About the Founder and a Brief History of Geothermal Industry

Jack A. Frost began his professional career in vertical turbine pumps back in 1971 in the Engineering Department of a pump manufacturing company while pursing college degrees of Mechanical Engineering, Business -Marketing & and Business Law at CSULA and UCLA. As time passed, Jack's formal education and professional responsibilities with several pump manufacturers employment grew until he was responsible for Marketing of Engineered Products & Projects for an international pump manufacture.

In the late 1970's the geothermal industry existed only by The Geysers (a very rare dry steam field founded by Magma Power), Magma Power's attempt at hydro-geothermal in Imperial County and a few other highly financed but ill fated failures. Other than the oddity of The Geysers, geothermal energy as a reliable energy source seemed to be questionable. The original lineshaft downhole pumps at Magma Power's Imperial Valley site repeated failed at anywhere from start-up to 30 rotating days. (Attempts at oilfield modified electric submersible pumps failed even more frequently with little real reliability or commercial improvement even to present day. Other novelty approaches such as downhole steam turbines fared no better).

In 1980, Jack left the corporate arena of a pump manufacturer in favor of this fledging market that sparked his passion. "I can do that". Jack began by rebuilding and modifying the original manufacturer's pumps at Magma Power's Imperial Valley site …the first and only binary geothermal plant in the world at the time. Jack's first attempt increased pump life from 0-30 days to 420 days. Jack began experimenting and developing his own pump designs, learning all he could about drilling, completions and reservoirs from that of the early pioneers of geothermal. Jack is not the least bit hesitant in crediting the many other early pioneers of this industry who made this industry what it is today. Nonetheless, the success of the geothermal industry, particularly in the binary range of up to 420 F, owes a great deal to this early success of downhole pumps and to the tenacity of Jack Frost in particular.

Jack is not only credited with the first commercial lineshaft geothermal pump and the evolution of such pump designs for the geothermal industry as well as the supply, inventory and service capabilities extended by the industry to support this market. His designs have increased pump life, flow rates, setting depths, temperature capabilities as well as operating speeds. He has been widely published and a speaker at GRC / GEA conventions.

The proliferation of the geothermal marketplace, particularly in the binary range, could not have been possible without the commercial success of these downhole pumps but also if it were not for the efforts of Magma Power in the very early days and then by Ormat Nevada in particular.