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Title: Hot dry rock geothermal energy development program. Annual report, fiscal year 1982

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5456458· OSTI ID:5456458

Emphasis in the Hot Dry Rock Program was on development of methods to produce the hydraulic fractures required to connect the deep, inclined wells of the Phase II system at Fenton Hill. Environmental surveillance, instrument development, laboratory and modeling studies, and other supporting activities were continued. After two unsuccessful attempts to fracture hydraulically through inflatable packers, formation breakdown was produced in an uncased section near the bottom of well EE-2 by pumping water through a cemented-in steel liner. Breakdon occurred at a wellhead pressure of 33.1 MPa and a total of 8539 m/sup 3/ of water was injected. Mapping of source locations of microseismic events indicated opening of an extensive set of planar features dipping about 40/sup 0/W, striking about N20/sup 0/W, and apparently passing beneath the bottom of well EE-3. An attempt was then made to fracture at a higher level where the relative positions of the two wells increased the probability that an inclined fracture would connect them. Repeated failures of drill pipe, tubing, couplings, and packers terminated most pumping experiments prematurely. Important advances were made in thermal protection of downhole instruments, real-time mapping source locations of microseismic signals, modeling of heat and mass transport, and the mechanics of hydraulic fracturing.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5456458
Report Number(s):
LA-9780-HDR; ON: DE84003699
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English