Background Information

Background and Data Limitations

Project Purpose

The Geothermal Information Layer for Oregon (GTILO) is the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries' (DOGAMI) geospatial database system that stores and manages Oregon's geothermal resource information. GTILO communicates the state's geothermal potential and goes to answering the fundamental question: what is the extent to which geothermal resources can contribute to the increasing demand for electricity and application of direct use in Oregon?

GTILO also furthers the mission of the Department for geothermal energy studies and directly relates to the state's Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). The RPS fosters market demand and essentially makes the state's utilities meet a specific renewable capacity requirement - "green" power with a power generation capacity of 25 percent by 2025. Geothermal power could become an important part of the state's renewable mix as a firm, dependable supply of electric power ? any time ? and for energy saving non-electrical purposes (low-temperature direct-use applications). See Resources and Download Data for geothermal data sources used.

Latest additions and changes

The dataset for GTILO release 2 (GTILO-2) is a collection of two geospatial files:

• Geothermalwell_database - This database holds 5,429 records representing geothermal prospect wells, geothermal wells, low temperature wells, and temperature gradient wells in Oregon. These records were assembled to illustrate those areas in Oregon that either have been investigated for geothermal resource potential or show potential for a geothermal resource.
• Geothermalspring_database - This database holds 690 points representing springs that are produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater in Oregon.
  

Disclaimer

Although the data set for GTILO-2 is statewide in extent, coverage varies from county to county because the data collection was contingent upon a variety of published and unpublished literature sources, exploration activities, or research programs with which we have not established ties. These datasets may contain some errors, but care has been taken to prevent duplications and omissions.

Source Data

Download the zipped GTILO-2 file from the Download Data page and consult the metadata for GTILO reference information.

Development

• January 2013: GTILO-2 interactive map updated to include GTILO-2 data. Built using Esri ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, version 3.0.
• December 20, 2012: GTILO-2 data released. Interactive map in development.
• September 2009: Redeployed using Esri ArcGIS Server. Known Geothermal Resource Area data layer removed from interactive map.
• June 2007: Initial version. Built using Map-Fu and UMN MapServer software.
  

Funding

DOGAMI is participating in the National Geothermal Data System (NGDS). The NGDS is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Geothermal Technologies Program, funded project to form a system of State and Federal agencies, universities, and energy consortiums for compiling at-risk legacy, geothermal-relevant data. In 2009, funding for this project was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Public Law 111-5, US DOE Number: DE-FOA-0000109, Topic Area 3: Geothermal Data Development, Collection, and Maintenance. The US DOE awarded the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS), acting on behalf of the Association of American State Geologists, 17.8 million dollars over 3 years to lead this effort. DOGAMI submitted a sub-proposal to AZGS for new geothermal data collection and is one of about 45 states geological surveys to populate the NGDS.

The US DOE Geothermal Technologies Program subsequently received additional funding to the project, expanding Task 2.4 of the project's objectives, Collection of New Data. Again, DOGAMI submitted a sub-proposal to AZGS for new geothermal data collection and is one of the awardees.