SOURCE: geothermal.marin.org

Geothermal energy is the natural heat of the Earth

Heat flows outward from Earth's interior. The crust insulates us from Earth's interior heat. The mantle is semi-molten, the outer core is liquid and the inner core is solid.

The deeper you go, the hotter it gets (in Fahrenheit and miles).

The deeper you go, the hotter it gets

(in Celsius and kilometers).

Earth's crust is broken into huge plates that move apart or push together at about the rate our fingernails grow. Convection of semi-molten rock in

the upper mantle helps drive plate tectonics.

New crust forms along mid-ocean spreading centers and continental rift zones. When plates meet, one can slide

beneath another. Plumes of magma rise from the edges of sinking plates.

Thinned or fractured crust allows magma to rise to the surface as lava. Most magma doesn't reach the surface

but heats large regions of underground rock.

Rainwater can seep down faults and fractured rocks for miles. After being heated, it can return to the surface as

steam or hot water.

This steaming ground is in the Philippines.

When hot water and steam reach the surface, they can form fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots and other

interesting phenomena.

When the rising hot water and steam is trapped in permeable and porous rocks under a layer of

impermeable rock, it can form a geothermal reservoir.

Powerful Energy Source

Geothermal reservoirs can reach Geothermal reservoirs can reach

temperatures of 700temperatures of 70000F/ 370F/ 37000C C

(more than 3 minutes boiling)(more than 3 minutes boiling)

A geothermal reservoir is a powerful A geothermal reservoir is a powerful

source of energysource of energy

Many areas have accessible geothermal resources, especially countries along the circum-Pacific "Ring of Fire," spreading

centers, continental rift zones and other hot spots.

These and other methods are used.

Exploration commonly begins with analysis of satellite images and aerial photographs

Volcanoes are obvious indications of underground heat, this volcano, Mt. Mayon in the Albay province of the

Philippines erupted in 1999.

Geologists explore volcanic regions to find the most likely areas for further study, like this steaming hillside

in El Hoyo, Nicaragua.

Geologic landforms and fault structures are mapped in the region. This view overlooks Basin and Range terrain

East of the Sierra Nevadas.

Rocks are examined up close.

Geologic maps like this one are created, showing

rock type and ages in different colors.

Data from electrical, magnetic, chemical and seismic

surveys is gathered in the field.

The data obtained in the field are displayed in various

ways and analyzed

Geologists and drillers study the data to decide whether to recommend drilling. Geothermal reservoirs suitable for commercial use can only be discovered by

drilling.

First, a small- diameter "temperature gradient hole" is drilled (some only 200' deep, some over 4000 feet deep) with a truck-mounted rig to determine the temperatures

and underground rock types.

Workers on a temperature gradient hole drilling project.

Either rock fragments or long cores of rock are brought up from deep down the hole and temperatures are

measured at depth.

Geologists examine the cored rock (shown here marked

with depth markers).

Temperature results like this would definitely encourage the drilling of a larger, deeper well to try to find a

hydrothermal reservoir.

Production-sized wells require large drill rigs like these and can cost as much as a million dollars or more to drill.

Geothermal wells can be drilled over two miles deep.

On these large rigs, drilling continues 24 hours per day

If a reservoir is discovered, characteristics of the well and

the reservoir are tested by flowing the well.

If the well is good enough, a wellhead, with valves and control equipment, is built onto the top of the well

casing.

This photograph shows a vertical geothermal

well test in the Nevada Desert.