Borehole Temperature Studies of the Las Alturas Geothermal Anomaly, New Mexico
- Key words
- Thermal Gradient; Geophysics; Wellbore Temperature; Low Temperature; USA; New Mexico; Las Cruces; Las Alturas; Resource Evaluation; Logging; Shallow Gradient; Regional Data; Hydrothermal; Direct Heat; Test Well; Electrical Resistivity; NMSU; New Mexico En
- Location
- Las Cruces, New Mexico; Las Alturas, New Mexico
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1979
- Session
- Exploration; Well logging; Temperature gradients; Geophysica
- Language
- English
Abstract
Three phase of borehole temperature studies have been made relative to the Las Alturas geothermal anomaly in southern New Mexico: i) logging of "free" holes; ii) shallow gradient study; and iii) analysis of data from two 300 m tests. A maximum temperature of 62.5°C (145°C) has been measured at 300 m in one of the tests, and the data indicate that the source of the anomaly is a hydrothermal circulation system. A simple analysis of the temperature data indicated vertical water flow rates or the order of 1x10-9 m/s. The borehole temperature data have provided valuable information for delineating, evaluating and characterizing the nature of the source of the anomaly.
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