Effect of permeability on cooling of a magmatic intrusion in a geothermal reservoir

Technical Report · Fri Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7080942· OSTI ID:7080942

Lau, K H

Numerical modeling of the transient cooling of a magmatic intrusion is described in a geothermal reservoir that results from conduction and convection, considering the effects of overlying cap rock and differing horizontal and vertical permeabilities of the reservoir. These results are compared with data from Salton Sea Geothermal Field (SSGF). Multiple layers of convection cells are observed when horizontal permeability is much larger than vertical permeability. The sharp drop-off of surface heat flow experimentally observed at SSGF is consistent with the numerical results. The age of the intrusive body at SSGF is estimated to be between 6000 and 20,000 years.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7080942
• Report Number(s): UCRL-52888
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
INTRUSION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RESERVOIR ROCK
PERMEABILITY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CAP ROCK
COMPUTER CODES
COOLING
DIKES
HEAT FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
MAGMA
MASS TRANSFER
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ROCKS
Geothermal Legacy
150200* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems