CEA plans to generate base load electricity utilising Hot Rocks-Granites and Hydrothermal-Hot Sedimentary Aquifers geothermal energy resources. CEA also is actively interested in the integration of base-load geothermal energy and peak-load solar energy.
CEA has secured 4 tenements over premier Geothermal and Solar Energy resources in the Great Artesian Basin in the Cooper Basin South Australia, with potential to generate significant commercial electricity.
South Australia Cooper Basin Gravity Map
CEA has secured 4 tenements in the Cooper Basin - total area over 10,000 sqkm. The Cooper Basin has been identified as a world class hot rock geothermal province.
Thick sediments of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) and Cooper Basin insulate the hot rocks heat source. The hot rocks and overlying hot sedimentary aquifers are accessible with proven drilling technology.
Over a thousand petroleum wells and recent deep geothermal and shale gas wells provide a wealth of geoscientific information that is available to CEA.
S.A. Cooper Basin Cross-Section
The tenements overlie hot granites. Nappamerri Trough temperature gradients typically 50C/km and many well flowrates ~20litre/second from fractured hot granites. Hot sedimentary aquifers are accessible to 3km depth, with flow temperatures in excess of 150C . Local water bores are known to produce near boiling water at a depth of just over 1km.
Drilling Rig Cooper Basin Sunset | Photo: Joe Reichman