WORLD SCI-TECH R&D ›› 2024, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 263-276.doi: 10.16507/j.issn.1006-6055.2023.07.004

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Review on Progress of the Utah FORGE Project for Demonstration of Hot Dry Rock Development

ZHANG Wei1,2   JIN Xianpeng3   WANG Haihua1,2   YAO Shuqing1,2   SHAO Mingjuan1,2   

  1. 1. GEO-Documentation Center, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China; 2. China Geological Library, Beijing 100083, China; 3. Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300309, China
  • Online:2024-04-25 Published:2024-04-29

Abstract:

The 21st century is a time of global change in the approach in the field of energy acquisition. The current existing methods of energy production, based on conventional resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are gradually being replaced by environmental-friendly, low-emission clean energies, such as wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, and geothermal energy. Hot dry rock is a high temperature reservoir without connate water or with little water but no flow, which can form an enhanced geothermal system reservoir through hydraulic stimulation, and extract a considerable amount of geothermal energy. Taking the Utah FORGE project for demonstration of hot dry rock development being organized and implemented by the U. S. Department of Energy as the research object, this paper reviewed the main progress and achievements of the project, such as site geological condition characterization and infrastructure construction. The extensive and in-depth understanding of the project was summarized in terms of high-temperature hard rock drilling, reservoir stimulation, and microseismic monitoring. From the aspects of overall deployment, organization and implementation, site characterization and facility construction, breakthroughs in key technologies and equipment, and data-sharing, specific practices worthy of reference for China were put forward.

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