Status of the Los Alamos experiment to extract geothermal energy from hot dry rock

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 1977 Status of the Los Alamos experiment to extract geothermal energy from hot dry rock A. W. Laughlin; A. W. Laughlin 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. A. Pettitt; R. A. Pettitt 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar F. G. West; F. G. West 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. C. Eddy; A. C. Eddy 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. P. Balagna; J. P. Balagna 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. W. Charles R. W. Charles 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information A. W. Laughlin 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 R. A. Pettitt 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 F. G. West 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 A. C. Eddy 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 J. P. Balagna 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 R. W. Charles 1University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Post Office Box 1663, Mail Stop 978, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1977) 5 (4): 237–240. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1977)5<237:SOTLAE>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation A. W. Laughlin, R. A. Pettitt, F. G. West, A. C. Eddy, J. P. Balagna, R. W. Charles; Status of the Los Alamos experiment to extract geothermal energy from hot dry rock. Geology 1977;; 5 (4): 237–240. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1977)5<237:SOTLAE>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract For the past four years, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) has been investigating a method for extracting geothermal energy from hot, but essentially impermeable, rocks at moderate depths. The concept is to drill a hole into the hot, relatively impermeable rock and create a large hydraulic fracture that serves as a downhole heat exchanger. A second hole is drilled to intersect the fracture, creating a circulation loop for the injected water.Two deep holes (GT-2 and EE-1) have been drilled at the Fenton Hill site in northern New Mexico. The first hole, GT-2, has a depth of 2,928 m and a bottom-hole temperature of 197 °C. The second hole, EE-1, has been temporarily halted at at depth of 3,062 m, where the temperature is 205.5 °C. Hydraulic fractures have been created in both holes, and fluid communication between the holes was established in October 1975. Circualtion experiments are now being conducted between the two holes. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.