Log Interpretation Techniques to Identify Production Zones in Geothermal Wells

Conference · Tue Dec 16 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:889214

Mathews, Mark

Identification of production zones in a fractured or faulted qeotherrnal well is quantitatively difficult. Temperature and spinner surveys along with flow tests are the techniques generally used to identify and describe these fractured zones during production testing. These techniques generally do not describe the production zones in any detail and they miss or bypass potential zones of production when fractures have been closed or plugged during the drilling process. These latter zones could possibly be stimulated (hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, explosive fracturing) and brought into production if all the fracture zones could be identified and described. Interpretation techniques using wireline logs show promise in identifying and describing fractured (open and closed) zones in geothermal wells. The strategy described in this paper on two different geothermal wells (the hot dry rock well and the Surprise Valley well) used a trial and error basis to outline and define the interpretation techniques that work best in each case. Fracture zones are identified that are both open and closed and this type of information gives a better estimation of reservoir size, flow control and reservoir life (production potential) from geothermal wells.

• Research Organization: Geosciences Division, LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-80SF11459
• OSTI ID: 889214
• Report Number(s): SGP-TR-50-41
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Geothermal Legacy