A History of Geothermal Energy Research and Development in the ...

EXPLORATION
3.2 State-Cooperative Reservoir Analysis Program
When the State-Coupled Program formally ended with the publication of state
resource maps in 1983, DOE continued to support state teams in those states
judged to have the most promising resource potential and high-priority projects.
New temperature and heat-flow data were obtained for the Cascades and North
and South Dakota, and detailed reservoir studies were made public. A geothermal
resource map for the state of South Dakota was compiled, completing the resource
map base for the western United States. 32 The State-Cooperative Reservoir Analysis
Program was continued at decreasing levels of support through the 1980s and finally
ended in 1990. 33
3.3 Low-Temperature Resource Program
Aware that a great deal of new data on geothermal resources had been developed,
and that low- and moderate-temperature resources were still greatly underutilized,
UURI, the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI), and
the Oregon Institute of Technology’s Geo-Heat Center (OIT-GHC) proposed
a new low-temperature program in 1990-1991. Funding limitations restricted
the program to the 10 states deemed to have the greatest potential to increase
their total geothermal resource base and bring new direct-use projects online:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Utah, and Washington. The program engaged previously established state teams,
leading to the further development of in-state expertise. UURI coordinated
and managed the activities of the state teams. OIT-GHC provided a critical
component with their state-level direct-use inventory, which they used to
correlate identified geothermal resources with the nearest potential market.
Under the Low-Temperature Resource Program, a database of more than
9,278 thermal springs and wells ranging from 20°C to 150°C (68°F to 302°F)
was compiled. The number of resources identified in the new assessment was
85 percent greater than previous compilations. The program emphasized
geothermal resources located near potential users. In California, for example, 56
communities were identified as being located within 8 kilometers (5 miles) of
a known geothermal resource with a temperature of at least 50°C (122°F). 34
The database included the locations of thermal features, descriptive data,
physical and chemical parameters, and references for data sources. Computergenerated
maps were created for each state. Direct-heat use of geothermal fluids
was documented at more than 350 sites, including commercial and municipal
buildings, greenhouse and aquaculture industries, and major space-heating districts
in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah. 35 More than 50 highpriority
resource study areas were identified, along with high potential for nearterm
direct heat utilization at 150 new sites. The state teams recommended more
32 A History of Geothermal Energy Research and Development in the United States | Exploration