Geothermal Development in California
Authors: Anderson David N. 
Published: December 2007

This paper was prepared for the 43rd Annual California Regional Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME to be held in Bakersfield, Calif., Nov. 8–10, 1972. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon requested to the Editor PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon requested to the Editor of the appropriate journal, provided agreement to give proper credit is made.

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California is naturally endowed with a number of arms which exhibit tremendous geothermal potential. In the last two decades, one area has been proven capable of power production and a second is now under production and a second is now under development. In the future, the total development of the state geothermal resources could provide significant amounts of power, desalinated provide significant amounts of power, desalinated water, minerals, and heat for public and private buildings, hot houses, and some private buildings, hot houses, and some manufacturing processes.

Discussion

California is naturally endowed with a tremendous potential for geothermal development which can be directly attributed to its geographic position atop the intersection of three crustal plates. Proponents of platetectonics have estimated that the North platetectonics have estimated that the North American Continent began sliding across this active zone of seafloor spreading about four and one-half million years ago. At present the spreading centers and related transform faults separate the west coast of Mexico (Baja California) from the mainland and the Gulf of California opened as a result of this process. There is evidence that this zone of spreading extends beneath the Imperial Valley and that the immense heat generated provides the valley with its enormous provides the valley with its enormous geothermal potential. The continuing study Of plate-tectonics will undoubtedly aid plate-tectonics will undoubtedly aid exploration geologists in their search for geothermal energy.

Early explorers found Indians using thermal springs for a variety of uses including bathing, cooking, and medicinal purposes. Early settlers undoubtedly used the hot springs in the same manner.

Since the middle 1800s, numerous spas have been built on hot springs sites and many are still in use today, but the greater portion have been abandoned and left to fall portion have been abandoned and left to fall into ruin. Two of the most famous spas The Big Geysers in Sonoma County and Calistoga Hot Springs in Napa County, are still in operation today. The Big Geysers spa, originally built in the 1860s, was visited by such famous people as William Jennings Bryan and Theodore Roosevelt.

In the early 19008 spas, for several reasons, became less popular and their number and use has declined steadily until recently.