Enhanced geothermal project faces delays
AltaRock Energy, which received $6.25 million from the US Department of Energy for the first demonstration project of enhanced geothermal energy, is facing major delays according to James Glanz of the New York Times
Unidentified scientists told the New York Times that after two months of drilling the company has only reached a depth of 4000 feet. AltaRock started drilling at 3200 feet, the bottom of one of the older holes at The Geysers
According to the New York Times, the drill bit snapped off at least once and the company has had to start drilling the hole again. AltaRock originally expected to reach a final depth of 12,000 feet or 2.3 miles after no more than 50 days of drilling.
Enhanced geothermal energy appears to hold great promise for replacing electric power plants run on fossil fuels. It is, however, not without problems. The initial investment needed to develop enhanced geothermal is steep. In addition, technological advances are needed for development of pumps to move great volumes of water through fractures in deep, hot rock.Now add drilling problems to the list.
The AltaRock project seems to have overcome the issue of steep initial costs by partnering with the DOE in this demonstration project and by reportedly raising $30 million from investors, including Google.
Besides the costs and the technical problems, there is another very troubling problem —- the possibility that the fracturing rock in the geothermal process causes an increase in earthquake activity. At similar enhanced geothermal project in Basel, Switzerland project was halted in 2006 because of increased earthquake activity after fracturing.
AltaRock has said that the Basel project drilled in the vicinity of a major known fault. The Swiss Seismological Service disputes this claim.
Even if AltaRock solves its problems with its drill bit and reaches the depth of 12,000 feet, the DOE is reviewing the earthquake data and has not yet given the company permission to fracture the rock. The DOE report is expected soon.
Further reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/us/20alta.html
See my previous article on enhanced geothermal at http://greenlegals.com/2009/05/geothermal/
This article was also published at http://www.examiner.com/x-17018-Environmental-Headlines-Examiner
