WorldWide Drilling Resource

42 SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Peru is set to Explore Geothermal Potential Adapted from Information from Hot Rock Limited Hot Rock Limited (HRL) announced Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has completed a nationwide geo- thermal power development plan for Peru to promote and accelerate geothermal generation in that country. The JICA report covers: • Appraisal of geothermal resource potential in promising fields. • Assessment of future demand for power in Peru. • A detailed review and assessment of the current legal and policy frame- works established to allow geo- thermal energy to be explored and developed by the private sector. The report’s recommendations are intended to promote geothermal develop- ment in Peru by establishing the appropri- ate national policies. JICA and INGEMMET (Geological, Mining and Metal lurgical Institute), identified 61 geothermal fields. Of those fields, 34 have one or more hot springs with temperatures greater than 140ºF (60ºC). In prioritizing t h e f i e l d s , J I CA assessed the re- source potential, ease of access, and those projects occurring outside of protected a r eas r equ i r i ng detailed EIS (envi- ronmental impact study) reports. Power demand is expected to in- crease 8.1%by 2018, and the Peruvian g o v e r n m e n t i s exploring the idea of using geothermal power to help meet the increased de- mand. Like many Sou t h Ame r i can countries, Peru cur- rently relies heavily o n h y d r o p owe r generation which is unreliable. A new law was p a s s e d i n Ap r i l 2010 to allow pri- vate investment to develop geothermal r esou r ces . HRL was one of the first companies to be granted geother- mal energy licenses in Peru to explore f o r g e o t h e rma l resources. JICA ranked nine of the most promising geother- mal fields based on geological, geo- c h em i c a l , a n d resource studies as having consid- erable early devel- opment potential for private devel- opment. Three of the top four, based on estimated pos- sible power gener- ation capacity are t he Ac human i , Quel laapacheta, and Occururane. Achumani was granted a three- year term and is in the early exploration stage. A magnetotelluric geophysical survey is planned to start in October to outline the geothermal reservoir and to select drill targets. Energy Development Corporation (EDC), the largest geothermal company based in the Philippines, is HRL’s joint venture partner for the high-temperature Quellaapacheta project. Earlier this year, EDC completed a de- tai led magne- totelluric survey and a report on the results is ex- pected soon. The project is located near the town of Calacoa along the Putina River in the province of Moquegua in Southern Peru. The Occururane location is currently at the application stage and explo- ration has not begun. The geothermal setting in Peru is very similar to Chile where HRL successfully established Hot Rock Chile SA in 2009, which was recently awarded six signif- 0,2+ 675;,4 -57 5;,7 ',(78 /558, -753 +0--,7,49 35+,28 95 -09 >5:7 4,,+8 "(4.04. -753 36 95 36 4*2:+,8 %,/0*2, :36 #9(7904. (99,7> /(7.04. (4+ (4+ % 95 65<,7 &07,-,,+,78 0. (7708 "5(+ ,74+(2, ,< '571 $,2 (= &,) 809, <<< .,9,* *53 3(02 8(2,8 .,9,* *53 ',(78 5- =6,70,4*, 3(1, 9/08 204, 5- &,2+,78 (4 :43(9*/,+ !:(209> 75+:*9 04 95+(>?8 3(71,9 690548 04*2:+, 49,74(2 7,88:7, 536,48(904. 25< 549752 67,;,4904. (**0+,49(2 5;,786,,+ +(3(., 95 9/, &,2+,7 %,/0*2, :36 #9(7904. %5298 ( ,9,* ,=*2:80;, (99,7> /(7.04. %5298 (4+ % 95 65<,7 >5:7 0. :4 &07,-,,+ 589 536(*9 >+7(:20* &,2+,7 54 (71,9 (049,4(4*, 7,, ,80.4 0./9,89 >+7(:20* &,2+,7 54 (71,9 Peru is set cont’d on page 44. EDC President and COO Richard Tantoco and HRL Executive Chairman Dr. Mark Elliott. Photo courtesy of EDC.