Geothermal Reservoir Engineering: The Role of the U. S. Geological Survey

Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey has a legislated mandate to assess and inventory the Nation's geothermal resources. Accordingly , principal objectives of the Survey's Geothermal Research Program are: geologic, geochemical , geophysical , and hydrologic characteristics of all types of geothermal systems; ( 2 ) to improve and develop techniques of exploration for and assessment of geothermal resources; (3) to characterize the seismicity, ground deformation, and hydrologic changes that may be induced by the production of geothermal fluids and their subsequent injection back into the subsurface; and (4) to determine the amount of geothermal energy t h a t exists as a national resource and periodically to update this assessment as new information becomes available. Research that addresses objectives 1, 2, and 3 is designed to provide information that permits an increasingly accurate assessment of the Nation's geothermal resources.