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Title: Feasibility Evaluation of Potential Stimulation Methods for Collab Experiment 3. Recommendation Report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1467069· OSTI ID:1467069

In support of the Collab Project Milestone 1.4, INL is to submit a recommendation report describing feasible methods to investigate during Experiment 3 to DOE. This report fulfils this FY18Q1 SMART milestone. Twenty one potential methods were consideration for testing as part of Collab Experiment 3. The potential methods have been categorized as; Fracture Initiation, Stimulation Fluids, Stimulation Methods and Flow Control. The categories have been further divided into three general groups (e.g. high, medium, low) based on applicability to the scale of measurement at Collab (~10 meter) and it’s applicably to FORGE. The highest relevant methods (not necessary in order) are: 1) fracture initiation within the borehole, 2) use of slickwater fracturing fluids, 3) use of viscous fracturing fluids, 4) simultaneous stimulation of multiple wells, 5) use of energetic fluids to initiate larger fractures or connect a borehole to existing fractures, 6) injection of diverters to control short circuits and working fluid loss, 7) testing of borehole isolation techniques to control water flow pathways in the reservoir, and 8) use of multiple injection and production wells to characterize a fracture. Fractures created in Experiments 1 and 2 offer the opportunity to test engineering solutions to issues encountered in the stimulation process or during the fracture flow testing. An advantage of using these sites is that there would be a wealth of baseline characterization data for the site, and the borehole monitoring system and experimental infrastructure is already established and could possibly be reused. This suggested potential method list should be considered preliminary due to the timing of this report and the status of Collab Experiments 1 and 2 as well as the need for preliminary modeling to assess each of the proposed methods effectiveness.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
1467069
Report Number(s):
INL/EXT-17-44282
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English