Testing geopressured geothermal reservoirs in existing wells: Pauline Kraft Well No. 1, Nueces County, Texas. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6479983· OSTI ID:6479983

The Pauline Kraft Well No. 1 was originally drilled to a depth of 13,001 feet and abandoned as a dry hole. The well was re-entered in an effort to obtain a source of GEO/sup 2/ energy for a proposed gasohol manufacturing plant. The well was tested through a 5-inch by 2-3/8 inch annulus. The geological section tested was the Frio-Anderson sand of Mid-Oligocene age. The interval tested was from 12,750 to 12,860 feet. A saltwater disposal well was drilled on the site and completed in a Micocene sand section. The disposal interval was perforated from 4710 to 4770 feet and from 4500 to 4542 feet. The test well failed to produce water at substantial rates. Initial production was 34 BWPD. A large acid stimulation treatment increased productivity to 132 BWPD, which was still far from an acceptable rate. During the acid treatment, a failure of the 5-inch production casing occurred. The poor production rates are attributed to a reservoir with very low permeability and possible formation damage. The casing failure is related to increased tensile strain resulting from cooling of the casing by acid and from the high surface injection pressure. The location of the casing failure is now known at this time, but it is not at the surface. Failure as a result of a defect in a crossover joint at 723 feet is suspected.

• Research Organization: Eaton Operating Co., Inc., Houston, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-80ET27081
• OSTI ID: 6479983
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/27081-4; ON: DE81027277
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150901* -- Geothermal Engineering-- Drilling Technology & Well Hardware
ACIDIZATION
BRINES
CONTRACTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FAILURES
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
INJECTION WELLS
NORTH AMERICA
PERMEABILITY
PIPES
REENTRY
SOUTHWEST REGION
STIMULATION
TESTING
TEXAS
USA
WELL COMPLETION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS