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Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28 -
Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28 -		 New Developments in Power Plants
Geothermal Exploration in the 21st Century

Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28

New Developments in Power Plants

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.                         Cost: $TBA Per person

Led by Ronald DiPippo, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Gregory Mines, Idaho National

Objectives: Participants will receive an overview of the basic energy conversion systems appropriate for various geothermal resources. Fundamental principles and specific applications will be emphasized. Focus will then be on the latest power plants and the innovative solutions that have been found for some of the challenges facing project engineers and developers.

Day 1:

  1. Introductions/Agenda
  2. Basic Geothermal Power Plants
  3. Advanced Geothermal Power Plants I
  4. Advanced Geothermal Power Plants II
  5. Plant Equipment Selection I
  6. Plant Equipment Selection II
  7. Wrap-Up And Open Discussion

Day 2:

  1. Cases studies I - Innovative flash plants
  2. Case studies II - Innovative binary plants
  3. Plant & equipment costs I
  4. Plant & equipment costs II
  5. Wrap-up and open discussion

Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28

Geothermal Exploration in the 21st Century

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.                         Cost: $TBA Per person

Led by Jeff Witter from Mira Geoscience Ltd.

Objectives: The purpose of the workshop is to provide participants with a multi-faceted overview of modern exploration methods applicable to the discovery of geothermal resources. We will cover a wide range of topics including: field mapping & structural geology, 3D geological and geophysical modeling, hydrothermal alteration, as well as novel geochemical methods. We will discuss both volcanic-hosted and non-volcanic geothermal systems.

Geothermal Exploration in the Southwest Pacific
Speaker: Andrew Rae, Geothermal Exploration Geologist with GNS Science

  • Volcanic-hosted geothermal systems in the TVZ (New Zealand) and island arc-settings (Philippines, Indonesia). Highlighting differences in geology, hydrogeological structure, surface manifestations
  • Exploration techniques: geology, hydrothermal alteration mapping and application of fluid geochemistry and geophysics leading to establishment of a conceptual model
  • Information from well-logging, including alteration petrography (thin sections, XRD, SWIR, MeB), fluid inclusions, and borehole logging (AFIT) that will assist modification/development of a conceptual model

New Geochemical Methods for Geothermal Exploration
Speaker: Nathalie Vigouroux, Post-doctoral researcher with Alterra Power Corp.

  • Review of cutting-edge research on new geochemical field methods for early stage geothermal exploration

Speaker: Nicolas Spycher, Geological Scientist with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Multi-component geothermometry and comparisons to traditional geothermometry

Structural Geology and Field Mapping
Speakers: Jim Faulds, Professor at University of Nevada, Reno; Nick Hinz, Researcher at University of Nevada, Reno; Drew Siler Post-doctoral researcher at University of Nevada, Reno

  • Basin & Range-type geothermal systems
  • Geologic mapping
  • Structural analysis of fault zones, including slip and dilation tendency analysis
  • Integration of well data
  • Building 2D cross sections
  • 3D geologic models and 3D fairway models
  • Selecting drill targets
  • Geothermal exploration workflow

Geophysics and 3D Earth Modelling
Speakers: Jeff Witter, Senior Geoscientist at Mira Geoscience Ltd. and Nigel Phillips, Manager at Mira Geoscience Ltd.

  • Summary of geophysical surveys for geothermal exploration and their relevance
  • Importance of rock physical properties
  • Introduction to forward and inverse geophysical modelling and its relevance
  • Unconstrained vs. constrained geophysical inversions
  • Geologically-constrained geophysical modelling
  • Physical property-constrained geophysical modelling
  • Generation of 3D Common Earth Models
  • Geothermal Exploration Targeting

Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool for Mapping Alteration Mineralogy
Speaker: Wendy Calvin, Professor at University of Nevada, Reno

  • Use of IR spectroscopy to map alteration mineralogy in geothermal settings
  • Satellite and airborne sensors to identify surface exposures of structurally-controlled hydrothermal fluids
  • Portable IR systems to identify alteration mineralogy in drill core and cuttings
  • Future developments: commercial systems and automated mineral mapping

Calibrated Geothermal Exploration Methodology
Speakers: Joe Iovenitti, Vice President Resources at AltaRock Energy

  • Development of a baseline calibrated geothermal exploration methodology through integrated geoscience analysis using the Basin and Range Dixie Valley Geothermal System in Nevada as a laboratory test site
  • Development and use of baseline favorability and trust maps in exploration to decrease drilling risk
  • Use of geostatistics to identify geothermal system attributes
  • Development of an enhanced calibrated geothermal exploration methodology through integrated geoscience analysis at Dixie Valley, Nevada. The enhanced methodology involves, among other results, new gravity, magnetotellurics, and ambient seismic noise findings.
  • Use of enhanced favorability and trust maps in exploration to decrease drilling risk
  • Discussion of geostatistics based on enhanced data to identify geothermal system attributes

GRC Workshop attendees are invited to a hosted lunch on Friday and Saturday from 12pm-1pm, and a workshop reception on Friday from 5pm-7pm.