New Mexico First Nation testing well for possible geothermal plant
Landscape at Jemez Pueblo Reservation, New Mexico/ U.S.
Alexander Richter
10 Dec 2013
The Jemez Pueblo First Nation in New Mexico, U.S., is now testing a geothermal well drilled earlier this fall to establish the possibility of building a geothermal power plant and a variety of other direct use projects.
A first nation in New Mexico is looking at utilising geothermal energy for power generation, but likely even for other things such as heating greenhouses and buildings, but also for fish farming and a health spa.
The first nation of Jemez Pueblo is now testing a well that has been drilled to a depth of 5,667 feet (ca 1,700 meters).
The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with a $4.9 million grant to explore ways the hot water sources could be developed for geothermal energy. But it actually has a rather long history with studies on the geothermal potential in the region already having been conducted in 1988, 1990-92 at the Red Rocks area on the northern part of the Jemez Reservation.
Initially the project conducted a seismic study surveying a 6 square mile piece of land on the reservation. Based on these studies a drill site was decided on.
The project had hired Aztec Well Services for the drilling and an on-site consultant for exploration. TBA Power managed the survey and established a drilling plan. A road was built to allow for the transportation of the drilling rig and equipment to the site. Drilling started then in early fall of 2013 lasting 37 days.
TBA Power will now oversee the testing of the well and scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory will examine the collected test data. If the water is deemed to be hot enough for power generation, than it will be established if and what plant will be built on site. The project plans to reinject the water.
Source: Albuquerque Journal
