WorldWide Drilling Resource

41 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2013 Geothermal Projects in California, Nevada, and Oregon Adapted from a CNW Press Release Alternative Earth Resources Inc., an experienced renewable energy devel- oper focusing on the development of clean electrical power from high tem- perature geothermal resources in the United States, retains a property port- folio of four advanced projects prospec- tive for geothermal development and electricity production in the Western part of the country. The status of each project is reviewed below. New Truckhaven Project - Imperial Valley, California Imperial Valley, one of the world’s premier geothermal areas, has approx- imately 500 MWs (megawatts) of elec- trical geothermal power onl ine and development potential for more than 2000 MWs of generation capacity accord- ing to the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp. Production and injection drilling targets have been identified, and the company is seeking a development partner for a 30 MW binary geothermal power plant. Test data from a historic production test well indicates a potenti- ially commercial resource with meas- ured temperatures of 375°F (190°C) between 3000-5200 feet in layered, high-porosity, sandy sedimentary units. A recent report outl ines a probable resource of approximately 53 MWs within the upper sand unit. Pumpernickel Geothermal Project - Humboldt County, Nevada This project encompasses 11 miles of contiguous geothermal leases locat- ed in north-central Nevada. An early test well to 3070 feet intersected 275ºF (135ºC) geothermal fluid at shallow depth in the range-front fault known as the Pumpernickel Fault. Three initial development test wells are permitted with site selection based on the locations of hot springs along the fault. Engineering studies and a Large Generator Interconnection Agreement with NV Energy for grid connection are completed. A state water license for 3#-0 $ 0!5&-0$14)**% *-5#%,2%0 *--. .3+. +-$3*%1 !0% !4!)* !"*% &-0 "-2( 0%1)$%,2)!* !,$ #-++%0#)!* '0-3,$ *--. (%!2),' !,$ #--*),' 1712%+1 -+.!2)"*% 5)2( 2(%1% .3+.1 03,$&-1 ) *- *-5#%,2%01 #!, "% #-, &)'30%$ 5)2( -0 .3+. 3,)21 2- +!2#( $)&&%0%,2 *-!$ 0%/3)0%+%,21 0-$3#21 ),#*3$% *-5#%,2%01 %-2(%0+!* *-1%$ --. )22),'1 %.*!#%+%,2 3+.1 -1% )21 !,$ ##%11-0)%1 !0)!"*% .%%$ 3+.1 (-,% !6 power plant cooling operations has been granted. North Valley Project - Washoe and Churchill Counties, Nevada Alternative Earth’s leaseholds cover an unusually large and intense thermal anomaly outl ined in 20 widespread temperature-gradient holes drilled in the first rush of geothermal exploration in Nevada. There are no surface hot springs or fumaroles, but thermal devi- ation is interpreted to be caused by an undiscovered geothermal reservoir presenting an opportunity to discover a geothermal system potentially larger than the Blue Mountain geothermal resource now under production 90 miles to the northeast of North Valley. Crump Geyser Geothermal Project - Lake County, Oregon Alternative Earth and Ormat Nevada Inc. are equal partners in Crump Geothermal Company LLC, formed to develop the Crump Geyser project in 2011. A large-diameter development test well and two deep slim wells have been completed indicating 265°F (129°C) thermal water at shallow depths along a fault system on the western edge of the Warner Valley Rift. A magnetotel- luric survey and an additional exploratory sl im wel l, funded by Ormat and the Department of Energy under a cost- sharing agreement, is planned to explore in the valley adjacent to past drilling.