Northwest Basin and Range Geothermal Region

From Open Energy Information

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
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"The Basin and Range Province in northwestern Nevada and northeastern California is characterized by late Cretaceous - early Cenozoic regional erosion, Oligocene - Miocene volcanism, and subsequent late Miocene extension. Extensional faulting in northwestern Nevada began everywhere at 12 Ma and has continued up to the present. Faulting in the Warner Range in northeastern California can only be constrained to have begun between 14 and 3 Ma, but may represent westward migration of Basin and Range extension during the Pliocene. Compared to the many parts of the Basin and Range in central and southern Nevada, extension in northwestern Nevada began more recently, is of lesser total magnitude, and was accommodated entirely by high-angle normal faults. Fission-track data document Late Cretaceous unroofing of Cretaceous (115 –100 Ma) granitic basement rocks in northwestern Nevada, followed by a long period of relative tectonic quiescence that persisted through Oligocene and Miocene volcanism until the onset of Basin and Range extension at 12 Ma. The low magnitude of extension (12%) and early Tertiary stability suggest that the modern 31 km thick crust in northwestern Nevada was only slightly thicker (35 km) prior to extension at 12 Ma, and was no thicker than 38 km in the Late Cretaceous. This stands in contrast to other parts of the Basin and Range, where the crust was thickened to at least 45 to 50 km by Cretaceous thrusting and subsequently thinned to 30 km by large magnitude (>50%) extension." cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.
The Basin and Range Province in northwestern Nevada and northeastern California is characterized by late Cretaceous - early Cenozoic regional erosion, Oligocene - Miocene volcanism, and subsequent late Miocene extension. Extensional faulting in northwestern Nevada began everywhere at 12 Ma and has continued up to the present. Faulting in the Warner Range in northeastern California can only be constrained to have begun between 14 and 3 Ma, but may represent westward migration of Basin and Range extension during the Pliocene. Compared to the many parts of the Basin and Range in central and southern Nevada, extension in northwestern Nevada began more recently, is of lesser total magnitude, and was accommodated entirely by high-angle normal faults. Fission-track data document Late Cretaceous unroofing of Cretaceous (115 –100 Ma) granitic basement rocks in northwestern Nevada, followed by a long period of relative tectonic quiescence that persisted through Oligocene and Miocene volcanism until the onset of Basin and Range extension at 12 Ma. The low magnitude of extension (12%) and early Tertiary stability suggest that the modern 31 km thick crust in northwestern Nevada was only slightly thicker (35 km) prior to extension at 12 Ma, and was no thicker than 38 km in the Late Cretaceous. This stands in contrast to other parts of the Basin and Range, where the crust was thickened to at least 45 to 50 km by Cretaceous thrusting and subsequently thinned to 30 km by large magnitude (>50%) extension.

Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Basin and Range Province in Northwestern Nevada [1]
Assessment of Moderate- and High-Temperature Geothermal Resources of the United States[2]


References

  1. ↑  "Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Basin and Range Province in Northwestern Nevada"
  2. ↑  "Assessment of Moderate- and High-Temperature Geothermal Resources of the United States"
Geothermal Region Data
State(s) Nevada
Area 137,091 km²
137,091,000,000 m²
52,917.126 mi²
1,475,633,814,900 ft²
163,960,836,000 yd²
33,875,871.555 acres
USGS Resource Estimate for this Region
Identified Mean Potential 1,044 MW
1,044,000 kW
1,044,000,000 W
1,044,000,000,000 mW
1.044 GW
0.00104 TW
Undiscovered Mean Potential 2,238 MW
2,238,000 kW
2,238,000,000 W
2,238,000,000,000 mW
2.238 GW
0.00224 TW
Planned Capacity
Planned Capacity 161 MW
161,000 kW
161,000,000 W
161,000,000,000 mW
0.161 GW
1.61e-4 TW
Plants Included
in Planned Estimate 		6
Plants with Unknown
Planned Capacity 		9

Geothermal Areas within the Northwest Basin and Range Geothermal Region


Geothermal Exploration Techniques used within the Northwest Basin and Range Geothermal Region




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