What exactly are the rock types that make up the underground laboratory of Utah FORGE? In this webinar, Dr. Clay Jones describes the geology of the site and surrounding area and the findings from core and cutting analyses of deep wells!
Drill Cuttings
Small chips of rocks (e.g., <1/8 inch or <3 mm) obtained during drilling with a rotary bit that are continuously returned to the surface by the circulation of mud. Drill cuttings are the main source of geological and stratigraphic interpretation in the drilling of geothermal and oil-gas wells.
Geothermal Glossary
Word of the Week – Brine
Brine In producing geothermal fields, this term refers to the hot water that is produced from wells. It is rarely as salty as implied. Instead, the salinities of most natural hot waters are commonly less than seawater, but they contain a wide range of rock-forming...
Word of the Week – Cap Rock
Cap Rock A poorly permeable or impermeable layer that overlies a geothermal reservoir. The term is borrowed from the oil industry and was once considered an essential feature of a producing geothermal resource in confining the flow and pressure of hot water....
Word of the Week – Casing Shoe
Casing Shoe In geothermal wells, this is the bottom of the cemented casing string. Below the casing shoe, the well may be unprotected and open to the surrounding rock or lined with a slotted liner. The depth of the casing shoe generally coincides with the top of the...