Oct 20 2010
U.S. Geothermal Inc, a known geothermal energy company, declared that USG Oregon its auxiliary company, has successfully completed the drilling and testing of its Neal Hot Springs geothermal project’s NHS-8 production facility located in eastern Oregon. The well that met with the reservoir partition at 3,604 feet, flowed at a rate of 2,770 gallons per minute (gpm) under artesian pressure with a production temperature of 287.5 ºF.
USG Oregon LLC had already drilled and tested two of its existing production wells. The NHS-1 well met with the reservoir at 2,287 feet and offers a production temperature of 286.5 ºF with a rated artesian pressure of 2,315 gpm. Its NHS-5 well intersected the reservoir at 2,796 feet and flows out at 1,500 gpm rate with a production temperature of 286 ºF. Normally geothermal wells with a flow rate of 2,000 to 3,000 gpm and a flow temperature of 286 ºF are regarded to have feasibilities to validate commercial level power production. The company is currently drilling NHS-2 its fourth production well located in the middle of NH-5 and NH-8. The well has currently reached a depth of 1,188 feet out of the aimed reservoir depth of 3,220 feet. The company hopes to complete its 23 MW geothermal power production target with the completion of this well. The company has completed the drilling testing for its NHS-10 well which could achieve only 1,100 gpm capability. Its second injection well NHS-13 drilled recently is passing through its injection testing process.
Daniel Kunz, the company’s President and CEO, said that the NHS-8 well has shown the uppermost temperature and artesian flow rate than any of the other wells drilled at the site. He added that with the finishing of the NHS-2 well, the company will achieve the required production capability of 23 MW and announced the plan of the company to concentrate on injection strategy.
Source: https://www.ormat.com/en/home/a/main/