Scale incidence on production pipes of Cerro Prieto geothermal wells
- Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Dante 36-4P, CP 11590 (MX)
- Comision Nacional de Electricidad, Mexicali (Mexico). Coordinadora Ejecutiva de Cerro Prieto
Scaling of geothermal wells in the Cerro Prieto field is a problem that has been experienced since the plant start-up, but has been diminished by selection of the main productive strata (avoiding the mixing of water from different temperature layers) and using orifice restrictions at the wellhead discharge. This last technique works in some new wells with a wellhead pressure of 120 bars. One hundred fifty wells have been drilled with the deepest production well being 3650 m. The drilling for exploration and production wells continues at the present time. Around one hundred million tons of a water-steam mixture is extracted every year; 40% is separated steam which is used in three geothermoelectric power stations having a total of 620 MWe of installed capacity.
- OSTI ID:
- 5204634
- Journal Information:
- Geothermics; (USA), Vol. 18:1; ISSN 0375-6505
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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