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A.H. Truesdell

Publications and source records attributed to A.H. Truesdell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1981

The origin of the Cerro Prieto geothermal brine

The Cerro Prieto geothermal brine may have originated from mixing of Colorado River water with seawater evaporated to about six times its normal salinity. This mixture circulated deeply and was heated by magmatic processes. During deep circulation, Li, K, Ca, B, SiO 2 and rare alkalis were transferred from rock minerals to the water, and Mg, SO 4 , and a minor quantity of Na were transferred to the rock. Similar alteration of seawater salt chemistry has been observed in coastal geothermal systems and produced in laboratory experiments. After heating and alteration the brine was further diluted to its present range of composition. Oxygen isotopes in the fluid are in equilibrium with reservoir calcite and have been affected by exploitation-induced boiling and dilution.

Geothermics↗
USGS1981

Downhole measurements and fluid chemistry of a castle rock steam well, the Geysers, Lake County, California

Wellbore and reservoir processes in a steam well in the Castle Rock field of The Geysers have been studied by means of down-hole pressure and temperature measurements and analyses of ejected water and steam produced under bleed and full flow. Down-hole measurements show that below a vapor zone there is liquid water in the well in pressure equilibrium with reservoir steam at a depth of 2290 m. The progressive decreases, from 1973 to 1977, of pressure and temperature in the vapor zone indicate that wellbore heat loss is high enough to condense a large fraction of the steam inflow. The chemical composition of water ejected from the well is consistent with an origin from wellbore condensation of steam. Calculations using the differences in gas and isotopic compositions between bleed and full-flow steam show that about half of the full-flow steam originated as liquid water in the reservoir and that about 30% of the steam entering the well under bleed was condensed in the wellbore and drained downward. Heat loss calculations are also consistent with this amount of condensation.

Geothermics↗
USGS1981

Molecular carbon isotopic evidence for the origin of geothermal hydrocarbons

Previous interest in light hydrocarbons from geothermal systems has focused principally on the origin of the methane1 and the estimation of subsurface temperatures from the carbon isotopic content of coexisting methane and carbon dioxide1-3. Higher molecular weight hydrocarbons were first reported in gases from Yellowstone National Park4, and have since been found to occur commonly in geothermal emanations in the western United States5. Isotopic measurements of individual geothermal hydrocarbons are now reported which help to explain the origin of these hydrocarbons. The thermal decomposition of sedimentary or groundwater organic matter is a principal source of hydrocarbons in four geothermal areas in western North America. ?? 1981 Nature Publishing Group.

Nature↗
USGS1980

Mixing models and ionic geothermometers applied to warm (up to 60°C) springs: Jordan Rift Valley, Israel

Mixing models and evaluation of SiO 2 contents of warm-water manifestations in the Jordan—Dead Sea Rift Valley indicate that these waters are fed by aquifers with estimated temperatures of up to 68°C. These calculations and Na/K ratios, concentrations of Na, K and Ca, concentrations of atmospheric Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe; and concentrations of the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes all indicate below-boiling temperatures. No indications are available for the existence of above-boiling geothermal systems in the Jordan Rift Valley. Slightly higher than observed temperatures are concluded for a deep component at the springs of Hammat Gader (67°C), Gofra (68°C), the Russian Garden (40°C), and the Yesha well (53–65°C). These temperatures may encourage further developments for spas and bathing installations and, to a limited extent, for space heating, but are not favorable for geothermal power generation.

Journal of Hydrology↗
USGS1979

Preliminary isotopic studies of fluids from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field

Preliminary isotopic studies of Cerro Prieto geothermal fluids and earlier studies of Mexicali Valley ground waters suggest local recharge of the geothermal system from the area immediately to the west. Oxygen isotope exchange of water with reservoir rock minerals at temperatures increasing with depth has produced fluids with oxygen-18 contents increasing with depth, and pressure drawdown in the southeastern part of the field has allowed lower oxygen-18 fluids to invade the production aquifer from above. The contents of tritium and carbon-14 in the fluid suggest only that the age of the fluid is between 50 and 10,000 years. The isotopic compositions of carbon and sulfur are consistent with a magmatic origin of these elements but a mixed sedimentary-organic origin appears more likely for carbon and is also possible for sulfur. Investigations of the isotopic compositions of geothermal and cold ground waters continue and are being expanded as fluids become available and as separation and analysis methods are improved. ?? 1979.

Geothermics↗
USGS1979

Geochemical evidence of drawdown in the Cerro Prieto geothermal field

Some wells of the Cerro Prieto geothermal field have undergone changes in the chemistry of fluids produced which reflect reservoir processes. Pressure decreases due to production in the southeastern part of the field have produced both drawdown of lower chloride fluids from an overlying aquifer and boiling in the aquifer with excess steam reaching the wells. These reservoir changes are indicated by changes in fluid chloride concentrations, Na/K ratios and measured enthalpies and by comparisons of aquifer fluid temperatures and chloride concentrations calculated from enthalpy and chemical measurements. Fluid temperatures have not been greatly affected by this drawdown because heat contained in the rock was transferred to the fluid. When this heat is exhausted, fluid temperatures may drop rapidly. ?? 1979.

Geothermics↗
USGS1979

Chemical and isotopic prediction of aquifer temperatures in the geothermal system at Long Valley, California

Temperatures of aquifers feeding thermal springs and wells in Long Valley, California, estimated using silica and Na-K-Ca geothermometers and warm spring mixing models, range from 160/dg to about 220??C. This information was used to construct a diagram showing enthalpy-chloride relations for the various thermal waters in the Long Valley region. The enthalpy-chloride information suggests that a 282 ?? 10??C aquifer with water containing about 375 mg chloride per kilogram of water is present somewhere deep in the system. That deep water would be related to ??? 220??C Casa Diablo water by mixing with cold water, and to Hot Creek water by first boiling with steam loss and then mixing with cold water. Oxygen and deuterium isotopic data are consistent with that interpretation. An aquifer at 282??C with 375 mg/kg chloride implies a convective heat flow in Long Valley of 6.6 ?? 107 cal/s. ?? 1979.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗
USGS1978

Gases and water isotopes in a geochemical section across the Larderello, Italy, geothermal field

Steam samples from six wells (Colombaia, Pineta, Larderello 57, Larderello 155, Gabbro 6, and Gabbro 1) in a south to north section across the Larderello geothermal field have been analyzed for inorganic and hydrocarbon gases and for oxygen-18 and deuterium of steam. The wells generally decrease in depth and increase in age toward the south. The steam samples are generally characterized by (1) Total gas contents increasing south to north from 0.003 to 0.05 mole fraction; (2) Constant CO2 (95??2 percent); near constant H2S (1.6??0.8), N2 (1.2??0.8), H2 (2??1), CH4 (1.2??1), and no O2 in the dry gas; (3) Presence of numerous, straight chain and branched C2 to C6 hydrocarbons plus benzene in amounts independent of CH4 contents with highest concentrations in the deeper wells; (4) Oxygen-18 contents of steam increasing south to north from -5.0??? to -0.4??? with little change in deuterium (-42??2???). These observations are interpreted as showing: (1) Decreasing gas contents with amount of production because the proportion of steam boiled from liquid water increases with production; (2) Synthesis of CH4 from H2 and CO2 with CO2 and H2 produced by thermal metamorphism and rock-water reactions; (3) Extraction of C2 to C6 hydrocarbons from rock organic matter; (4) Either oxygen isotope exchange followed by distillation of steam from the north toward the south (2 plates at ???220??C) or mixture of deeper more-exchange waters from the north with shallow, less-exchanged recharging waters from the south. ?? 1978 Birkha??user Verlag.

Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH↗
USGS1977

Geothermal reservoir temperatures estimated from the oxygen isotope compositions of dissolved sulfate and water from hot springs and shallow drillholes

The oxygen isotope compositions of dissolved sulfate and water from hot springs and shallow drillholes have been tested as a geothermometer in three areas of the western United States. Limited analyses of spring and borehole fluids and existing experimental rate studies suggest that dissolved sulfate and water are probably in isotopic equilibrium in all reservoirs of significant size with temperatures above ca. 140??C and that little re-equilibration occurs during ascent to the surface. The geothermometer is, however, affected by changes in ??18O of water due to subsurface boiling and dilution and by addition of sulfate of nearsurface origin. Methods are described to calculate the effects of boiling and dilution. The geothermometer, is applied to thermal systems of Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, Long Valley, California, and Raft River, Idaho to estimate deep reservoir temperatures of 360, 240, and 142??C, respectively. ?? 1976.

Geothermics↗
USGS1977

Techniques for the conversion to carbon dioxide of oxygen from dissolved sulfate in thermal waters

The fractionation of oxygen isotopes between dissolved sulfate ions and water provides a useful geothermometer for geothermal waters. The oxygen isotope composition of dissolved sulfate may also be used to indicate the source of the sulfate and processes of formation. The methods described here for separation, purification and reduction of sulfate to prepare carbon dioxide for mass spectrometric analysis are modifications of methods by Rafter (1967), Mizutani (1971), Sakai and Krouse (1971), and Mizutani and Rafter (1969). ?? 1976.

Geothermics↗
USGS1974

Oxygen isotope activities and concentrations in aqueous salt solutions at elevated temperatures: Consequences for isotope geochemistry

Studies of the effect of dissolved salts on the oxygen isotope activity ratio of water have been extended to 275°C. Dehydrated salts were added to water of known isotope composition and the solutions were equilibrated with CO 2 which was sampled for analysis. For comparison similar studies were made using pure water. Results on water nearly coincide with earlier calculations. Salt effects diminish with increasing temperature only for solutions of MgCl 2 and LiCl. Other salt solutions show complex behavior due to the temperature-dependent formation of ion pairs of changing character. Equilibrium fractionations (10 3 ln α) between 1 molal solutions and pure water at 25, 100, and 275°C are: NaCl 0.0, −1.5, +1.0; KCl 0.0, −1.0, +2.0; LiCl −1.0, −0.6, −0.5; CaCl 2 −0.4, −1.8, +0.8; MgCl 2 −1.1, −0.7, −0.3; MgSO 4 −1.1, +0.1, −; NaF (0.8 m) 0.0, −1.5, −0.3; and NH 4 Cl (0.55 m) 0.0, −1.2, −1.3. These effects are significant in the isotope study of hot saline fluids responsible for ore deposition and of fluids found in certain geothermal systems. Minor modification of published isotope geothermometers may be required.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters↗
USGS1973

An empirical NaKCa geothermometer for natural waters

An empirical method of estimating the last temperature of water-rock interaction has been devised. It is based upon molar Na, K and Ca concentrations in natural waters from temperature environments ranging from 4 to 340°C. The data for most geothermal waters cluster near a straight line when plotted as the function log ( Na K ) + β log [ √ (Ca) Na ] "> log (NaK) + β log [ √(Ca)Na] vs reciprocal of absolute temperature, where β is either 1 3 "> 13 or 4 3 "> 43 depending upon whether the water equilibrated above or below 100°C. For most waters tested, the method gives better results than the Na K "> NaK methods suggested by other workers. The ratio Na K "> NaK should not be used to estimate temperature if √ ( M Ca ) M Na "> √ (MCa)MNa is greater than 1. The Na K "> NaK values of such waters generally yield calculated temperatures much higher than the actual temperature at which water interacted with the rock. A comparison of the composition of boiling hot-spring water with that obtained from a nearby well (170°C) in Yellowstone Park shows that continued water-rock reactions may occur during ascent of water even though that ascent is so rapid that little or no heat is lost to the country rock, i.e. the water cools adiabatically. As a result of such continued reaction, waters which dissolve additional Ca as they ascend from the aquifer to the surface will yield estimated aquifer temperatures that are too low. On the other hand, waters initially having enough Ca to deposit calcium carbonate during ascent may yield estimated aquifer temperatures that are too high if aqueous Na and K are prevented from further reaction with country rock owing to armoring by calcite or silica minerals. The Na-K-Ca geothermometer is of particular interest to those prospecting for geothermal energy. The method also may be of use in interpreting compositions of fluid inclusions.

Wyoming↗