Geothermal Scientific Investigations Limited is a New Zealand based organisation, specialising in using scientific knowledge to evaluate geothermal resources. Our design engineering team also utilise 3D modelling programs to provide custom made solutions for engineering problems associated with geothermal and geophysical instrumentation.
Areas of our expertise include:
- Problem solving subsurface issues in production, injection and subsidence areas
- Advanced hydrothermal alteration studies
- Conceptual resource models
- Advice and peer-review of geothermal resource use
- 3D design of specialised downhole tools and engineering solutions
- Ground water locating and monitoring
People we have worked with
Philippines, Manilla – Energy Development Corporation – Taught the use and geothermal applications of Scanning Electron Microscopy.
USA, Yellowstone National Park – National Park Service and National Geographic Expedition Fund – Used Ground Penetrating Radar to investigate the subsurface surrounding Old Faithful geyser.
China, Donghai – Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS) – Successfully designed, manufactured and installed a seismometer string to a depth of 3.5 km in August 2019. As a long term array, this has been designed to collect data continuously from four levels over ten years. This depth and time span of data collection is a rare achievement in seismic research.
Chile, Santiago – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) – Chilean Government Agency – Taught the use and geothermal application of Ground Penetrating Radar, Time Domain Electromagnetics, Magneto-Tellurics and geothermal reservoir modelling.
Reviewed and guided the Chilean national geothermal resource evaluation system created by SERNAGEOMIN.
Caribbean, Montserrat – Department for International Development – Taught secondary school students about geothermal systems including interactive field trips, laboratory experiments, assignments and classroom learning.
Caribbean, Montserrat – Geothermal Project – Completed mineralogical analyses and assessment of well cuttings (rocks recovered from drilling the well) in order to determine subsurface geothermal conditions.
New Zealand Regional Councils – We provide specialised health and safety courses for council staff working in geothermal environments. Other work includes Time Domain Electro-Magnetic (TDEM) landfill surveying and Ground Penetrating Radar surveys.
Waikato Regional Council – Peer-review panel member for Ohaaki.
Local farmers and Iwi – Locating groundwater using TDEM; teaching health and safety in geothermal environments; teaching renewable energy to New Zealand and International primary school students.
Contact Energy – 1) Researching the role of swelling clays with the same physical properties, but distinctly different swelling behavior, located inside and outside subsidence bowls. 2) Specialised core analyses to show subsurface processes and how these processes relate to measured compressibility values (weak versus strong rocks) inside and outside subsidence bowls.
Books – Wai-O-Tapu: Created a tourist guide book which has been Wai-O-Tapu’s best-selling book for several years. The book has been reworked into it’s third edition and is available for purchase online. Orakei Korako: Tourist guide book for an insight and understanding of this geothermal system. Yellowstone: The geothermal guide to Yellowstone National Park.
Using geophysics to assist mining accuracy and prospecting volume estimates.
Creating secondary school educational material from our unique real-world experiences to assist students learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic.