Geothermal Energy Potential From Oil Fields in the Los Angeles Basin and Co-Located Renewable Resources

Abstract

As advances are made in the efficiency of binary power generation technology, interest in the use of geothermal fluids produced in oil fields to generate power has increased. This study is an evaluation of the suitability of the oil pools in the Los Angeles Basin for geothermal power generation. Using the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) database of all wells within the District 1 area, we identified those fields for which geo-pressured conditions exist and where temperatures were sufficiently high to allow reasonable power generation potential. Of the 29,156 wells that were examined, twelve pools were identified that met the temperature and pressure thresholds to generate power. Of these, three are geo-pressured making them of particular interest. This paper describes the screening process used to identify the fields of interest and describes the pressure and temperature conditions in these fields. We are in the process of estimating the energy they could produce. Other renewable energy technologies such as wind, and solar have been mapped. We evaluate the most suitable locations for co-locating these renewable energy technologies. Last, this paper discusses the potential for developing distributed generation capabilities in this region, and the implications for supporting California?s distributed generation mandate and its community choice aggregation program.