Mineralogical Analysis of Silver Peak and Alum Peak Geothermal Well Cores Using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)

Abstract

The success of a geothermal well depends on various factors, one of which is the understanding of the subsurface. Knowledge of formation mineralogy allows for an analysis of geothermal capacity and informs efficient drilling fluid design. X-ray diffraction (XRD) provides quantitative bulk analysis that can be combined with core and section analysis to identify sample mineralogy and mineral distribution. In this study, core samples from two wells in Southwest Nevada, taken at approximately 100 ft intervals with the top interval at 4351 ft and the bottom at 4928 ft, were analyzed in OU’s Powder XRD Lab, using Rigaku’s Ultima IV Diffractometer and MDI’s Jade software. The aim was to identify the formation of mineralogy and how this correlated from well to well. When mineral data from the two wells was put side-by-side, there were five mappable zones and a potential faulting or post-erosional deposition system at 4500 ft.