Oregon

Sept. 23, 2009
U.S. Geothermal Inc., Boise, Idaho, launched two development drilling programs at its Neal Hot Springs geothermal project in northern Malheur County, Ore.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 23
– U.S. Geothermal Inc., Boise, Idaho, launched two development drilling programs at its Neal Hot Springs geothermal project in northern Malheur County, Ore.

Well NHS-5, drilling at 300 ft, is expected to encounter a large-aperture fracture at 2,800 ft that contains geothermal fluid. As many as three large-diameter wells are planned to 2,300-3,800 ft.

A temperature gradient program of drilling up to nine small-diameter, 500-ft wells began in early September.

Ultimate goal is to define a geothermal reservoir needed to construct a 22-Mw power plant.

NHS-1, Neal’s first production well, flowed under artesian pressure at a rate of 2,315 gal/min with a flowing production temperature of 286.5° F. in June 2008.