The Indian Wells Valley in the Mojave Desert may give Kern County a new energy source, says Dr. Frank Monastero, who heads the Department of Defense's geothermal program at China Lake Naval Weapons Center.
Kern County regularly produces two-thirds of California's oil, running around 593,200 b/d out of a state total of 954,600 b/d at yearend 1993.
Three elements are needed for a successful geothermal field, Monastero told the San Joaquin Geological Society's April meeting in Bakersfield. Those are heat, water to harvest it, and fractures.
With interpretation of 75 miles of reflection seismic shot in 1992 and geological information gained from drilling a research well, Monastero said he believes the Indian Wells Valley meets all three requirements.
The campaign to find a geothermal field there is slated to begin with drilling of a deep test about 3 miles northeast of Inyokern starting by mid-June.
Noting the nine geothermal plants presently operated by California Energy Co. in Coso geothermal field 25 miles north in Inyo County, Monastero added, "If we're successful, we could have another plant on line by the end of this century."
The Coso plants have a net capability of 250 mw of electricity. One megawatt is generally regarded as sufficient to serve 1,000 residences.
GEOTHERMAL WILDCATTING
The new wildcat, designated 2 Snort, is to be drilled to 12,000 ft, though Monastero said the difficulties of drilling the hard formations associated with geothermal resources could cause a halt short of that depth.
The well is to cost about $750,000, with funding to come from income from the Navy's share of interest in the Coso geothermal area.
The drill site lies about 1 mile east of the southwest corner of 25s-39e. At depth the bottomhole temperature is expected to be 400-500 F.
The 2 Snort well site lies 3 miles southwest of the 1 Snort, drilled in 1991 to obtain basement information. The well bottomed at 7,400 ft in altered Sierran granite. Bottomhole temperature was 241 F.
A discovery could have a significant impact on Kem's lagging work for big rigs. At the height of the Coso boom in the late 1980s, six rigs working out of Bakersfield offices were employed in the field, making it the most active drilling area in California. Three Nabors Drilling Co. rigs rated to 16,00020,000 ft are still active, Monastero said.
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