Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 522 > Geothermal Wells

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Board: means the governing board of the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. See Oregon Statutes 522.005
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Department: means the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. See Oregon Statutes 522.005
• Drilling: includes drilling, redrilling and deepening of a geothermal well. See Oregon Statutes 522.005
• Geothermal resources: means the natural heat of the earth, the energy, in whatever form, below the surface of the earth present in, resulting from, or created by, or that may be extracted from, the natural heat, and all minerals in solution or other products obtained from naturally heated fluids, brines, associated gases, and steam, in whatever form, found below the surface of the earth, exclusive of helium or of oil, hydrocarbon gas or other hydrocarbon substances, but including, specifically:

  (a) All products of geothermal processes, including indigenous steam, hot water and hot brines;

  (b) Steam and other gases, hot water and hot brines resulting from water, gas, or other fluids artificially introduced into geothermal formations;

  (c) Heat or other associated energy found in geothermal formations; and

  (d) Any by-product derived from them. See Oregon Statutes 522.005

• Geothermal well: includes any excavation made for producing geothermal resources and any geothermal reinjection well. See Oregon Statutes 522.005
• Land: means both surface and mineral rights. See Oregon Statutes 522.005
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Operator: means the person:

  (a) Who possesses the legal right to drill a geothermal well;

  (b) Who has obtained a drilling permit pursuant to ORS § 522. See Oregon Statutes 522.005

• Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• State Treasury: includes those financial assets the lawful custody of which are vested in the State Treasurer and the office of the State Treasurer relating to the custody of those financial assets. See Oregon Statutes 174.100