Colorado Geological Survey maps geothermal hotspots
The Colorado Geological Survey has published two new maps of Colorado’s geothermal resources which may one day be used to help the state diversify its renewable energy generation portfolio.
One of the maps shows the state’s geothermal gradient, or the rate at which temperature increases underground. The second plots the location of inactive or abandoned oil and gas wells located near promising geothermal resources, wells which might be repurposed for electrical generation.
“Most of Colorado has temperature gradients that are higher than average for the earth’s crust, but we now have a map that shows us specific areas where temperatures are much higher than average,” said Matt Sares, deputy director of the Geological Survey. Several other western states produce electricity from geothermal power plants, the top two states being California and Nevada. Colorado does not yet have a geothermal plant, though the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has begun the process of leasing federal lands for geothermal development.
The new map of Colorado’s geothermal hotspots was compiled using geothermal data from several sources including past Colorado Geological Survey publications, national and global heat flow databases, and oil and gas well data. It identifies several areas of high geothermal potential in mountainous areas of Colorado, including Mt. Princeton and Poncha Springs in Chaffee County, Waunita Hot Springs in eastern Gunnison County and much of the San Luis Valley. Other areas lie in or near Trinidad, Pagosa Springs, Rico, Ouray, Somerset, Cañon City and North Park, Sares said.
The second map identifies inactive oil and gas wells located in promising geothermal areas which could potentially be re-entered and deepened to access commercially promising geothermal resources.
“The Raton Basin near Trinidad and the San Juan Basin near Durango jump out as favorable areas on this map,” said Paul Morgan, senior geothermal scientist at CGS. Other “temporarily abandoned” or “shut-in” well locations in the Denver Basin are also highlighted.
Funding for the compilation of data and production of the maps came from the Governor’s Energy Office to help develop renewable energy in Colorado.
“This work is truly a collaborative effort between our state agencies to develop the geologic data that will attract geothermal development in Colorado,” said Francisco Franco, GEO’s Renewable Energy Program senior associate.
The new maps, “Interpretive Geothermal Gradient Map of Colorado” and “Oil and Gas Wells in Areas of Colorado with Superior Geothermal Properties” are available in digital format only. CD-ROMs containing the maps and associated databases can be purchased through the Colorado Geological Survey’s online bookstore at: http://dnr.state.co.us/geostore/.