New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

The physiographic diversity of New Mexico is accompanied by different thermal regimes, hydrology, and structures that are conducive to practically the entire gamut of possible geothermal manifestations. User demand, economics, accessibility, technology, and awareness determine the types of geothermal resources that are placed in service. Shallow convective systems in fractured bedrock are the focus of current geothermal utilization. The shallow reservoirs are the result of rapid upward topography-forced leakage from deep hot regional bedrock ground-water flow or seepage systems. Large and deep confined aquifers with conductive thermal regimes also have potential for use as energy demand, technology, economics, and awareness converge. Upper crust magma heat sources are not required for either the forced-convective or the conductive resource categories; although, high regional heat flow from the mantle and deeper crust is favorable. Geothermal heat may be converted to electricity or the heat may be used directly without energy conversion. New Mexico leads the nation in geothermal direct-use for heating greenhouses. The Masson Radium Springs Farm geothermal greenhouse provides an example with significant energy savings. The operation is the largest business in northern Dona Ana County with annual cash receipts exceeding $10 million and more than 100 employees. Several technologies are applied in the operation to save fresh water, prevent corrosion, and sustain the geothermal resource. The New Mexico geothermal future may include small-scale electrical power generation, desalination, and many industrial and agricultural direct-use applications. In fact, geothermal could complement petroleum production by using hot produced fluids with high water cut for small-scale power production.