The Hawaiian Scientific Observation Hole Program - Preliminary Results and Status Report

Abstract

The Hawaii Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii has drilled three Scientific Observation Holes (SOH) in the Kilauea East Rift Zone to assess the geothermal potential of the Big Island of Hawaii, and to stimulate private development of the resource. The first hole, was drilled to a depth of meters and recorded a bottom hole temperature of 306.1 Although evidence of fossil reservoir conditions were encountered, no zones with obvious reservoir potential were found. The second hole, SOH-1,was drilled to a depth of 1,684meters, recorded bottom hole temperatures of and effectively defined the northern limit of the Hawaii GeothermalProject-A - Puna Geothermal Venture (HGP-Areservoir. The last hole, SOH-2, was drilled to a depth of 2,073 meters, recorded a bottom hole temperatureof and can be designated as a "discovery". The SOH program was also highly successful in developing slim hole drilling techniques and establishing subsurfacegeological conditions.