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Utah Forge reports new seismic wells, upcoming long circulation test and water-rights increase request
Summary
Utah Forge updated the Milford City Council on July 15 about completed seismic monitoring wells, site cleanup, a request to double nonpotable water rights from 50 to 100, R&D testing in August and a planned four-month circulation test starting in September.
Utah Forge representatives briefed the Milford City Council on July 15 about recent activity at the geothermal research site and the company’s near-term testing plans, including a pending water-rights increase and an extended circulation test beginning this September.
Why it matters: Utah Forge's work involves deep wells and circulation testing to evaluate long-term heat production, and the company said the tests could inform commercial geothermal development while generating data used by other projects and researchers.
Christopher Tatis of Utah Forge told the council the company “did complete a couple of new, some seismic wells, about a thousand feet each” and that crews had cleaned pads, removed frac tanks, repaired fencing and power-washed wellheads. He said the company requested a water-rights increase “from 50 to 100” acre-feet (nonpotable) and that the application was in final stages of approval.
Tatis outlined an R&D testing week in August that will include small circulation and pump installations, followed by a roughly four-month circulation test starting in September “to evaluate the temperature decline over time.” He also said Utah Forge plans to drill a third deep deviated well next year (referred to as well 16C, between A and B) and to stimulate wells A, B and C and run longer-term circulation assessments.
Tatis said the company’s Department of Energy-funded work shares data publicly and that Utah Forge has funding through 2028. He thanked Milford and Beaver County for local support and noted outreach activities including an elementary-school contest whose winners are displayed in the library.
Council response: Council members praised the update and asked technical questions about well depth and timing; Tatis answered that well lengths reach thousands of feet (discussion referenced 8,500–11,000 feet figures for certain well segments). No council action was taken; the presentation was informational.
Ending: Utah Forge said it will continue outreach, progress with the water-rights approval and return with updates as longer-term tests start later this year.
