Coupled Thermo–Hydro–Mechanical Modeling of Hydro-Shearing Stimulation in an Enhanced Geothermal System in the Raft River Geothermal Field, USA

Yuan, Yilong; Xu, Tianfu; Moore, Joseph; Lei, Hongwu; Feng, Bo

doi:10.1007/s00603-020-02227-8

Coupled Thermo–Hydro–Mechanical Modeling of Hydro-Shearing Stimulation in an Enhanced Geothermal System in the Raft River Geothermal Field, USA

Journal Article · Tue Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-020-02227-8· OSTI ID:1781406

^[1]; Xu, Tianfu ^[2]; Moore, Joseph ^[3]; Lei, Hongwu ^[4]; ^[2]

Jilin Univ., Changchun (China); Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah
Jilin Univ., Changchun (China)
Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan (China)

The Raft River Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) demonstration project aims to improve the geothermal production by enhancing the reservoir permeability via shear stimulation in well RRG-9. In this paper, we performed a series of 3D thermo– hydro–mechanical (THM) simulations to investigate the influence of hydraulic and thermal effects on the development of this EGS. The model includes synthetic fracture populations based on borehole televiewer images and in-situ stress measurements from well RRG-9. Fracture permeability evolution is determined using an empirical permeability law developed from laboratory experiments. The model was calibrated by comparing the hydraulic response to field observations, including wellhead pressure, injection rate, and well injectivity. Particularly, we analyzed the enhancement of reservoir permeability and the spatial extent of the stimulation zone for the given injection schedule. Our results indicate that the permeability enhancement of fractured geothermal reservoir is caused by the combined effects of injection-induced cooling and fluid pressure increase. The decrease of temperature plays a dominant role in reactivation of natural fractures under the hydro-shearing mechanism, while the higher injection pressure promotes shear failure and enlarges the stimulation zone. Finally, for the specified extensional stress state, the model favors greatest permeability enhancement along the maximum horizontal principal stress, a moderate vertical enhancement, and a smaller gain along the minimum horizontal principal stress.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0000215

OSTI ID:: 1781406

Journal Information:: Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Journal Name: Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 53; ISSN 0723-2632

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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