Geology, Resistivity, and Hydrochemistry of the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs Area, Northern New Mexico

摘要

Geothermal fluids of the Ojo Caliente area discharge from a northeast trending normal fault that juxtaposes Precambrian metarhyolite and Tertiary sediments. An electrical resistivity survey shows that the fluids emerge from the fault and flow as a plume of thermal water into cold aquifers east of the fault. Geochemistry of fluids indicates a maximum reservoir temperature at depth of 80 exp 0 C with no suggestion of high temperature isotopic exchange between water and reservoir rocks. From this data, it is believed that the Ojo Caliente system is suitable only for small-scale direct use geothermal applications. (ERA citation 07:059424)