Preliminary investigation of scale formation and fluid chemistry at the Dixie Valley Geothermal Field, Nevada
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab., CA (United States); and others
The chemistry of geothermal, production, and injection fluids at the Dixie Valley Geothermal Field, Nevada, was characterized to address an ongoing scaling problem and to evaluate the effects of reinjection into the reservoir. Fluids generally followed mixing-dilution trends. Recharge to the Dixie Valley system apparently originates from local sources. The low-pressure brine and injection waters were saturated with respect to amorphous silica, which correlates with the ongoing scaling problem. Local shallow groundwater contains about 15% geothermal brine mixed with regional recharge. The elevated Ca, Mg, and HCO{sub 3} content of this water suggests that carbonate precipitation may occur if shallow groundwater is reinjected. Downhole reservoir fluids are close to equilibrium with the latest vein mineral assemblage of wairakite-epidote-quartz-calcite. Reinjection of spent geothermal brine is predicted to affect the region near the wellbore differently than it does the region farther away.
- OSTI ID:
- 605648
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-971048--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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