Current Project Highlight Facebook Data Center
Facebook selected Prineville, Oregon to construct its first large Data Center in the United States. Wallace Group geotechnical staff provided Facebook and their prime design consultant, Alfa Tech of San Jose, California, with comprehensive geotechnical design investigations for Phases 1 and 2 of the Data Center, which includes two, approximate 100,000 square foot server buildings with ancillary substations, generator pads, equipment storage, and paved parking and drive areas. The work included developing foundation, seismic, site grading, stormwater, and pavement design recommendations. On-site basaltic bedrock was also blasted, crushed and used on-site to minimize truck traffic and provide LEED benefits to the project. Phase I was completed in 2011, with Phase 2 construction currently underway with estimated completion in 2013. Wallace Group is also providing comprehensive geotechnical site development testing and special inspection for concrete, masonry, structural steel and welding on behalf of Facebook’s Global Construction team.
Current Project Highlight Enhanced Geothermal System Demonstration Project
Davenport Newberry currently holds geothermal leases on Deschutes National Forest land approximately 20 miles south of Bend, Oregon. AltaRock Energy is conducting a demonstration of Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology on the Davenport Newberry lease. Within the past three years, two geothermal exploration wells have been drilled to depths in excess of 10,000 feet. The preliminary findings indicate the presence of sufficient heat to generate geothermal energy, however, there is an absence of naturally-occurring groundwater at depth. Based upon these geologic and hydrogeologic conditions, AltaRock Energy will evaluate whether water from an alternative, shallower groundwater source can be injected to generate sufficient steam for commercial power production. A sustained groundwater yield of approximately 500 to 800 gallons per minute (gpm) from two wells, over a 21 day pumping interval (15 to 24 million gallons) is required for geothermal well stimulation, which is an integral part of the EGS Demonstration Project.
In the fall of 2011, Wallace Group conducted aquifer pumping tests on two water wells located within the geothermal lease boundary to evaluate the sustained capacity of these wells to produce the required water supply for the EGS demonstration. The wells range in depth from approximately 600 to 900 feet deep and penetrate permeable volcanic rock underlying the west flank of Newberry Volcano. Wallace Group’s water resource work determined that the wells were capable of producing the water necessary for the EGS project and the findings were incorporated into the Environmental Assessment (EA) document prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Pending a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and final permit approval, the EGS demonstration project is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2012.