory led a geothermal resources evaluation program made up of staff from counterparts in Central American and Caribbean countries, Los Alamos, the U. S. Geological Survey, U. S. universities, and private consultants. The purpose was to provide technical training, collaboration and advice on geothermal exploration, well logging activities, and engineering/economical evaluations and system designs as needed in these countries (St. Lucia, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama). The main products of this program were training in hydrogeochemical, geological, and geophysical exploration, energy evaluation techniques, geothermal exploration drilling, high-temperature well logging, and reports to technical and nontechnical branches of the host- country government. A number of peer-reviewed journal publications resulted from this work as well as follow up development programs sponsored by USAID, UNDP, and various geothermal companies.

Education: Several of the staff have lectured at the Geothermal Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand, at the University of New Mexico (Magmatic and Geothermal Systems) and at other universities in the United States and Italy. Several of the investigators are co-editors of geothermal journals. They have taught short courses on Geochemical Techniques and Volcanology and Geothermal Exploration at professional meetings, at Los Alamos and in universities in the U.S. and Latin America. The short courses were funded by the U. S. Agency for International Development and by UNESCO. Many professional papers and a book on geothermal exploration (Volcanology and Geothermal Energy, University of California Press, 1992) have been published by the Los Alamos staff members.

Drilling: Los Alamos staff have planned and supervised the drilling of seven geothermal gradient coreholes, including the deepest and hottest research corehole ever drilled in the US (in the Valles caldera, New Mexico). They have also collaborated with other institutions on drilling projects in geothermal systems. The staff also planned the core sample protocols and curation for the US Continental Scientific Drilling Program.
Modeling: Los Alamos National Laboratory houses one of the world's premier computing facilities and employs leaders and pioneers in the fields of mathematical physics, complex systems, systems engineering, statistical/economic predictions, and geoanalysis. EES-1 has employed these modeling capabilities in efforts to integrate results of geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys into global models of geothermal systems, models that can be tested by drilling and are aimed at providing constraints as to the economic potential of geothermal field development. One of the goals of developing earth system models has been to make them available for use by others not specifically trained in modeling. To this end, ESS-1 staff have created personal computer programs designed with graphical user interfaces for modeling volcanic activity, heat flow, petrographic analyses, and hydrogeochemical systems.

Facilities: Facilities housed by EES-1 necessary for geothermal research and exploration include a water chemistry laboratory, thin-section laboratory, petrographic microscopes, a Cameca electron microprobe, ADEM scanning electron microscope, and numerous computing facilities. These facilities are complemented by staff and equipment at Los Alamos necessary for reservoir engineering, well logging, economical/statistical analysis, engineering systems design, and industrial collaborations.