Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis: Mountain Home Geothermal Area Natural State Model

Abstract

The Mountain Home area is characterized by high heat flow and temperature gradient. Temperature data are available from 18 boreholes with depths equal to or greater than 200 m, 5 of which have depths ranging from ~1340 m to ~3390 m (MH-1, MH-2, Bostic1, Lawrence D No.1, and Anschutz No. 1). Although there are large variations, the average temperature gradient exceeds 80 deg C/km. Recently, high-resolution gravity, ground magnetic, magnetotelluric (MT), and seismic reflection surveys have been carried out in the area in order to define key structural features responsible for promoting permeability and fluid flow. Of particular relevance is the MT survey performed in the Mountain Home area.

The included reports and papers present preliminary and final 3-D numerical models of the natural-state (i.e. pre-production state) of the Mountain Home geothermal area conditioned using the available temperature profiles from the five deep wells in addition to interpretations of MT data.