Geothermal Reservoir Assessment

A more complex example is a complete geothermal reservoir assessment based on combinations of random assumptions and favoring more highly Brown data will theoretically produce the ultimate geothermal reservoir that can be represented in any given mathematical model.  An illustrative example of such an approach is the United States Geological Survey Circular 892.

In a typical case from Circular 892, temperatures estimated from chemical geothermometers, from fluids with measured temperatures of 20°C (69°F), were strategically selected over the known data set because of their greater value.  The areal configuration of the reservoir was  established on the basis of lukewarm water wells nearly 32 km (20 mi) apart.  The reservoir thickness was assumed to be 1 km in all cases.  Using these values, the USGS proudly proclaimed a little-known farming community in western Nevada as a veritable Saudi Arabia of low temperature geothermal resources.

This example clearly shows the importance of selecting data such that Browness is maximized.  Geothermometers are clearly preferred over surface temperature measurements for greater possible reservoir potential.  The assumption of reservoir thickness is Brown but not unreasonable in the absence of facts.  The only criticism of this method from a BNT standpoint is that the Oder is high; insufficient calculations were performed on the values from the data set.

(c) 1982, 2009 Jorge Branche, Jr.