Inferring Geothermal Reservoir Processes at the Raft River Geothermal Field, Idaho, USA, Through Modeling InSAR–Measured Surface Deformation

Liu, Fang; Fu, Pengcheng; Mellors, Robert J.; Plummer, Mitchell A.; Ali, Syed Tabrez; Reinisch, Elena C.; Liu, Qi; Feigl, Kurt L.

doi:10.1029/2017JB015223

Title: Inferring Geothermal Reservoir Processes at the Raft River Geothermal Field, Idaho, USA, Through Modeling InSAR–Measured Surface Deformation

Journal Article · 11 May 2018 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JB015223 · OSTI ID:1638786

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^[2]; Plummer, Mitchell A. ^[3]; Ali, Syed Tabrez ^[4];

^[4]; Liu, Qi ^[1];

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Tongji Univ., Shanghai (China)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Ground surface deformations detected with interferometric synthetic aperture radar provide valuable information for inferring subsurface reservoir processes that are difficult to observe directly. This study aims at building a reservoir model that honors the available geological, hydrological, and geomechanical data and also produces ground surface deformation consistent with interferometric synthetic aperture radar measurements at the Raft River Geothermal Field. In the thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled model developed, the reservoir deforms as a result of the rock's poroelastic response to changes in hydrologic pressure and thermal expansion/contraction. The results indicate that the observed deformation is the result of pressure decrease in the deep production reservoir and pressure increase in a shallower reservoir that accommodates the injected fluid (likely in the Salt Lake Formation). The combination of the uplift around injection wells with subsidence around the production wells, affected by the Bridge Fault as a flow barrier, creates a complex pattern of surface deformation in which the center of subtle subsidence significantly deviates from the location of the production wells. A parametric study suggests that (a) the Bridge Fault Zone is likely a flow barrier, (b) the surface deformation appears to be insensitive to the presence of the Narrows Structure, and (c) additional flow barriers likely exist to shape the flow system. This case study demonstrates the utility of a high-fidelity forward model that honors available known information and thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled processes in understanding geothermal reservoir characteristics.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); Chinese National Natural Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0006760; AC52-07NA27344; 41572267; 51639008; EE0005510; DGE‐1256259; AC52‐07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1638786

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1439391; OSTI ID: 1463826

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-740529

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Vol. 123, Issue 5; ISSN 2169-9313

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 11 works

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