Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands

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Noble gas raw data for the Hawaiian islands of Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Lanai, and Kauai. Based on results from prior phases of the Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis, this project targeted 66 wells on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Oahu, and Kauai for sampling of dissolved noble gases, trace metals, common ions, and the stable isotopes 2H and 18O. Ultimately, 23 of the 66 well targets were sampled. Noble gas data from this study is supplemented with data shared by the United States Geologic Survey for the summit of Kilauea, and by the geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies Inc. for their geothermal power plant Puna Geothermal Venture on the Lower East Rift of Kilauea, and for their exploration of Kona and Hualalai on Hawaii, as well as the Southwest Rift of Haleakala on Maui. The noble gas helium is used as an indicator of geothermal heat when excess 3He and/or 4He is present when compared to the atmospheric ratio of those isotopes (R/Ra). R/Ra is minimally affected by dilution and transport, allowing even those wells not perfectly situated over a geothermal system to indicate a geothermal anomaly. R/Ra anomalies are present on every island in this study. There is a strong correlation between R/Ra anomalies and proximity to rift zones and calderas. The Hawaii Play Fairway project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office (award DE-EE0006729). For more information, see Colin Ferguson's Master of Science thesis "Exploration for Blind Geothermal Resources in the State of Hawaii Utilizing Dissolved Noble Gasses in Well Waters."

Citation Formats

University of Hawaii. (2020). Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands [data set]. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1856793.
Export Citation to RIS
Ferguson, Colin, Lautze, Nicole. Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands. United States: N.p., 06 Oct, 2020. Web. doi: 10.15121/1856793.
Ferguson, Colin, Lautze, Nicole. Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands. United States. https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1856793
Ferguson, Colin, Lautze, Nicole. 2020. "Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands". United States. https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1856793. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1373.
@div{oedi_1373, title = {Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis: Noble Gas Raw Data for Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Lanai islands}, author = {Ferguson, Colin, Lautze, Nicole.}, abstractNote = {Noble gas raw data for the Hawaiian islands of Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Lanai, and Kauai. Based on results from prior phases of the Hawaii Play Fairway Analysis, this project targeted 66 wells on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Oahu, and Kauai for sampling of dissolved noble gases, trace metals, common ions, and the stable isotopes 2H and 18O. Ultimately, 23 of the 66 well targets were sampled. Noble gas data from this study is supplemented with data shared by the United States Geologic Survey for the summit of Kilauea, and by the geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies Inc. for their geothermal power plant Puna Geothermal Venture on the Lower East Rift of Kilauea, and for their exploration of Kona and Hualalai on Hawaii, as well as the Southwest Rift of Haleakala on Maui. The noble gas helium is used as an indicator of geothermal heat when excess 3He and/or 4He is present when compared to the atmospheric ratio of those isotopes (R/Ra). R/Ra is minimally affected by dilution and transport, allowing even those wells not perfectly situated over a geothermal system to indicate a geothermal anomaly. R/Ra anomalies are present on every island in this study. There is a strong correlation between R/Ra anomalies and proximity to rift zones and calderas. The Hawaii Play Fairway project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office (award DE-EE0006729). For more information, see Colin Ferguson's Master of Science thesis "Exploration for Blind Geothermal Resources in the State of Hawaii Utilizing Dissolved Noble Gasses in Well Waters."}, doi = {10.15121/1856793}, url = {https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1373}, journal = {}, number = , volume = , place = {United States}, year = {2020}, month = {10}}
https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1856793

Details

Data from Oct 6, 2020

Last updated Mar 28, 2022

Submitted Mar 27, 2022

Organization

University of Hawaii

Contact

Nicole Lautze

808.956.3499

Authors

Colin Ferguson

University of Hawaii

Nicole Lautze

University of Hawaii

DOE Project Details

Project Name Comprehensive analysis of Hawaii's geothermal potential through Play Fairway integration of geophysical, geochemical, and geological data

Project Lead Holly Thomas

Project Number EE0006729

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