The Drill Down

The Drill Down

July 29, 2026  
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Director's Letter

This July has been a historic month for the United States of America — what a joy to celebrate our country's 250th anniversary. So much of our country's history is woven with domestic energy production, and the Office of Geothermal is pleased to contribute to that legacy. Our work to accelerate the discovery and development of gigawatt-scale geothermal power production is fostering a reliable and secure domestic energy supply for the nation's next 250 years and beyond.

I would like to highlight some work I am very passionate about here in the Office of Geothermal – data and analysis! The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR)-developed Geothermal Data Repository continues to shine as a critical hub of geothermal data, and the team is rolling out a new Data Preview feature that allows users to instantly visualize geospatial data, helping them quickly identify relevant data sources. In addition, NLR, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Chicago, and Princeton University co-hosted a Cold Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES) workshop last month to disseminate findings from the project's Phase I report and organize discussions among data center operators, geothermal developers, utilities, and other stakeholders. The Office of Geothermal is just getting started in Cold UTES, so stay tuned for more exciting work to come.

We are also continuing to amplify the Office of Geothermal's broader portfolio. To get the latest updates, read our new success story showcasing how our Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) initiative creates pathways for geothermal industry advancement. And check out two new project spotlights: Oxy USA Inc.'s Drilling Demos project, which is leveraging innovative drilling technology and methods to improve drilling rates, and Sandia National Laboratories' (SNL) Hidden Systems project that used both established and novel geophysical imaging to evaluate a geothermal resource.

I am honored to be the Office of Geothermal's Acting Director while Lauren Boyd is away advancing the Department of Energy's (DOE) priorities as Acting Energy Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. As the summer continues, I hope you all keep cool – while geothermal continues to turn up the heat!

Warmest thoughts,

Sean Porse
Acting Director, Office of Geothermal

Trivia Question: How does the El Diablo restaurant in Spain’s Timanfaya National Park barbeque food?

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