Geothermal development in the Kilauea East Rift Zone--status of reserves assessment and injection strategy

Abstract

This memo addresses some basic concerns regarding the status of reserves assessment and the development of an injection strategy for waste water and gases from any power plant to be developed within the Kilauea East Rift Zone (KERZ). It is generally agreed that a considerable amount of exploitable geothermal reserves exist in the KERZ and possibly in the other rift zones of the Big Island. For example, the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV} has been able to convince sophisticated investors and major financial institutions that at least a 30 MW (gross) power plant could be supported for 30 years from the reserves within a 500-acre portion of their leasehold. In fact, the Scientific Observation Holes (SOH) program of the State of Hawaii has confirmed the existence of a much larger geothermal system within the KERZ than had been proven before by commercial developers.