On September 3, 2009
Altarock Halts Drilling at First Geothermal Well
Altarock Energy can’t catch a break. After running into local opposition earlier in the summer, after the New York Times published a story suggesting the geothermal energy company could cause earthquakes, it has now run into a tough rock formation at its first site, forcing it to stop drilling and move on. The company is the darling of the geothermal industry, which is split between other startups and older, larger companies like Raser Technologies. Altarock, along with some other small companies, is pursuing enhanced geothermal, which involves deep drilling, often several miles beneath the surface, to reach a layer of hot rock that can produce steam. It’s not clear exactly what stopped Altarock’s drilling, which began in an old well…
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