BLM Dixie Valley-Meadows Geothermal Exploration Project Review - 2011

Geothermal Energy / Exploration

This is a report by U.S. BLM as a final environmental assessment of the drilling application by Ormat Technologies, Inc. to analyze potential impacts to the human and natural environment resulting from exploratory drilling for geothermal resources within the Ormat Dixie Valley-Meadows Lease Area (Lease Area). The Lease Area is located in Dixie Valley, approximately 75 miles northeast of Fallon, in Churchill County, Nevada.

The Lease Area consists of approximately 22,021 acres of public land collectively formed by eight individual federal geothermal leases held by Ormat. Primary access to the Lease Area would be east from Fallon for approximately 40 highway miles on U.S. Highway 50, then north about 35 highway miles on Dixie Valley Road, and then through the existing road network.

Ormat is seeking approval to drill temperature gradient wells and to drill and test observation wells and production wells at up to 20 specific locations, otherwise referred to as “well pads” that shows the drill pad identification and well number for each well pad and the location of the approximate center of each proposed well pad. Ormat plans to drill up to one temperature gradient well, one observation well, and one production well at each well pad. Each
well type may not necessarily be drilled on each well pad, no more than one well of each well type would be drilled on any single well pad, and not all well pads may be utilized or developed. Nonetheless, each pad would be permitted to accommodate the maximum size necessary for the construction and operation of a production well, approximately 4.1 acres. An area of this size is more than sufficient for the drilling and operation of a temperature gradient well (which would disturb about 0.25 acre), an observation well (which would disturb about 2.4 acres), or all three well types.

Drilling operations would be performed in accordance with BLM and Nevada Division of Minerals regulations and permit requirements. If well conditions warrant changes to the design for completion of a well, approval from the responsible regulatory agency or agencies would be obtained before making any changes.

[Also see earlier geological/hydrogeological reports:

By Campbell, 1983: https://i2mconsultants.com/downloads/mdcampbell/MDCGeotherm83Fla2.pdf ]
and
By Campbell and Wielchowsky, 1982: http://i2mconsultants.com/downloads/corp/CampbellWeilChow1982GeothermC.pdf].