The Unalaska Geothermal Exploration Project: Introduction and Land, Regulatory, and Environmental Aspects

Abstract

The Alaska Power Authority contracted with Republic Geothermal, Inc. in 1981 to explore Makushin Volcano on Unalaska Island, Alaska for geothermal resources. The two year $4.7 million contract included geological, geochemical, and geophysical exploration and the drilling of three 1,500 foot temperature gradient holes in 1982, and the drilling and testing of one 4,000 foot small diameter geothermal exploration well and one 2,000 foot temperature gradient hole in 1983. All the holes and the well have been or will be drilling with a wire line diamond core drilling rig and supported entirely by helicopter. The geothermal lands being explored currently are being managed by the federal government as a national wildlife refuge, but may be conveyed to an Alaska Native corporation if the cooperation chooses. This land uncertainty created many unique regulatory problems for the projects which were resoled only though the cooperation of the agencies involved and the use of the environmental baseline information collected in 1982.