Great Basin Center Projects

Funded Projects

The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy, headquartered in the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada, Reno, has received its third year of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct peer-reviewed research and to produce a web-based, stakeholder geothermal information system for Nevada geothermal data. Initial funding to the Center was obtained in March 2002 with assistance of Senator Harry Reid, year 2 funding was received in May 2003, and year 3 funding was received in October of 2004. The Center recently awarded $682,875 in new research funding in the third year of its peer-reviewed research program. These research projects were externally reviewed and competitively selected from proposals submitted to the Center in February of 2005, and eight new research projects were initiated during this third funding cycle. Funded projects include a wide range of earth-science-related topics designed to explore for new geothermal systems and assess known systems and currently producing geothermal systems. The objectives of both the research and outreach components of the Center are to increase the amount of energy produced with geothermal resources in the Great Basin by evaluating existing, new and developing scientific methods to improve exploration and assessment of these resources.

Department of Energy - Golden Field Office ($1,312,133): Expanding Geothermal Resource Utilization in Nevada through Directed Research and Public Outreach (Lisa Shevenell) 03/20/02-12/31/08. These projects were selected in response to this RFP.

2007

Bell, J. ($80,612) Characterization of Active Faulting and Neotectonics at Nevada Geothermal Sites (pdf file)
Biasi, G. ($124,298) Detailed Regional Resource Area Mapping in Nevada Using Natural and Mining Seismic Sources and the New USArray Seismic Network (pdf file)
Faulds, J. ($115,090) Characterizing Controls on Geothermal Systems in the Northern Great Basin through Integrated Structural Analysis and Modeling (pdf file)

2005

Bell, J. ($199,456) - Pattern and timing of active faulting along Nevada geothermal systems: Is there a connection? (pdf file)

Blewitt, G. ($236,532) - Targeting of Potential Geothermal Resources in the Great Basin from Regional to Basin-Scale Relationships between Geodetic Strain and Geological Structures. (pdf file)
Coolbaugh, M. ($299,932) - Revival of grass-roots geothermal exploration in the Great Basin (where to look for new geothermal fields) -- a new approach to assessing geothermal potential using a geographic information system (GIS): parts IV and V. (pdf file)
Faulds, J. ($212,823) - Characterizing structural controls on geothermal systems in the northwestern Great Basin through integrated geologic and geophysical analyses. (pdf file)
Lechler, P. ($92,226) - Geothermal applications of multi-gas geochemistry. (pdf file)
Louie, J. ($81,211) - Continued implementation of a regional database of crustal geophysical controls on geothermal resource assessment, and a new seismic survey of the northwesternmost Great Basin (Main Task). (pdf file)
Oppliger, G. ($208,786) - Satellite InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) ground displacement analysis for geothermal reservoir management and development. (pdf file)
Shevenell, L. ($65,685) - Geothermal sampling of thermal and non-thermal waters in Nevada: Continued evaluation of geothermal resources. (pdf file)

2003

Arehart, G. ($34,503) - Dating of young igneous rocks associated with geothermal systems in the Great Basin. (pdf)
Blewitt, G. ($149,975) - Targeting of potential geothermal resources in the Great Basin from regional to Basin scale relationships between geodetic strain and geological structures. (pdf)
Calvin, W. ($85,407) - Remote sensing for exploration and mapping of geothermal Resources. (pdf)
Coolbaugh, M. ($93,023) - Regional assessment of exploration potential for geothermal systems in the Great Basin using a geographic information system (GIS) – Part II. (pdf)
Faulds, J. ($97,760) - Geologic and geophysical analysis of the Desert Peak-Brady geothermal fields: Structural controls on geothermal reservoirs in the Humboldt Structural Zone. (pdf)
Lechler, P. ($33,984) - Exploration for concealed structures at Desert Peak using mercury soil gas detectors. (pdf)

Louie, J. ($74,833) - Continuation project: Assembling crustal geophysical data for geothermal exploration in the western Great Basin. (pdf)
Oppliger, G. ($43,056) - Investigating the relation between geothermal reservoir compaction, geometry and production rates from a ten-year InSAR ground displacement history at the Bradys and Desert Peak fields: Assessing the potential of retrospective InSAR monitoring to assist reservoir management and expansion over fields without previously documented subsidence. (pdf)
Shevenell, L. ($63,933) - Geochemical sampling of thermal and nonthermal waters in Nevada: Continued evaluation of geothermal resources for electrical power generation and direct-use applications. (pdf)

2002 Projects

Other Funding

Great Basin Center Quarterly and Annual Reports