In an attempt to identify the geothermal potential of the Pilgrim Springs aiea in the Saward Peninsula, Alaska, exploratory drilling was undertaken in the Summer of 1982. A total of four wells were drilled through a State appropriation. The Division of Energy and Power Development acted as the Project Manager while Woodward-Clyde Consultants were selected as the principal contractor. Two other shallow wells were drilled in 1979. The six wells were completed at various depths rangi ng from approximately 70 ft to 1000ft.

The drilling activity followed an extensive geological and geophysical assessment done by Forbes et a l. (1979), Turner and Forbes (1980) and Wescott and Turner (1981). Their work indicated the existence of an extensive, liquid dominated, shallow geothermal reservoir in the area. The shallow reservoir, confirmed by the 1979 drilling, delineated within a 1 to 1.5 km' area, bounded by permafrost at least 350 ft thick.

The results of the 1979 drilling were presented by Kline (1981). Table 1 is a summary of the well completion data. Figure 1 shows the well locations. Wells PSl and PS2 were drilled to 150ft. Air-lifted flowrate was estimated at 200 GPM and; 350 GPH, respectively, with a flowing wellhead temperature of 91OC. The wells were then filled with mud and cemented until 1982 when they were reopened. The mud settled at 105 ft in both wells, making them in accessible below that depth. They were perforated using shape charges at the interval 70-100ft (PSI) and 60-90ft (PS2). The unaided flow rate never exceeded 30 GPM in PSI and 65 GPM in PS2.

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