steam drillers, page-38

geojac
Hi geojac,

I guess I got carried away by my irritation at GDR management (Note: GDR not GDY) I think the mod was in a mood to take no prisoners but what I wrote was open to (mis)interpretation in a very naughty way. (In short I probably got what I deserved.)

The "thousands of 50MW modules" was from an off the record conversation with GDY and is quite properly speculative at this stage. The resource is gargantuan and I believe capable of supporting an enormous array of these modules. Right now though we need to see the first one built and before then the demo plant. The only unknown that worries me atm is the efficiency of the underground heat exchanger. The tests over the next few months should answer that one. Multiple stimulation of each hole, stimulating every hole in each modules system are a couple of ways of increasing heat exchanger efficiency and there are probably many more ways to crack up the granite if it's necessary.

Economic distances between power stations and energy intensive industries isn't really my field but I have seen the size of the conductors on the 330kv lines carrying power to the aluminium smelter in the Hunter Valley. You can see them where they cross the freeway west of Newcastle. My understanding is that you site your smelter near the power station rather than half a continent away.

I do know something about bauxite from my work. Upgrading it to alumina needs a big ugly plant producing inconvenient byproducts but it's not all that energy intensive compared to aluminium production. This means bauxite can be upgraded to alumina anywhere convenient that has good transport infrastructure. Alumina is aluminium oxide Al2O3 and it contains just over 50% aluminium by mass so it's not a problem to transport. Transport is an issue in any case if a large number of power stations are to be built and serviced in the Cooper Basin. An electrified rail network servicing heavy industries is part of the necessary infrastructure imo.

Thanks for the feedback on my signature line.

Regards Op