§17191 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in this part. Engineered (for enhanced geothermal systems) means built or designed to reach underground heat and may use methods that change the rocks or other technologies to fix problems like low rock permeability, too little fluid, or low heat that needs deeper wells. Eligible entity means a college or university, a national lab, a federal or state research agency, a nonprofit research group, an industrial company, or a consortium of two or more of those. Enhanced geothermal systems are geothermal reservoirs that are engineered rather than naturally formed. Geofluid is any fluid brought to the surface to get Earth’s heat for use or power, but not oil or natural gas. Geopressured resources are geothermal deposits in sedimentary rock under high pressure that contain gas or methane. Geothermal means heat stored in the Earth’s crust for direct use or power. Hydrothermal means natural underground reservoirs of hot water or steam. Systems approach means designing to make the whole system work best instead of focusing on one part.

Title 42, §17191

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this part:

(1)When referring to enhanced geothermal systems, the term “engineered” means designed to access subsurface heat, including stimulation and nonstimulation technologies to address one or more of the following issues:

(A)Lack of effective permeability, porosity or open fracture connectivity within the heat reservoir.

(B)Insufficient contained geofluid in the heat reservoir.

(C)A low average geothermal gradient which necessitates deeper drilling, or the use of alternative heat sources or heat generation processes.

(2)The term “eligible entity” means any of the following entities:

(A)An institution of higher education.

(B)A National laboratory.

(C)A Federal research agency.

(D)A State research agency.

(E)A nonprofit research organization.

(F)An industrial entity.

(G)A consortium of 2 or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F).

(3)The term “enhanced geothermal systems” means geothermal reservoir systems that are engineered, as opposed to occurring naturally.

(4)The term “geofluid” means any fluid used to extract thermal energy from the Earth which is transported to the surface for direct use or electric power generation, except that such term shall not include oil or natural gas.

(5)The term “geopressured resources” mean geothermal deposits found in sedimentary rocks under higher than normal pressure and saturated with gas or methane.

(6)The term “geothermal” refers to heat energy stored in the Earth’s crust that can be accessed for direct use or electric power generation.

(7)The term “hydrothermal” refers to naturally occurring subsurface reservoirs of hot water or steam.

(8)The term “systems approach” means an approach to solving problems or designing systems that attempts to optimize the performance of the overall system, rather than a particular component of the system.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Par. (1). Pub. L. 116–260, § 3002(a), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) defined the term “engineered”. Pars. (2) to (8). Pub. L. 116–260, § 3002(a)(2), (3), added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (7) as (3) to (8), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.

Short Title

This part known as the “Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007”, see

Short Title

note set out under section 17001 of this title.

§17191 Definitions

Summary

Title 42, §17191

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Short Title

Short Title

Citations & Metadata