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.