FLOW AND PERMEABILITY STRUCTURE OF THE BEOWAWE, NEVADA HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM

Abstract

A review of past geologic, geochemical, hydrological, pressure transient, and reservoir engineering studies of Beowawe suggests a different picture of the reservoir than previously presented. The Beowawe hydrothermal contains buoyant thermal fluid dynamically balanced with overlying cold water, as shown by repeated temperature surveys and well test results. Thermal fluid upwells from the west of the currently developed reservoir at the intersection of the Malpais Fault and an older structural feature associated with mid-Miocene rifting. A tongue of thermal fluid rises to the east up the high permeability Malpais Fault, discharges at the Geysers area, and is in intimate contact with overlying cooler water. The permeability structure is closely related to the structural setting, with the permeability of the shallow hydrothermal system ranging from 500 to 1,000 D-ft, while the deeper system ranges from 200 to 400 D-ft.