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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Deterministic Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) Model for the EGS Collab Project on the 4850 Level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF)

The EGS Collab is conducting hydraulic fracture stimulation and fluid circulation experiments in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) located in Lead, South Dakota. A total of eight ~60m-long subhorizontal boreholes were drilled from the 4850 Level (~1.5 km below the ground surface) into the crystalline rock of this former mine. Six of these holes are used for geophysical monitoring, one is used for hydraulic fracture stimulation, and the remaining hole was designed as a production borehole that receives water from the injection well via the induced and natural fracture system. The primary goal of creating the discrete fracture network model is to show that these modeling methods are critical for the development of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). This includes the prediction of rock behavior during fracturing and during an extended period of water flow between the parallel injection and production boreholes. Understanding the results from the induced fracturing and flow is complicated by the presence of significant natural fractures that interact with the stimulation and/or flow pathways. The delineation and characterization of natural fractures is thus an important part of the project, and therefore a model of the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) was developed on a deterministic basis. The DFN was populated using observations and interpretations integrated from drift (horizontal passageways that allow access in the underground) fracture mapping, analysis of core recovered from the eight boreholes, borehole televiewer logs and videos, and observations of flow between and within boreholes and in the drift. The natural fracture system is dominated by a pervasive northwest-trending, steeply dipping shear system that is identifiable in the drifts and the core. Hydraulic fracture stimulation, flow/tracer circulation tests, and geophysical monitoring revealed that the behavior of the injected water, and perhaps the growth of induced fractures, has been significantly influenced by the existing fractures identified in the DFN.

40 EE - Geothermal Technologies Office (EE-4G)↗
DOE OSTI2020

EGS Collab Experiment 1: 3D Seismic Velocity Model and Updated Microseismic Catalog from Double-Difference Seismic Tomography

This package contains a 3D Seismic velocity model and an updated microseismic catalog obtained for a double-difference seismic tomography study. The 3D_seismic_velocity_model text file contains x (m), y(m), z(m), P-wave velocity (km/s), P-wave velocity quality indicator (1 for well-constrained; 0 for poorly constrained), S-wave velocity (km/s), and S-wave velocity quality indicator (1 for well-constrained; 0 for poorly constrained). The Updated_MEQ_catalog text file contains event origin time, x(m), y(m), z(m), error in x (m), error in y (m), error in z (m), and RMS misfit (millisecond). The 3D_seismic_P-wave_velocity_model animation file shows slices of the 3D P-wave velocity model. The 3D_seismic_S-wave_velocity_model animation file shows slices of the 3D S-wave velocity model. The Interactive_MEQ_location_comparison API file is an interactive visualization of the updated microseismic event locations and the original seismic catalog. The visualization allows users to view and compare the event locations by dragging, rotating, and zooming in. An updated version of 3D_seismic_velocity_model and associated animations were included, which were calculated with a more strict assumption for quality indicators.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Numerical Modeling of Anisotropic Elastic-Wave Sensitivity Propagation for Optimal Design of Time-Lapse Seismic Surveys

Reliable subsurface time-lapse seismic monitoring is crucial for many geophysical applications, such as enhanced geothermal system characterization, geologic carbon utilization and storage, and conventional and unconventional oil/gas reservoir characterization, etc. In this work, we develop an elastic-wave sensitivity propagation method for optimal design of cost-effective time-lapse seismic surveys considering the fact that most of subsurface geologic layers and fractured reservoirs are anisotropic instead of isotropic. For anisotropic media, we define monitoring criteria using qP- and qS-wave sensitivity energies after decomposing qP- and qS-wave components from the total elastic-wave sensitivity wavefield using a hybrid time- and frequency-domain approach. Geophones should therefore be placed at locations with significant qP- and qS-wave sensitivity energies for cost-effective time-lapse seismic monitoring in an anisotropic geology setting. Our numerical modeling results for a modified anisotropic Hess model demonstrate that, compared with the isotropic case, subsurface anisotropy changes the spatial distributions of elastic-wave sensitivity energies. Consequently, it is necessary to consider subsurface anisotropies when designing the spatial distribution of geophones for cost-effective time-lapse seismic monitoring. This finding suggests that it is essential to use our new anisotropic elastic-wave sensitivity modeling method for optimal design of time-lapse seismic surveys to reliably monitor the changes in subsurface reservoirs, fracture zones or target monitoring regions.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessing Suitable Geologic Carbon Storage Sites Across Utah

Utah has a wealth of potential geological reservoirs for carbon dioxide storage (CS) and a long history of geologic research resulting in an abundance of available subsurface data to evaluate CS potential. Reservoirs may include sandstone, carbonate, and basalt; these rock types are plentiful in Utah’s subsurface and the complex Phanerozoic history throughout the state requires evaluating each geologic region individually for promising reservoir-seal pairs for CO2 storage. Classifying Utah by geologic provinces (or “geo-regions”) allows for customized thinking about suitable CS reservoir and seal distribution, CO2 point sources, land use, and existing infrastructure. Preliminary results from this study highlight the geologic CS potential across 15 geo-regions. Four regions stand out as having high CS potential: the Uinta Basin, San Rafael Swell, Paradox Basin, and the southern Basin and Range Province. The Uinta Basin and San Rafael Swell geo-regions are well suited for CS and have several projects ongoing to evaluate Cretaceous Frontier and Naturita Formations, Jurassic Navajo Sandstone and Entrada Sandstone, and Permian Weber Sandstone reservoir units that lie beneath robust sealing units like the ~5000-ft-thick Mancos Shale and Carmel Formation. Reservoirs such as the Navajo and Weber Sandstones have been demonstrated to be suitable reservoirs through a long history of oil and gas exploration in Utah. New areas of interest include the southern Basin and Range in southwest Utah, where the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone is overlain by the sealing Carmel Formation at suitable depths (>3000 ft), and has good porosities based on outcrop analogue data. Just to the north (e.g., central Basin and Range), legacy wells and 2D seismic data show possible salt and subsurface basalt flows that may provide additional possible CS reservoirs and seals. This geo-region also has the advantage of being coupled with geothermal energy resources that may be used to power burgeoning direct air capture technologies. In the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah, the Leadville Limestone is a potential storage reservoir beneath the thick (4000–5000 ft), salt-bearing Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation. Although the northern and western parts of Utah offer CS potential, these areas typically contain less infrastructure and subsurface penetrations, creating geologic uncertainty associated with subsurface seals and reservoirs due to a lack of data. Overall, this statewide assessment and ranking is the first step to aid in evaluating CS potential across Utah and provides a foundation for future research in the most favorable locations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

WHOLESCALE Catalog of Rock Samples at San Emidio Nevada collected in January 2021 Version 2.0

This submission includes an update to the WHOLESCALESamples2021January.xls file where the strikes and dips initially reported have been corrected to comply with the right hand rule. The updated excel file and a link to the original submission are included in this report. The original submission "WHOLESCALE Catalog of Rock Samples at San Emidio Nevada collected in January 2021" contains information on thirty-six rock samples collected from San Emidio, Nevada during January, 2021 for Subtask 2.3 of the WHOLESCALE project. The following resources include a .zip of rock sample photos taken in the field, a .zip of rock sample photos taken in the laboratory at UW-Madison, and an excel catalog of rock samples with information on sample name, rock type, coordinates of sample location, structural measurements, field notes, observations for plug preparation (e.g., weathering, ability to be cut and cored), and rock descriptions. It should be noted that not every sample was photographed in the field. Names and descriptions of rock formation units are taken from Rhodes et al. (2011). The README.txt file is a description of this submission.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

3D modeling of deep borehole electromagnetic measurements with energized casing source for fracture mapping at the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy

Here, we present a 3D numerical modelling analysis evaluating the deployment of a borehole electromagnetic measurement tool to detect and image a stimulated zone at the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy geothermal site. As the depth to the geothermal reservoir is several kilometres and the size of the stimulated zone is limited to several 100 m, surface-based controlled-source electromagnetic measurements lack the sensitivity for detecting changes in electrical resistivity caused by the stimulation. To overcome the limitation, the study evaluates the feasibility of using a three-component borehole magnetic receiver system at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy site. To provide sufficient currents inside and around the enhanced geothermal reservoir, we use an injection well as an energized casing source. To efficiently simulate energizing the injection well in a realistic 3D resistivity model, we introduce a novel modelling workflow that leverages the strengths of both 3D cylindrical-mesh-based electromagnetic modelling code and 3D tetrahedral-mesh-based electromagnetic modelling code. The former is particularly well-suited for modelling hollow cylindrical objects like casings, whereas the latter excels at representing more complex 3D geological structures. In this workflow, our initial step involves computing current densities along a vertical steel-cased well using a 3D cylindrical electromagnetic modelling code. Subsequently, we distribute a series of equivalent current sources along the well's trajectory within a complex 3D resistivity model. We then discretize this model using a tetrahedral mesh and simulate the borehole electromagnetic responses excited by the casing source using a 3D finite-element electromagnetic code. This multi-step approach enables us to simulate 3D casing source electromagnetic responses within a complex 3D resistivity model, without the need for explicit discretization of the well using an excessive number of fine cells. We discuss the applicability and limitations of this proposed workflow within an electromagnetic modelling scenario where an energized well is deviated, such as at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy site. Using the workflow, we demonstrate that the combined use of the energized casing source and the borehole electromagnetic receiver system offer measurable magnetic field amplitudes and sensitivity to the deep localized stimulated zone. The measurements can also distinguish between parallel-fracture anisotropic reservoirs and isotropic cases, providing valuable insights into the fracture system of the stimulated zone. Besides the magnetic field measurements, vertical electric field measurements in the open well sections are also highly sensitive to the stimulated zone and can be used as additional data for detecting and imaging the target. We can also acquire additional multiple-source data by grounding the surface electrode at various locations and repeating borehole electromagnetic measurements. This approach can increase the number of monitoring data by several factors, providing a more comprehensive dataset for analysing the deep-localized stimulated zone. The numerical analysis indicates that it is feasible to use the combination of the energized casing and downhole electromagnetic measurements in monitoring localized stimulated zone at large depths.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1985

Heat flow and thermal processes in the Jornada delMuerto, New Mexico

Most heat flow data in rifts are uncertain largely because of hydrologic disturbances in regions of extensive fracturing. Estimates of heat flow in deep petroleum tests within a large basin of the Rio Grande rift, which has suffered little syn-rift fracturing, may begin to provide clearer insight into the relationships between high heat flow and crustal thinning processes. The Jornada del Muerto is a large basin located in the Rio Grande rift of south central New Mexico. The region of interest within the Jornada del Muerto is centered about 30 km east of the town of Truth or Consequences, and is approximately 60 km north-south by 30 km east-west. High heat flows are estimated for the region. Values increase from about 90 mWm(-2) in the northern part of the study area to about 125 mWm(-2) in the southern part. These high heat flows are rather enigmatic because in the immediate vicinities of the sites there is little evidence of Cenozoic volcanism or syn-rift extensional tectonics. It is suggested that the geothermal anomaly in the southern Jornada del Muerto (approx. 125 to approx. 95 mWm(-2) results from some type of mass movement-heat transfer mechanism operating in the crust just below the elastic layer. This conclusion is consistent with the geologic and geophysical data which describe a thin crust, apparently devoid of features indicative of extensional-tectonics in the upper part of the lastic crust.

Reiter, M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

UT-GOM2-2 Preliminary Report: Terrebonne Basin Northern Gulf of Mexico, 30 July-28 September 2023

In the summer and fall of 2023, the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Hydrate Coring Expedition (UT-GOM2-2) drilled, cored, made downhole measurements, and analyzed samples from the seafloor to the base of the gas hydrate stability zone in one location (Site H, WR313) in the Terrebonne basin, deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Analyses of data and samples from the expedition will inform biological, geochemical, and geomechanical models to constrain the role of gas hydrates in the carbon cycle and the potential for gas hydrates as an energy resource. Pressure and conventional cores were collected continuously to a depth of 155.1 meters below the seafloor (mbsf). At deeper depths, cores were taken periodically from hydrate-bearing sands and their bounding muds to a total depth of 861.3 mbsf. 162.6 m of conventional core and 54.8 m of pressure core were obtained. Twelve temperature measurements were made between 27.1 and 144.5 mbsf to determine the geothermal gradient. At the seafloor, more than 4 m of sandy silt of unknown origin was encountered. Beneath this sand, to a depth of ~200 mbsf, the section was composed of interbedded mud and biogenic carbonate ooze. The biogenic ooze correlated to low density and high porosity intervals observed in the previously acquired logging while drilling (LWD) data and as measured. Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy constrains the entire record to the Pleistocene (< 0.91 million years) with a pronounced increase in sedimentation rate with depth. Beneath 200 mbsf, the section was predominantly composed of mud with two thicker, hydrate-bearing coarse-grained intervals, which are commonly known as the Blue and Orange sands. The dissolved gas concentration was quantified from pressure cores. In the shallow section, dissolved methane concentration increased below the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) and reaches saturation (the limit of solubility for methane) at 147 mbsf. Gas expansion was very common in conventional and depressurized pressure (conventionalized) cores below the SMTZ. At deeper depths, the methane concentration within muds bounding the Blue and Orange reservoirs was generally found to be less than saturation. The dissolved and hydrate gas composition is consistent with a microbial source, containing greater than 99.99% methane and only trace concentrations of ethane, propane, and butane. The methane to ethane ratio (C 1 /C 2 ) and the methane to ethane plus propane (C 1 /(C 2 +C 3 )) decrease with depth down to at least 678 mbsf, mainly driven by the increase in ethane with depth. It is unclear if this trend continues through the Orange sand interval. The δ 13 C isotopic signature of methane ranges between -69.9 and -78.5 ‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB). Pressure core recovery of all sandy intervals was poor. However, pressure core logs of the Orange sand show intervals of low density and high velocity, which are indicative of high hydrate saturation. One core from within the Orange sand was composed of interbedded graded sandy silt and mud. The sandy silts from this core are composed of mainly quartz and feldspar with some lithics. Most of the recovered pressure core samples are maintained at near in-situ pressure and temperature (within the hydrate stability field) at the University of Texas Pressure Core Center awaiting analysis. In the shallow section, samples will be used to determine the flux of organic carbon through the basin system, find the rate at which that carbon was consumed, and understand the microbial population responsible for these processes. In the deeper section, samples from in and around the hydrate reservoirs will be used to determine the petrophysical properties of the reservoir and bounding seals in these systems.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultra High-Temperature Magnetic Bearing System for s-CO 2 Turbines/Expanders. Phase II Final Report

The goal of this project is to design and construct of a prototype of ultra-high temperature permanent magnet (UHT–PM), which provides the force to pull the spinning shaft towards the target position in the magnetic bearing (MB) clearance circle. This project will develop a PM biased MB system, that is actively cooled to the 550°C maximum operating temperature limit of PMs. The MB test environment will include 700°C, 40krpm and 4,000 psi requirements to advance the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) and other types of Brayton power cycle systems. The proposed novel MBs combine PMs for supplying the bias field and electromagnets for supplying the control field, both in UHT conditions. The choice of material is the UHT Sm-Co PMs (US patent 6,451,132) due to their significantly better thermal stability. The 6-pole homopolar design permits uninterrupted force delivery via a redundant control capability (US patent 7,429,811) even if 3 poles were to fail. The Phase I efforts was to focus on development and demonstration of component technologies and detailed design of full scale components and a demonstrator test rig for use in Phase II. UHT–PMs were produced and used in the MB actuator. The operating environment of the EEC-T550 Sm-Co magnet material could be extended by implementing active cooling. Electromagnetic coils imbedded in the MB provide forces to stabilize the shaft position at the target via sensing and control stages. Shaft position sensors enable to identify the present position of the spinning shaft relative to its desired target position in the MB clearance circle (air gap). Auxiliary bearings will be installed to provide a backup support system in the event that power to the MB fails or there is a fault in a device providing current to the MB coils. For control, reliability and safety reasons the sensors and auxiliary bearings are typically located as close as possible to the MBs, which exposes them to the same environmental conditions. Development of only the actuator for the UHT environment is an inadequate approach to complete integration of the MB system in the turbine/expander. Therefore the UHT sensor and auxiliary bearing were designed and developed along with the actively cooled, UHT-PM actuator development. Although shaft position sensors are commercially available (Kaman) they may cost up to $10k per channel, and a full 5 axis magnetic suspension is best implemented with up to 20 sensors. Once successfully completed, this project will significantly extend the operating environment capability for turbomachinery applications such as nuclear power, concentrated solar thermal, fossil fuel, geothermal, and shipboard propulsion. The further advancement of UHT-PM-MB will also strengthen the US position in PM technology, which is presently heavily dominated by China. The UHT Sm-Co magnet material that will be utilized in the proposed work has been developed exclusively by the project proposer. Many actuators, motors, generators and other MB applications will greatly benefit from the proposed work.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2002

Ultramafic Terranes and Associated Springs as Analogs for Mars and Early Earth

Putative extinct or extant Martian organisms, like their terrestrial counterparts, must adopt metabolic strategies based on the environments in which they live. In order for organisms to derive metabolic energy from the natural environment (Martian or terrestrial), a state of thermodynamic disequilibrium must exist. The most widespread environment of chemical disequilibrium on present-day Earth results from the interaction of mafic rocks of the ocean crust with liquid water. Such environments were even more pervasive and important on the Archean Earth due to increased geothermal heat flow and the absence of widespread continental crust formation. The composition of the lower crust and upper mantle of the Earth is essentially the-same as that of Mars, and the early histories of these two planets are similar. It follows that a knowledge of the mineralogy, water-rock chemistry and microbial ecology of Earth's oceanic crust could be of great value in devising a search strategy for evidence of past or present life on Mars. In some tectonic regimes, cross-sections of lower oceanic crust and upper mantle are exposed on land as so-called "ophiolite suites." Such is the case in the state of California (USA) as a result of its location adjacent to active plate margins. These mafic and ultramafic rocks contain numerous springs that offer an easily accessible field laboratory for studying water/rock interactions and the microbial communities that are supported by the resulting geochemical energy. A preliminary screen of Archaean biodiversity was conducted in a cold spring located in a presently serpentinizing ultramafic terrane. PCR and phylogenetic analysis of partial 16s rRNA, sequences were performed on water and sediment samples. Archaea of recent phylogenetic origin were detected with sequences nearly identical to those of organisms living in ultra-high pH lakes of Africa.

Blake, David↗
DOE OSTI2022

Utah FORGE Phase 3 Native State Model: 2022 Update

This is the Phase 3 native state model update. The Phase 3 numerical model represents a significant subsurface volume below the FORGE site footprint. The model domain of 4.0 km x 4.0 km x 4.2 km is located approximately between depths of 4000 to 4200 meters below land surface. This data archive consists of 10 files, 4 of which are simulation input files and the remaining 6 are simulation output files. There is an included readme.txt file that contains details on each of the data files. The input files include meshes, FALCON code inputs, tabulated data of water properties, temperature values, and model boundaries. The output files include simulation outfiles and point data of modeled material properties.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

2021 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) Cost and Performance Data for Electricity Generation Technologies

Starting in 2015 NREL has presented the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) in an Excel workbook that contains detailed cost and performance data, both current and projected, for renewable and conventional technologies. The workbook includes a spreadsheet for each technology. This version of the workbook provides the final updates to data for the 2021 ATB. In 2019 and 2020, NREL has also provided selected data in Tableau workbooks and structured summary csv files. The data for 2015 - 2020 is located on https://data.nrel.gov. In 2021 and going forward, the data is cloud optimized and provided in the OEDI data lake. A website documents this and future data at https://atb.nrel.gov.

Array↗
DOE OSTI2024

WHOLESCALE: Microseismic Event Catalog for San Emidio, Nevada 2022

This submission includes a high-precision seismic event catalog estimated from seismic data collected at San Emidio, Nevada from April to May 2022. The catalog lists the precise time, location, and magnitude of microseismic events recorded during this period. Both the seismic data and microseismic event catalog were produced as part of the Water & Hole Observations Leverage Effective Stress Calculations and Lessen Expenses (WHOLESCALE) project. Attached here are the microseismic event catalog, a link to the raw seismic data, and a detailed description of methods used to create the catalog.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

WHOLESCALE Catalog of Rock Samples at San Emidio Nevada collected in January 2021

This submission contains information on thirty-six rock samples collected from San Emidio, Nevada during January, 2021 for Subtask 2.3 of the WHOLESCALE project. The following resources include a .zip of rock sample photos taken in the field, a .zip of rock sample photos taken in the laboratory at UW-Madison, and an excel catalog of rock samples with information on sample name, rock type, coordinates of sample location, structural measurements, field notes, observations for plug preparation (e.g., weathering, ability to be cut and cored), and rock descriptions. It should be noted that not every sample was photographed in the field. Names and descriptions of rock formation units are taken from Rhodes et al. (2011). The README.txt file is a description of this submission.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multiscale spatial analysis of fracture nodes in two dimensions

Spatial arrangement of fractures as a function of scale is an important component of fracture quantification for inferential and predictive modeling. Available methods that analyze fracture spatial arrangement are based on one-dimensional spacing data; therefore, they are limited to semi-parallel fractures. Such methods cannot be applied to fracture networks in higher dimensions, particularly when fractures have different orientations. Here to characterize fracture arrangements in two dimensions, we propose using Ripley’s K-function, as a method of point pattern analysis, to quantify spatial arrangement of fracture nodes. Fracture nodes, such as barycenters, intersection points, and tips, are point-based representations of fracture locations and connectivity within the fracture network. We introduce formulations for isotropic as well as directional analyses of spatial arrangement. In addition, we derive formulations for edge correction in circular and rectangular study domains. Finally, we demonstrate applications of Ripley’s K-function on two natural fracture datasets. Our proposed method supports quantification and characterization of fracture spatial arrangements that allow practitioners to build representative models of fractures in the subsurface.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2020

Utah FORGE: Phase 3 Microgravity Data

A 4D microgravity survey began in early 2019 in order to benchmark surface and subsurface elevations prior to Phase 3 drilling and stimulation campaigns. Microgravity stations are collocated with GPS deformation benchmarks and use the same location survey data. Surveys are undertaken on a quarterly basis. The focus of current activities is comparative analysis of GPS survey results and InSAR analysis (see GDR Submission 1251) to check seasonal variance and to evaluate possible changes in the groundwater elevation. The attached zip file contains a text file and an Excel spreadsheet containing Utah FORGE Phase 3 processed "final" microgravity data through time. The data are identical in both files. The spreadsheet is only supplied for convenience. There is also a ReadMe.txt file that describes the field headings.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hybrid Power Plants: Status of Operating and Proposed Plants, 2022 Edition [Slides]

Falling battery prices and the growth of variable renewable generation are driving a surge of interest in “hybrid” power plants that combine, for example, wind or solar generating capacity with co-located batteries. While most of the current interest involves pairing photovoltaic (PV) plants with batteries, other types of hybrid or co-located plants with wide-ranging configurations have been part of the U.S. electricity mix for decades. This annually updated briefing tracks and maps existing hybrid or co-located plants across the United States while also synthesizing data mined from power purchase agreements (PPAs) and generation interconnection queues to shed light on near- and long-term development pipelines. The scope includes co-located hybrid plants that pair two or more generators and/or that pair generation with storage at a single point of interconnection, and full hybrids that feature co-location and co-control. The focus is on plants with one megawatt (MW) or more of capacity; smaller (often behind-the-meter) projects are also increasingly common, but are not included in this data synthesis. Key findings from the latest briefing include: -At the end of 2021, there were nearly 300 hybrid plants (>1 MW) operating across the United States, totaling nearly 36 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity and 3.2 GW/8.1 GWh of energy storage. PV+storage plants are by far the most common, dominating in terms of plant number (140), storage capacity (2.2 GW/7.0 GWh), storage:generator ratio (53%), and storage duration (3.2 hours). But there are nearly twenty other hybrid plant configurations as well, including several different fossil hybrid categories (each dominated by the fossil component) as well as wind+storage, wind+PV, wind+PV+storage, geothermal+PV, and others. -Last year was a breakout year for PV+storage hybrids in particular: 67 of the 74 hybrids added in 2021 were PV+storage. By the end of 2021, there were more GW of battery capacity installed in PV+storage hybrids (2.2 GW) than as standalone storage plants (1.8 GW). The difference is even starker in energy terms, with PV+storage plants hosting twice as much battery capacity as standalone storage plants (7 GWh vs. 3.5 GWh, respectively). Much of the battery capacity added in hybrid form in 2021 was a battery retrofit to a pre-existing PV plant. -Data on plants under development from the interconnection queues of all seven ISOs/RTOs plus 35 individual utilities suggest that these hybridization trends are likely to continue. At the close of 2021, there were more than 670 GW of solar plants in the nation’s queues; 285 GW (~42%) of this capacity was proposed as a hybrid, most typically pairing PV with battery storage (PV+storage represented nearly 90% of all hybrid capacity in the queues). For wind, 247 GW of capacity sat in the queues, with 19 GW (~8%) proposed as a hybrid, again most-often pairing wind with storage (wind+storage represented ~4% of all hybrid capacity in the queues). Meanwhile, nearly half of all storage in the queues is estimated to be part of a hybrid plant. While many of these proposed plants will not ultimately reach commercial operations, the depth of interest in hybrid plants—especially PV+storage—is notable.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Origin of Carbon-bearing Volatiles in Surprise Valley Hot Springs in the Great Basin: Carbon Isotope aud Water Chemistry Characterizations

There are numerous hydrothermal fields within the Great Basin of North America, some of which have been exploited for geothermal resources. With methane and other carbon-bearing compounds being observed, in some cases with high concentrations, however, their origins and formation conditions remain unknown. Thus, studying hydrothermal springs in this area provides us an opportunity to expand our knowledge of subsurface (bio)chemical processes that generate organic compounds in hydrothermal systems, and aid in future development and exploration of potential energy resources as well. While isotope measurement has long been used for recognition of their origins, there are several secondary processes that may generate variations in isotopic compositions: oxidation, re-equilibration of methane and other alkanes with CO2, mixing with compounds of other sources, etc. Therefore, in addition to isotopic analysis, other evidence, including water chemistry and rock compositions, are necessary to identify volatile compounds of different sources. Surprise Valley Hot Springs (SVHS, 41º32'N, 120º5'W), located in a typical basin and range province valley in northeastern California, is a terrestrial hydrothermal spring system of the Great Basin. Previous geophysical studies indicated the presence of clay-rich volcanic and sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age beneath the lava flows in late Tertiary and Quaternary. Water and gas samples were collected for a variety of chemical and isotope composition analyses, including in-situ pH, alkalinity, conductivity, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), major and trace elements, and C and H isotope measurements. Fluids issuing from SVHS can be classified as Na-(Cl)-SO4 type, with the major cation and anion being Na+ and SO4 2-, respectively. Thermodynamic calculation using ORP and major element data indicated that sulfate is the most dominant sulfur species, which is consistent with anion analysis results. Aquifer temperatures at depth estimated by both dissolved SiO2 and Na-K-Ca geothermometers are in the range of 125.0 to 135.4 oC, and higher than the values measured at orifices (77.3 to 90.0 oC). CO2 and homologs of straight chain alkanes (C1-C5) were identified in gas samples. Carbon isotope values of alkanes increase with carbon numbers. The 13C fractionation between CO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon suggests they are out of carbon isotope equilibrium. The hypothesis regarding the formation of carbon-bearing compounds in SVHS may involve two processes: 1) Under high heat flow conditions which are caused by regional faulting and crustal extension, original high molecular weight organic compounds (kerogens) in clay-rich rocks decomposed to generate methane and other alkane homologs. 2) The SVHS area is associated with outflow structures, and distant from the heat source. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) with sulfate at shallow depth (< 90 oC) is suggested as being responsible for the generation of CO2 in SVHS.

Fu, Qi↗