A Thematic Workshop on, "Drilling into High-enthalpy Geothermal Systems: A Collaborative Initiative to Promote Scientific Opportunities".

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In an effort to advance Continental Scientific Drilling in the USA, DOSECC is organising aseries of topical workshops. The workshop proposed here has two objectives, firstly to advancescientific studies of active high-enthalpy hydrothermal systems, and secondly to foster collaborationbetween academic scientists, government agencies, and industry. Such collaboration is highlydesirable because the scientific study of active hydrothermal systems requires drilling andsampling boreholes whose costs far exceed budgets normally available to academic scientists,whereas the geothermal industry commonly drills wells that access them.The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) represents an excellent example of such a collaboration.From the outset academic scientists have been deeply involved in that project. The IDDP isinvestigating the economic feasibility of producing electricity from supercritical geothermalreservoirs. To test this concept an industry consortium planned to drilled a deep well inthe volcanic caldera of Krafla. However drilling had to be terminated at 2.1 km depth when900C rhyolite magma flowed into the well. Today the well is highly productive, estimated tobe capable of generating 35 MWe of dry superheated steam at a well-head temperature of ~440C.There is a significant undeveloped potential for developing high-enthalpy geothermal systemsin the western USA, Hawaii and Alaska. Although drilling into these deep unconventional geothermalreservoirs is more expensive, the higher productivity per well should offset this.It is proposed to compile and distribute a report that addresses industry's interest, abilities,research needs, and potential for collaborative projects that drill high-enthalpy systems.This will be based on the results of a broadly distributed questionnaire, and a three dayworkshop with participation by industry, government and university scientists. Hopefully thiswill help create a national program that enhances the scientific, technological and institutionalbasis for the development of new and more economic sources of alternative energy.