D. Final Report Vol. Ii Regional Heat Flow and Geochemical
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DAVID- D. FINAL REPORT VOL. II REGIONAL HEAT FLOW AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES IN SOUTHWEST UTAH Contract: 14-08-0001-G-341 Agency: U.S. Geological Survey Period of Work: June 21, 1976 through August 31, 1978 Grantee: Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah Princiapl Investigator: David S. Chapman Co-Investigators: David D. Blackwell William T. Parry Willi am R. Sill Stanley H. Ward James A. Whelan FINAL REPORT VOL II REGIONAL HEAT FLOH AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES Irl SOUTHHEST UTft.H Contract: 14-08-0001-G-341 Agency: U.S. Geological Survey Period of work: June 21 7 1976 through August 31, 1978 Grantee: Department of Geology and Geophysics The University of Utah Principal Investigator: David S. Chapman Co Investigators: David 0. Blackwell ~~ i 11 i am T• Parry Hilliam R. Sill Stanley H. Ward James A. ~Jhelan CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT. • • 1 INTRODUCTION. • . 2 HEAT FLOW DATA: SUMMARY 2 HEAT FLOH PROVINCES Arm SUBPROVH·!CES. 3 BASIN AND RANGE - COLORADO PLATEAU TRANSITION • • • • • • • • • • 14 rHNERAL f.'iOUNTAINS - COVE FORT REGION. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 16 REFERENCES •••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • 19 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 20 APPENDIX •••• •. • 21 I HEAT FLOW DATA: DETAILS. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 II ABSTRACTS FROM MEETINGS • . • . • • • • . 1.19 ABSTRACT Sixty t~'lo new heat flow determinations for Utah are reported. Although the spatial distribution of sites is still uneven~ with greatest concentration of sites in southwest Utah where the geothermal energy potential appears to be greatest~ the new sites represent a considerable improvement in representing the regional heat flow patterns. Two broad areas having anomalous high heat flow have been indentified: the northern most of these regions encompasses part of the Deep Creek Mountains~ Spar tltountain and Keg Mountain of west central Utah; the southern most region includes Escalante Desert and Mineral Mountains - Cove Fort areas. The new heat flov1 values also document the striking thermal contrast between the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces. Representative heat flow for the Utah portion of the Great Basin is 90 ± 10 (s.d.) mW m-2 in contrast to 49 ± 8 (s.d.) mW m-2 on the Colorado Plateau. In a geothermal area such as the ~~1ineral ~1ountains - Cove Fort region, our relatively dense coverage of heat flow results demonstrates the utility of heat flow measurements in mapping regions of groundwater recharge and discharge associated with large scale systems. 2 Introduction This study was undertaken to address the paucity of heat flow data in Utah where heat flow values were known for only fifteen sites (Spicer 1964; Hright, 1966; Roy et al., 1968; Sass et al., 1971; Costain and t,Jright, 1973; Reiter et al ., 1975). Sixty-two new heat flow determinations for Utah are presented in this report. Although the spatial distribution of sites is still uneven, with greatest concentration of values in Southwest Utah where the geothermal energy potential seems highest, the new sites represent a considerable improvement in representing the regional heat flow patterns. On the basis of these new results we have succeeded in reaching the following objectives: (1) outlining two broad areas within Utah having anomalous heat flux and hence high geothermal potential and ; (2) defining the thermal signatures of the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces. In addition, the new results in the Mineral Mountains - Cove Fort region have particular significance lor the interpretation of regional heat flow measurements in large scale hydrologic recharge-discharge geothermal ~ystems. The purpose of this report is to document our heat flow determinations. We have included site maps, temperature-depth curves, and pertinent rav1 data tables for all new sites. Preliminary interpretation of the results will be made, although further analysis is continuing in connection with the preparation of manuscripts for journal publication. Heat flow data: summary The summary of heat flow data obtained in this study including site 3 designation, location, and elevation, depth range used for the heat flow computation, thermal gradient, thermal conductivity details, and computed heat flow value, is given in Table 1 and Table 2. The distribution of the heat flow sites is shown in Figure 1. A generalized geologic map of Utah is included for reference as Figure 2. Temperatur~ measurements were made with portable thermistor probe equipment similar to that described by Sass et al. (1971) and Chapman (1976). All temperature measurements were made at times when drilling disturbances were negligible. Thermal conductivity measurements were made on saturated disks or cuttings in a conventional divided bar apparatus (Sass et al ., 1971). Where samples were not available, conductivity estimates have been made based on known lithology. The heat flow sites include twelve sites drilled specifically for heat flow determinations, the remainder being "holes of opportunity" drilled primarily for mineral exploration purposes. The quality of data varies from site to site, and depends primarily on prevailing geologic and hydrologic conditions. Only measurements deemed to be representative conducti-ve heat flow determinations have been retained; several sites where the temperature-depth curves were clearly disturbed have been retained for the study of perturbing effects but have not been included here. For the ~ost part the uncertainty in heat flow values in Tables 1 and 2 is from 10 to 20%. As will be discussed the real variations in regional heat flow is much greater. Heat flow provinces and subprovinces On the basis of the present heat flow data we recognize a distinctly Table 1 Code for Summary of New Heat Flow Data 4 N = number of thermal conductivity measurements 1 <K>, harmonic mean thermal conductivity 2 no core recovered; <K> is mean conductivity for basalt 3 <K> is mean conductivity of rhyolitic rocks in this region 4 <K> is mean conductivity of siliceous sand 5 no core recovered; <K> is mean conductivity for clay marl sediments c. u <K> is mean conductivity of basaltic rocks in this region 7 no core recovered; <K> is mean conductivity for limestone 8 no core recovered; <K> is mean conductivity for lime marl sediments 9 <K> is mean conductivity for clayey sediments 10 <K> is m;an conductivity of volcanic rocks in this region 1 , ~~ no core recovered; <K> is from BM-1 12 <k> is mean conductivity of quaternary alluvium in this region 13 no core recovered; <K> is from IM-l 14no core recovered; <k> is from MP-2 15 <k> is mean conductivity for sandstone 16 <k> is mean conductivity for sandstone interbedded with gypsum Table 1 Summary of new heat flow data. L~cality Well N. Lat. W. Long. Elev. Depth Range Gradient ·:N K (m) (m) ( °C/Km) (W/m K) (mW~m 2 ) 1 ... Deep Creek DC-1 39°51 I 113°48 1634 15-152 32.8+1.9 9 2.49+0.14 82 DC-2 39°50' 113°48' 1561 15-147 46.9+1.8 1.87+0.11 88 DC-3 39°45' 113°48' 1506 160-249 36.5+1.8 2. 14+0. 12 78 · Newfoundland NF-1 41°13' 113°22' 1402 20-152 29~9+0.8 T7 2.38+0.04 71 1 .. Silver Island Sl-1 41°02' 113°47 1332 15-155 38. 7~1.4 10 2.28+0.06 88 - Desert Mountain · DM-1 39?44' 112°36' 1524 20-155 31 . 0+ 1 • 5 10 3.01+0.07 93 , Keg Mounta.in KM-1 39°42 1 112°55' 1585 20-155 53.9+1.0 10 2,45+0~05 132 . Grouse Cr~ek Mountains"-GC~l 41°32' 113°42' 1756 15-152 33.0+1.5 10 3 . 14+0. 04 104 - Sheeprock SR-1 39°49' 112°25' 1784 45-145 30.5+1.2 23 2.57+0.05 78 SR-2 39°49' 112°24' 1784 10-45 46.0+5.0 8 3. 11 +0. 15 143 SR-3 39°49' 112°25' 1799 10-35 38.3+2.4 15 3.39+0.12 130 SR-4 39°49' 112°24' 1780 10-89 32.9+2.2 12 3.20+0.08 105 mean1 Sheeprock 101 U1 (Table 1 continued) Locality Drill Hole H. Lat.. ~L. Long. Elev. Depth Ranqe Gradient N K q 1 Spar t1ountain St,~l-1 39°44 113°14' 1430+1m 10-85 65.4+2.4 6 2 • 3 6+0 • () l~ 154 St'l-2 39°44' 113°14' 1430+lrn 15-60 62.6+2.6 6 1.97+0.03 123 f) 2(19 S~A!-3 39°42' 113°1?' 1523+3m 25-75 91.4+2.8 {_ . ' 201 9·1-4 39°4·3 I 113°13' 1475+3m 20-70 95.t.:+4.6 2.209 209 Sf·1-5 39°46' 113°15' 139[~+3m 20-70 176.8+13.1 2.209 389 Shauntie Hills SH-1 38°14' 113°22' 1658+1 25-105 65.8+5.5 1 2 .09±0 .£~1 138 SH-2 38°18' 113°12' 1804.+~) 20-GO 41.7+1.0 9 1.81+0.03 75 SH-3 3B 0 22' 113°14 1 1871+3m 20-70 54.7+5.9 1.8310 100 SH-4 3B 0 25 1 113°14 1 1840+5m 30-68 87.3+12.6 1.8310 160 SH-5 3B 0 24 1 113°17' 1877+3 20-105 52.4+1.1 1 1.88±0.19 99 "'"'"'''- ~' 1 B~ ack r·,.1ounta in Br1-1 38°07 113°08' 1762+3 15-75 52.(.~+ 1. 8 9 1.49+0.03 78 Br ..1-2 38°05 1 113°0B' 1865+3 15-45 77.8+10.3 1.4911 116 Bt··1-3 38°0 7 I 113°06' 173 7+3 20-65 172.3+16.5 2.0612 355 Bt-'l-4 38°09' 113°09' 1612+1 20-65 Jl63 .2+4 .6 2.0612 336 [3t ..1-7 38°05' 113°13' 1632+2 20-GBm 84.2+5.7 1.4911 125 Iron r1ountain H1-1 37°3B' 113°25 1 1904+3 10-80 27.3+2.0 3.6613 100 H1-2 37°38' 113°24' 1912+3 2.5-55 ?.5.0+2.5 3.6613 92 0) (Table 1 continued} Locality Drill hole N.