The Cost Effectiveness of Fracture Stimulation in Increasing the Flow from Geothermal Wells

Conference · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:889776

Brown, Gerald L

The cost effectiveness of fracture stimulation at The Geysers, the Imperial Valley, and other geothermal resource areas in the United States vas studied using GEOCOM, a computer code for analyzing the impact of completion activities on the life-cycle costs of geothermal wells. Technologies for fracturing the reservoir near the wellbore involve the creation of a pressure pulse in the wellbore by means of either hydraulic or explosive force. The cost of a single fracture stimulation job can vary from $50,000 to over $500,000, with a typical cost of around $300,000. The code shows that additional flow achieved by fracture stimulation must exceed 10,000 pounds per hour for each $100,000 invested in stimulation in order for a fracture treatment to be cost effective. In some reservoirs, this additional flow must be as great as 30,000 pounds per hour. The cost effectiveness of fracturing has not yet been demonstrated in the field. The Geothermal Well Stimulation Program achieved an overall average of about 10,000 pounds per hour for each $100,000 invested.

• Research Organization: The BDM Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-80SF11459
• OSTI ID: 889776
• Report Number(s): SGP-TR-74-55
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
COMPUTER CODES
EXPLOSIVES
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
HYDRAULICS
IMPERIAL VALLEY
LIFE-CYCLE COST
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
STIMULATION