Characteristics of geothermal wells located in the Salton Sea geothermal field, Imperial County, California

Abstract

We have summarized the geophysi-the wells, we have developed a subcal, geochemical, and geothermal surfaceheat profile fortheentire characteristics of wells located in geothermal field. Wehavealso drawn the Saltonsea Geothermal Field. Based mapsoftemperature contours for speon the geothermal characteristics of cified depths throughout the field.

Geological, geophysical, and thermal characteristics of the Salton Sea Geothermal Field, California

“…3 can be extended into the field by the reaction 4 zoisite (Fe-free epidote) + quartz e grossularite (garnet) Although the data base is scanty, the contours of the epidote isograd, i.e., the first appearance of epidote, are concentric with the heat axis as defined by Randall (1974) and the pattern of subsurface isotherms as determined by Palmer (1975). Muffler and White (1969) report first seeing High-rank hydrothermal alteration of the reservoir rocks in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field has reduced porosity and permeability.…”

“…The Calipatria fault was identified using infrared detection (Babcock, 1971) and the alignment of thermal hot springs (Muffler and White, 1968). The Red Hill fault, located between the Brawley and the Calipatria faults, was traced with correlations derived from electric logs (Towse, 1975), interpreted from the ground magnetic survey (Meidav and Furgerson 1972), and subsequently located with a seismic refraction survey (Frith 1978 (Helgeson, 1968;Randall, 1974;Palmer, 1975;Magma Power Co., 1979) were critically analyzed to determine in which surveys the measurements represent equilibrium temperatures that existed prior to drilling.…”

Thermal Regime of the State 2–14 Well, Salton Sea Scientific Drilling Project

“…The temperature coefficient used is that for carbonate-or quartz-rich rocks [Birch and Clark, 1940]. vidual profiles were presented by Palmer [1975] and were analyzed in some detail by Younker et al [1982]. With the exception of Sinclair 3 (SIN3) which is near the southern edge of the field, temperature profiles have a characteristic shape, with a linear or gently curved high-gradient upper portion a few hundred meters to 1 km thick, below which the temperature gradient drops off sharply, indicating nonconductive heat transfer.…”

WATER SUPPLY DILEMMAS OF GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA1

“…When a well is drilled into one of the valley's geothermal reservoirs, part of the fluid entering the well flashes t o steam, resulting in a two-phase flow t o the wellhead. In the Salton Sea KGRA steam represents between 10 to 20% of the wellhead flow (Palmer, 1975).…”

“…Temperatures and salinities of the geothermal fluids vary a great deal among the KGRAs. The Salton Sea KGRA, for example, has down hole temperatures in some wells as great as 572OF (Palmer, 1975), while wells in the East Mesa KGRA have temperatures generally below 392OF ( U S . Bureau of Reclamation, 1974).…”