Hot-dry-rock geothermal-reservoir fracturing initial field operations - 1982

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5759322

Rowley, J C; Pettitt, R A; Matsunaga, I; Dreesen, D S; Nicholson, R W; Sinclair, A R

Initial fracturing operations were conducted during 1982 to create a hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir at the Los Alamos Fenton Hill site. A preliminary work-over/cleaning operation in November to December 1981 had cleared the injection well, EE-2, and a detailed, comprehensive plan was prepared to accomplish the objectives of hydraulically connecting the injection and production wells. In January 1982, open-hole reservoir sections of both the production and injection wells were pressurized below the 9-5/8 in. casing. The injection well, EE-2, did not take fluid at 2200 psi, but the production well, EE-3, had a lost circulation zone and took water over a 240 ft zone immediately below the production casing. Subsequent field operations from May through December 14, 1982 involved ten major hydraulic injection and/or equipment tests. These ranged from 14,180 ft (4322 m) deep open-hole packer tests to installation of a cemented-in liner/PBR system. Injections of up to 1.3 x 10 gals. were performed in the injection well. Both wells were fractured in zones just below the production casings. Although several large volume injections were accomplished, hydraulic communication between wells was not achieved. Severe hardware problems were encountered due to temperature limitations, the high fracture gradient (breakdown and injection pressures), and the presence of CO/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/S during fracture back-flow and well venting. On-line and post-test analyses of seismic monitoring confirmed that fractures were created in each well that converged on, but did not intersect, the neighboring well.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA); Well Production Testing, Carlsbad, CA (USA); Santrol Products, Inc., Houston, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5759322
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-83-1593; CONF-831041-6; ON: DE83014156
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150906* -- Geothermal Engineering-- Reservoir Stimulation & Extraction Technology
COMMINUTION
DRILLING RIGS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUID INJECTION
FRACTURING
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
INJECTION WELLS
TESTING
WELLS