Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs

Bodvarsson, G S; Pruess, K; O'Sullivan, M J

Title: Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs

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Abstract

Numerical studies of the effects of injection on the behavior of production wells completed in fractured two-phase geothermal reservoirs are presented. In these studies the multiple-interacting-continua (MINC) method is employed for the modeling of idealized fractured reservoirs. Simulations are carried out for a five-spot well pattern with various well spacings, fracture spacings, and injection fractions. The production rates from the wells are calculated using a deliverability model. The results of the studies show that injection into two-phase fractured reservoirs increases flow rates and decreases enthalpies of producing wells. These two effects offset each other so that injection tends to have small effects on the usable energy output of production wells in the short term. However, if a sufficiently large fraction of the produced fluids is injected, the fracture system may become liquid-filled and an increased steam rate is obtained. Our studies show that injection greatly increases the long-term energy output from wells, as it helps extract heat from the resrvoir rocks. If a high fraction of the produced fluids is injected, the ultimate energy recovery will increase manyfold.

Authors:: Bodvarsson, G S; Pruess, K; O'Sullivan, M J

Publication Date:: Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

Research Org.:: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA); Auckland Univ. (New Zealand)

OSTI Identifier:: 6406052

Report Number(s):: LBL-15344; CONF-830312-3
ON: DE83009052

DOE Contract Number:: AC03-76SF00098

Resource Type:: Conference

Resource Relation:: Conference: SPE California regional meeting, Ventura, CA, USA, 23 Mar 1983

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; FRACTURED RESERVOIRS; FLUID INJECTION; HEAT RECOVERY; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS; ENTHALPY; FLOW RATE; GEOTHERMAL WELLS; HEAT EXTRACTION; SIMULATION; ENERGY RECOVERY; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; RECOVERY; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES; WELLS; Geothermal Legacy; 150600* - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects; 150906 - Geothermal Engineering- Reservoir Stimulation & Extraction Technology

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                    Bodvarsson, G S, Pruess, K, and O'Sullivan, M J. Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs.  United States: N. p., 1983. 
        Web.

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                    Bodvarsson, G S, Pruess, K, & O'Sullivan, M J. Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs.  United States.

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                    Bodvarsson, G S, Pruess, K, and O'Sullivan, M J. 1983.  
        "Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6406052.

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@article{osti_6406052,

  title        = {Injection and energy recovery in fractured geothermal reservoirs},

  author       = {Bodvarsson, G S and Pruess, K and O'Sullivan, M J},

  abstractNote = {Numerical studies of the effects of injection on the behavior of production wells completed in fractured two-phase geothermal reservoirs are presented. In these studies the multiple-interacting-continua (MINC) method is employed for the modeling of idealized fractured reservoirs. Simulations are carried out for a five-spot well pattern with various well spacings, fracture spacings, and injection fractions. The production rates from the wells are calculated using a deliverability model. The results of the studies show that injection into two-phase fractured reservoirs increases flow rates and decreases enthalpies of producing wells. These two effects offset each other so that injection tends to have small effects on the usable energy output of production wells in the short term. However, if a sufficiently large fraction of the produced fluids is injected, the fracture system may become liquid-filled and an increased steam rate is obtained. Our studies show that injection greatly increases the long-term energy output from wells, as it helps extract heat from the resrvoir rocks. If a high fraction of the produced fluids is injected, the ultimate energy recovery will increase manyfold.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6406052},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983},

  month        = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983}

}

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