Comments on some of the drilling and completion problems in Cerro Prieto geothermal wells
From 1960 to the present, 85 wells with a total drilling length exceeding 160,000 m have been constructed at Cerro Prieto, a modest figure compared to an oil field. This activity took place in five stages, each characterized by changes and modifications required by various drilling and well-completion problems. Initially, the technical procedures followed were similar to those used in the oil industry. However, several problems emerged as a result of the relatively high temperatures found in the geothermal reservoir. The various problems that have been encountered can be considered to be related to drilling fluids, cements and cementing operations, lithology, geothermal fluid characteristics, and casings and their accessories. As the importance of high temperatures and the characteristics of the geothermal reservoir fluids were better understood, the criteria were modified to optimize well-completion operations, and satisfactory results have been achieved to date.
- Research Organization:
- Comision Federal de Electricidad, Mexicali, Mexico
- OSTI ID:
- 7369394
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-11967; CONF-810399-30; ON: DE82019261
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3. symposium on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field in Baja California, Mexico, San Francisco, CA, USA, Mar 1981; Related Information: In: Proceedings: third symposium on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja California, Mexico, by
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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