The use of tracers to analyze the effects of reinjection into fractured geothermal reservoirs

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6559767

Horne, R N; Johns, R A; Adams, M C; Moore, J N; Stiger, S G

This paper discusses the use of tracers as a reservoir engineering tool in fractured geothermal reservoirs. The principle concern in injecting cooler spent fluids into a fractured reservoir is that the fluids may move through high permeability channels and return to the production wells after contacting a relatively small volume of rock. As a consequence of this rapid transport, the fluids will be only partially reheated and after a short period time will effectively mine the heat from the limited volume of rock. The production wells will then experience a rapid and premature reduction in thermal output. Tracers can be used to infer the existence of high mobility conduits between injection and production wells and to monitor chemical changes of an injected fluid. Since tracer arrival precedes thermal breakthrough, tracer tests are a very useful forecasting tool.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA); Stanford Univ., CA (USA); Utah Univ. Research Inst., Salt Lake City (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-85ID12489; AS07-84ID12529; AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6559767
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-11887; CONF-8704110-6; ON: DE87009716
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
ENGINEERING
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
Geothermal Legacy
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROLOGY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
TRACER TECHNIQUES