Geothermal systems and methods with an underground magma chamber
AssigneeEnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
InventorsGreg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner, Scott Hall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A geothermal system is used for obtaining heated heat transfer fluid, such as steam, via heat transfer with an underground reservoir of magma. The geothermal system includes a wellbore extending between a surface and into an underground chamber formed in a reservoir of magma. The chamber may be formed by injecting a fluid at an increased pressure into underground magma to form a cavity that acts as the underground chamber.
Claims20
A system, comprising, during formation of an underground chamber in an underground reservoir of liquid magma:
- a wellbore extending between a surface and the underground reservoir of liquid magma;
- a fluid conduit in the wellbore extending from the surface and at least partially into the underground reservoir of liquid magma;
- and
- a fluid pump configured to provide a flow of a pressurized fluid into the underground reservoir of liquid magma, thereby displacing liquid magma from the underground reservoir of liquid magma and forming an underground chamber comprising a cavity formed in the underground reservoir of liquid magma, wherein at least a portion of an internal surface of the underground chamber comprises hardened magma formed from cooling of liquid magma by the pressurized fluid.
A method, comprising, during formation of an underground chamber in an underground reservoir of liquid magma:
- forming a wellbore extending between a surface and an underground reservoir of liquid magma;
- and
- providing a flow of a pressurized fluid into the underground reservoir of liquid magma, thereby displacing liquid magma from the underground reservoir of magma and forming the underground chamber, the underground chamber comprising a cavity formed in the underground reservoir of liquid magma, wherein at least a portion of an internal surface of the underground chamber comprises hardened magma formed from cooling of liquid magma by the pressurized fluid.
A system, comprising, during formation of an underground chamber in an underground reservoir of liquid magma:
- a fluid pump configured to provide a flow of a pressurized fluid from a surface through a wellbore and into the underground reservoir of liquid magma, thereby displacing liquid magma from the underground reservoir of liquid magma and forming the underground chamber, the underground chamber comprising a cavity formed in the underground reservoir of liquid magma, wherein at least a portion of an internal surface of the underground chamber comprises hardened magma formed from cooling of liquid magma by the pressurized fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.