salt wells, nevada

Vulcan Salt Wells Field Camp

The Vulcan 15,000 acre Salt Wells lease property is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Fallon, Nevada.  The leases lie south of Highway 50 across a playa (dried lake bed) into the Bunejug Mountains.  The property is in the Basin and Range Province which covers northern Nevada. The region is characterized by high heat flow, an abundance of hot springs, abundant extensional and normal faulting, and high levels of seismic activity.  Five operating geothermal power plants are located within 30 miles of the Vulcan Salt Wells leases. 

An estimated $13 million of prior exploration work was completed in the basin and Bunejugs.  Dr. Jim Combs of Geo Hills Associates estimated the Vulcan leases can produce from 117 MW to 245 MW.

450°F Steam Well Drilled By US Navy 2 Miles Northeast of Vulcan Salt Wells Leases (photo by Steven Bjornstad)

Vulcan recently completed a $ 300,000 geophysical survey (Schlumberger and E-Scan) at Salt Wells which indicated highly prospective drilling locations in the basin on Vulcan leases.  Drilling permits have been applied for and drilling is expected to begin soon.  A 230 kV transmission line of Sierra Pacific is nearby which simplifies power delivery to the utility.

Virtually nothing is known about nearby areas to the south and east of the Salt Wells Basin aside from that one well to the East was reportedly cold.