News
May 23, 2024
Project Innerspace released GeoMap™ Beta, a pivotal tool for geothermal prospecting released, in collaboration with HotRock
Spatial Distribution of U.S. Geothermal Data Points - This comprehensive map depicts the geographic locations of data entries from the AASG, Cornell, SMU BHT, and SMU HF databases. Each symbol represents the database's contributions to the national compilation and is aligned with IHFC standards.
As global momentum builds toward achieving carbon neutrality, geothermal energy remains a critical and sustainable resource. As a result, industry stakeholders and decision-makers benefit from better information to help identify viable geothermal resources more than ever.
To that end, the Bureau of Economic Geology’s HotRock Geothermal Research Consortium, supported by Project InnerSpace, directly contributes to develop GeoMap™ Beta, a pivotal tool for geothermal prospecting.
HotRock’s recent work integrates 66,000 data points from three subsets of the SMU heat flow database (shown on map below) with the Association of American State Geologists database, and aligns it to International Heat Flow Commission (IHFC) standards.
This enhances the reliability and usability of the U.S. subsurface resources database, providing high-quality, standardized data, and enables professionals and policymakers in the geothermal industry to make informed decisions.
Recognized for its importance, the work was published in the IHFC's 2024 release of the significantly expanded Global Heat Flow Database (GHFDB). Inclusion in such a crucial global initiative marks a huge milestone for both the consortium and researchers Dr. Mohamed Shafik Khaled, Bissett Young, and Dr. Ken Wisian.
April 4, 2024
HotRock Geothermal Research Consortium Launches Kickoff Meeting
The Bureau of Economic Geology’s newest major research initiative, the HotRock Geothermal Research Consortium, held its member kickoff meeting at the Bureau’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. HotRock is an industry-funded research consortium that works to find and fill science and technology gaps to further develop the geothermal-anywhere ecosystem.
The meeting was held over two half-day sessions, and attendees included representatives from founding member companies of the consortium, Shell USA, SLB, and Chesapeake Energy, as well as representatives from additional interested organizations.
A host of HotRock researchers reported results from their recent state-of-the-art studies. They also discussed their ongoing work across a wide range of geothermal energy topics and recent additions to the consortium’s research capabilities.
Representatives from member companies were particularly enthusiastic about HotRock’s potential, and shared their priority research topics for the near future.
“Through a multidisciplinary approach,” observed Ryan Sonntag, Senior Staff Geologist and Geothermal Lead at Chesapeake Energy, “the HotRock consortium is prioritizing research on the critical economic drivers to improve commercial competitiveness of next-gen geothermal, while providing companies with valuable data and insights to make informed business decisions.”
For more information about the innovative research of the HotRock Geothermal Research Consortium, or to join, please contact Principal Investigator Dr. Ken Wisian.
January 24, 2023
After a year-long multi-disciplinary, cross-collaborative effort, researchers at five Texas universities, the University Lands Office, and the International Energy Agency published “The Future of Geothermal in Texas: The Coming Century of Growth & Prosperity in the Lone Star State.” Participating authors include researchers from The University of Texas at Austin, Southern Methodist University, Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Houston. The landmark study evaluates the size and potential scale of geothermal – the naturally occurring heat energy in the Earth’s subsurface – as an abundant clean energy resource in the State of Texas, as well as its potential to scale globally over the coming decades. Most importantly, the Report provides a scientific basis for informed decision making as entities begin to consider increased development of geothermal in Texas, and provides a compelling roadmap to global decarbonization by 2050.
More at: https://energy.utexas.edu/research/geothermal-texas
