Geopressured-Geothermal Direct Use Developments

Abstract

Developmental activities are currently in progress to utilize the thermal and hydraulic energy available in geopressured geothermal (geopressured) resources for a variety of direct uses. The higher temperatures and pressures found in geopressured resources create the opportunity of many new applications. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, EG&G Idaho, INc. (INEL) is presently evaluating potential direct uses for geopressured resources, as are a number of industries, firms, organization, and educational institutions. In addition, the INEL is spearheading the formation of an industrial consortium to use the energy available in geopressured resources. Some of the applications under consideration include agriculture and aquaculture integrated systems, thermal enhanced oil recovery, the use of supercritical processes for detoxification of pollutant, desalination and brine production, processing, and others. This paper provides an overview of current geopressured direct use development, relevant background information about the geopressured resource, and hydrothermal geothermal (hydrothermal) direct use applications that can be installed data geopressured resources. Any specific development has unique considerations; these too are discussed.