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US Geothermal Starts US $10M Raft River Program

February 24, 2010 | 1 Comment

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Boise, Idaho [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] U.S. Geothermal Inc. announced that work has begun at its Raft River Project in Idaho on a US $10 million Enhanced Geothermal System grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Seismic lines have been set and data acquisition is underway which will provide high resolution 2D/3D time lapse seismic reflection images of the faults and stratigraphic features in the field.

The program team is comprised of the Energy & Geoscience Institute from The University of Utah (EGI) as the program lead, U.S. Geothermal, APEX Petroleum Engineering Services and HiPoint Reservoir Imaging.

U.S. Geothermal contributed an existing phase two production well to the program for testing thermal fracturing of reservoir rock some 6,000 feet below the surface. A bridge plug was placed in well RRG-9 at 2,235' below surface by Halliburton Energy services. EGI is on site to oversee the program and APEX has installed a Vertical Seismic Profiling instrument package in the wellbore in preparation for the seismic survey.

Seismic lines have been set and data acquisition is underway which will provide high resolution 2D/3D time lapse seismic reflection images of the faults and stratigraphic features in the field.

The first phase of the program, with a total estimated cost of $4.7 million, extends to the end of 2010. This phase will measure in-place characteristics of the reservoir rock and prepare well RRG-9 for the first well stimulation using "cold" water injection.

Geothermal Energy

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jacob-rudisill-171035

March 4, 2010

A prime example of ObamaBucks at work--a University in the full lead of a giant research project that will generate many master thesis papers but absolutely no direct commercial benefit. Why does anyone think that USG would lend a well to this unless it was non-productive and, after all of the science is over, MAYBE, at no cost to them, they MIGHT get a marginally more productive system? Take a look at the other projects and you will find a similar theme and structure. Good money for the service companies (Halibuton, Apex), a bale full of research money for the Universities, and a costless flyer by the geothermal company.

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