Geothermal Plants In Texas

One of the big stalls on geothermal plants in Texas has been the fact that in order to get to a source hot enough you would have to dig deep in order to hit a site. We are proposing that we use existing drilling sites in the Permian Basin that have been used up and no longer needed for oil. If we can find the deepest sites with the highest temperatures we can use that and continue drilling deeper if needed. This would make these sites more economical as well since it does not need to be closed up. This way the need to find a geyser would not be needed since there is energy that exists. Setting up the plant is not much different from a normal coal power plant. The advantage is that it uses energy from heat from the earth which also give it more

of a benefit compared to wind energy because the power is always available and does not get affected by weather.

This map above shows the spots in Texas for geothermal energy. The reason why the Permian Basin looks low is due to the fact we need to drill further down to see a benefit. In fact it does not take much. If a well can produce at least 100 degree Celsius it can produce economical power.The advances in directional drilling that are used right now can also be used as an advantage in the area since we can use it for the cool return lines. This be thought of as using the ground as a large heat exchanger. This is one of the ways that this could be done.

Building a geothermal plant requires many qualified individuals.

All of these individuals are an essential part of the planning and constructing process of the geothermal plant. The first step to building a plant is to research an effective location where a geothermal plant can be built. Many groups of scientist including environmental scientist, geologists, hydrologists, and wildlife biologists are brought on board to ensure the work that is going to be done on the plant is effective and that it complies with regulations. Environmental scientists are responsible to ensure that the geothermal plant complies with environmental regulations and to minimize hazards to the environment. To find the most effective areas to drill for a geothermal site, geologist study graphs and charts. They also use their knowledge of rocks to find locations that are going to be the most price effective. Hydrologists are an essential part of the team to build a geothermal plant, because they study the quality of water and the availability of water. They are important in the process of pick a location for the geothermal plant because geothermal energy can be produced by heat that comes from water. Wildlife biologists ensure the safety of the surrounding wildlife. They make recommendations on how to minimize and altogether avoid interfering with the ecosystem. Many of the scientists are required to have a master’s degree. Some of these scientists are required to have a

Ph.D.

Along with a qualified group of scientist, an equally qualified group of engineers is required.

All of the engineers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Some of the engineers might be required to have a master’s degree or a doctoral degree. In addition to a college degree, an engineer must be licensed as a professional engineer. Civil engineers, electrical engineers, electronics engineers, and environmental engineers are all an essential part of the building and maintenance of the geothermal power plant. Civil engineers are responsible for the structure of the building. They have to take into account any possible problem that can be caused by natural disasters and the environment that surrounds the plant; they must make sure the building is equipped to withstand any problems that may arise . The civil engineers have to provide access roads for all of the other workers of the geothermal plant. Electrical engineers have to provide all of the electrical wiring, lighting, and any machinery control to the plant. Electronics engineering works in collaboration with electrical engineer; while electrical engineers work on the sourcing and distribution of electricity, complex electronic systems are developed by electronics engineers to operate the thermal plant. In collaboration with wildlife biologists, environmental engineers must make sure that the geothermal plant has minimal impact on the plants and wildlife. The manufacturing of drilling equipment,

turbines, and other equipment used to creating geothermal energy is under direct supervision of mechanical engineers. They are responsible to develop and test the tools that are going to be used to generate the geothermal energy.
Although scientists and engineers are an essential part of the team required to build a geothermal plant, they only make up a small percentage of the task force. A geothermal plan also requires many other individuals qualified in different fields. Managers are required to supervise labor, construction workers, electricians, plumbers, drill operators, and plant operators. The majority of these jobs do not require any college education. Some of them do require a high school diploma or equivalent and others require some sort of certification. All of these job positions are a very important and essential part of the constructing and the day to day operations of the plant.