Geothermal Technologies Office
Public Service of Colorado Ponnequin Wind Farm
Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap
NEPA Database Overview
June 26, 2013
1 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Jay Nathwani
Geothermal Technologies Office
Kate Young
NREL Principal Investigator
eere.energy.gov
Meeting Agenda
Status Update
• Roadmap Content
• Analyses
• Web Interface
• White Papers
Moving Forward
2 | US DOE Geothermal Program
eere.energy.gov
GRR Content
Colorado
• Colorado agency/industry review: March 6, 2013
• Completed  through agency and legal review
• Now available online
Texas
• Texas agency/industry review: June 12, 2013
• Completed  through agency and legal review
• Now available online
Roadmap
3 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technology White Papers
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
GRR Content:
Colorado Permitting Concerns
Uncertainty
Since geothermal is so new to this state, state agencies (e.g. Department of Water
Resources) aren’t quite sure how they will handle every situation. This causes angst and
misunderstanding with the general public (they think there are requirements that may or
may not be there, and are insisting the developer follow these "ideas”)
Leasing
State Land Board has not formalized their renewable energy leasing process - there are no
resources online or guidance for how to obtain a lease. Plan to present recommendations
to the State Land Board soon (in April?).
Geothermal
Resource
is the heat, but does not include water - for example, EGS heat okay. Water rights must be
obtained independently.
Tributary vs.
Nontributary Status
DWR and CGS have suggested that a developer WANTS their resource to be tributary
because a nontributary source is limited by surface ownership, and by total volume
available by law (calculated 100-year life). There would never be enough water in a nontributary water right that is tied to land ownership for an ecumenically viable power plant.
Geothermal Well
Permitting
current process assumes non consumption of the tributary (see previous bullet) water. If
any of it is consumptive, DWR is not yet sure how it will be handled - how to obtain a water
right. NREL is working with DWR to flesh out that portion of the flowchart.
County Regulations
(1041 Permits)
• Allows the counties to develop their own geothermal permitting and regulations - relates to
siting and zoning.
• The state has received grant money for suggested guidelines which are in process and
scheduled for draft release March 15, 2013. Flow charts will be developed as part of 1041
regs and could be incorporated into the geothermal road-mapping effort.
• In some areas, while 1041 permits are in the process of development a moratorium on
development has been adopted. (e.g. Chaffee County)
Roadmap
4 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technology White Papers
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
GRR Content:
Texas Permitting Concerns
Water Rights
Much of the surface water is already over-appropriated. Ground water is owned by
the private landowner in most cases, and therefore, water leases typically need to be
worked out through these land owners.
Leasing
Most geothermal development will occur on private lands in Texas
Geothermal
Resource
Per TX NR Code 141.003, geothermal energy includes the heat and any associated
resource, therefore a developer can utilize gas and oil that come up when drilling for
geothermal resources. Another Texas statute states that geothermal will be
administered as a mineral (but this does not mean it is a mineral right).
Geothermal Well
Permitting
Many of the permits required for geothermal development (along with oil and gas) has
been delegated to Railroad Commission (RRC), including drilling permits,
underground injection control, air quality, etc.
Transmission/
Power Plant Siting
• The Texas PUC has delegated authority to ERCOT (85% of the state), and
therefore only retained jurisdiction in non-ERCOT areas or where the energy facility
generation capacity is less than 10MW.
Roadmap
5 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technology White Papers
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
Permitting Analyses
FY12
FY13
Industry
Agencies
NREL/DOE
Bring People
Together
Develop
Framework
Beyond
Congress
Agencies
OUTCOMES
Reduce Permitting
Time
Develop
Language
Identify
Game
Changers
and
Collect Data
Industry
Agencies
Congress
Agencies
FY14
Enact
Law/
Policy
Conduct
Analyses
Lower
LCOE
Increase
# of
Projects
Increase
Deployment
Tuesday, October 1, 9:00-noon
Side Session – (Rm 117)
• Reduce NEPA
permitting time
Collect NEPA data and conduct
analysis
• Cost Recovery/
Permit Fees
Provide analysis of successful
cost recovery programs
Tuesday, October 1, 1:50
Policy/Market Analysis/Utility Session (Rm 123)
• Centralized location
for all permitting
Analyze effectiveness of
currently operating centralized
permitting
Tuesday, October 1, 2:50
Regulatory/Environmental Session (Rm 121)
Roadmap
6 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technology White Papers
no GRC registration required
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
Technical White Papers
Task Description:
Develop technology characterizations of geothermal technologies to help
educate agency personnel on the technical details, field operations,
environmental impacts and permitting issues.
General Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Technology Description
2.1 Technology Overview
2.2 Technology Features
3.
Environmental Impacts and Permitting Issues
3.1 Environmental Impact Screening Criteria
3.2 Potential Environmental Consequences
3.3 Permitting Requirements and Issues
Roadmap
7 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technical White Papers
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
Technical White Papers - Topics
FY13 White Paper Topics
In Agency Hydraulic Stimulation:
• Multi-Stage Stimulation
Review
•
•
•
Reservoir Engineering:
•
•
•
•
Zonal Isolation
Diverters
Chemical Stimulation
In Agency Downhole Fluids:
Review
• Stimulation Fluids
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tracers
Working Fluids
Nanotechnologies
Seismic
MT
Gravity
Geoscientific Surveys
Drilling Muds, Casing, Cementing, BOPs
Injection Wells, Advanced Drilling
Techniques, Step-Outs, Lateral/Horizontal
Drilling
In Agency Exploratory Drilling:
Review
• Temperature Gradient Holes (TGH)
•
•
Well Characterization Techniques
Flow Tests
Down-hole Methods
Induction of Fluid Flow
Geophysical Surveys:
In Agency Production Drilling and
Review
Well Completion:
•
•
FY14 White Paper Topics
2M Probe Surveys
Slimhole Drilling
•
•
•
•
Geological
Human Observation
Geochemical
Remote Sensing
Other Stimulation:
•
•
•
•
Chemical Stimulation
Explosive Stimulation
Rock Mechanics
Fracture Propagation
In Agency Produced Fluids
Review
• Re-Injection
•
•
On-Site Treatment
Shipment for Treatment
Roadmap
8 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Permitting Analysis
Technical White Papers
Web Interface
Future Plans
eere.energy.gov
Technical White Papers Schedule
Task
Team Kick Off Meeting
Time
Frame
1 day
Develop Technical
Working Paper Construct
Finalize List of Paper
Topics
3 Weeks
Data Collection and
Analysis for Paper #1
Draft Technical Working
Paper #1
DOE and partner agency
review of Paper #1
Incorporate Comments
and Finalize Paper #1
Data Collection and
Analysis for Papers #2-4
Draft Technical Working
Papers #2-4
DOE and partner agency
review of Papers #2-4
Incorporate Comments
and Finalize Papers #2-4
Publish and Distribute
Papers #1-4
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
5 Weeks
2 weeks
3 Weeks
5 weeks
8 weeks
3 weeks
2 weeks
3 week
9 | US DOE Geothermal Program
Due
Date
Responsible Entity
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
Week of All entities
1/22/2013
2/15/2013 New West with support from
NREL
2/15/2013 DOE, in consultation with BLM,
USFS, and DOD, and with
support from New West and
NREL
3/1/2013 New West with support from
NREL
4/5/2013 New West with support from
NREL
4/19/2013 DOE, in consultation with BLM,
USFS, and DOD
5/10/2013 New West with support from
NREL
5/24/2013 New West with support from
NREL
7/19/2013 New West with support from
NREL
8/9/2013 DOE, in consultation with BLM,
USFS, and DOD
8/22/2013 New West with support from
NREL
9/12/2013 DOE with support from New
West/NREL
eere.energy.gov
Upcoming Plans
Roadmap
Analysis
• Colorado and Texas complete
• 2 analyses complete – being presented at GRC:
• Geothermal Federal Funding Mechanisms
• Coordinating Permit Offices
• NEPA Database Complete
NEPA
White
Papers
Web
Interface
Roadmap
10 | US DOE Geothermal Program
• Preliminary analysis presented today
• Analyze data and draft report with results
• Collect similar information for oil & gas
• 5 White papers complete
• Will be available on agency websites, DOE website, OpenEI, NGDS
• Continue to add general information for each of the roadmap areas
• Add data to the state pages to query on each technology page
• Continue development of wizard interface, walking users through permit
trigger questions
Permitting Analysis
Technology White Papers
Web Interface
Upcoming Plans
eere.energy.gov