Status of Geothermal Reservoir Engineering Management Program (GREMP)

In the fall of 1976, the US Department of Energy (DOE), Division of Geothermal Energy (DGE) proposed that Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) assume lead responsibility, on DGE's behalf, for the management of a program of support of research related to geothermal reservoir engineering. Since its inception, this activity, known as GREMP has included 18 separate contracts on a variety of technical and scientific projects. Altogether, 23 distinguishable research topics have been addressed. Fourteen institutions, including eight private companies, have contracted with the program. The status of the work as of December, 1979 is summarized. All high priority elements of the original program that were assigned to LBL for implementation have been addressed except for investigations of properties of materials. In the future the program should emphasize this neglected element as well as assure meaningful evaluation, preferably in the field, of the applicability of research supported to date.