A Spatial Clustering Approach for Stochastic Fracture Network Modelling

Fracture network modelling plays an important role in many application areas in which the behaviour of a rock mass is of interest. These areas include mining, civil, petroleum, water and environmental engineering and geothermal systems modelling. The aim is to model the fractured rock to assess fluid flow or the stability of rock blocks. One important step in fracture network modelling is to estimate the number of fractures and the properties of individual fractures such as their size and orientation. Due to the lack of data and the complexity of the problem, there are significant uncertainties associated with fracture network modelling in practice. Our primary interest is the modelling of fracture networks in geothermal systems and, in this paper, we propose a general stochastic approach to fracture network modelling for this application. We focus on using the seismic point cloud detected during the fracture stimulation of a hot dry rock reservoir to create an enhanced geothermal system; these seismic points are the conditioning data in the modelling process. The seismic points can be used to estimate the geographical extent of the reservoir, the amount of fracturing and the detailed geometries of fractures within the reservoir. The objective is to determine a fracture model from the conditioning data by minimizing the sum of the distances of the points from the fitted fracture model. Fractures are represented as line segments connecting two points in two-dimensional applications or as ellipses in three-dimensional (3D) cases. The novelty of our model is twofold: (1) it comprises a comprehensive fracture modification scheme based on simulated annealing and (2) it introduces new spatial approaches, a goodness-of-fit measure for the fitted fracture model, a measure for fracture similarity and a clustering technique for proposing a locally optimal solution for  fracture parameters. We use a simulated dataset to demonstrate the application of the proposed approach followed by a real 3D case study of the Habanero reservoir in the Cooper Basin, Australia.     

Catalog of Enhanced Geothermal Systems based on Heat Sources

It is common sense that a deeper well implies higher temperature in the exploration of deep geothermal resources, especially with hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal resources, which are generally exploited in terms of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). However, temperature is always different even at the same depth in the upper crust due to different heat sources. This paper summarizes the heat sources and classifies them into two types and five sub-types: crust-origin (partial melting, non-magma-generated tectonic events and radiogenic heat production), and mantle-origin (magma and heat conducted from the mantle). A review of global EGS sites is presented related to the five sub-types of heat sources. According to our new catalog, 71% of EGS sites host mantle-origin heat sources. The temperature logging curves indicate that EGS sites which host mantle-origin magma heat sources have the highest temperature. Therefore, high heat flow (>100 mW/m2) regions with mantle-origin magma heat sources should be highlighted for the future exploration of EGS. The principle to identify the heat source is elucidated by applying geophysical and geochemical methods including noble gas isotope geochemistry and lithospheric thermal structure analysis. This analytical work will be helpful for the future exploration and assessment of HDR geothermal resources.     

基于离散裂缝网络模型裂缝储层的随机模拟——以王窑区块为例

在燕山期、喜山期构造活动作用下,王窑区块发育北东向和南北向共轭剪切裂缝。针对该裂缝进行了统计分析,并利用离散裂缝网络模型对裂缝进行了随机模拟。模拟结果表明:研究区共轭裂缝北东向较为显著,且以高角度裂缝为主。裂缝对渗透率影响较为明显,将研究区的渗透率提高到20×10-3μm2,孔隙度增加约2%。     

基于热流固耦合的增强型地热有机朗肯循环发电系统性能分析

本文建立了耦合井筒、热储、有机朗肯循环发电系统的详细数学模型, 包括三维非稳态热流固耦合模型和有机朗肯循环发电系统热动力学模型, 参考青海省共和县恰卜恰干热岩体地热地质特征, 包括压裂储层、围岩、裂隙、井筒等特征参数, 研究了注入流量、注入温度和井间距对系统净输出功、年均净输出功和热效率的影响规律。结果表明: 在一定的注入流量、注入温度和净间距下, 随着时间的推移, 岩石孔隙压力和热应力作用使得裂隙渗透率增大, 注入泵功耗是降低的, 净输出功和热效率也是降低的。注入流量的增大提高了膨胀机轴功、注入泵功耗和生产温度衰减速率, 进而导致热效率降低, 存在最优的注入流量50 kg/s, 使得年均净输出功达到最大值1 470.1 kW。注入温度的增大可以提高系统热效率, 降低净输出功的年均衰减速率, 当注入温度为60 ℃时, 年均净输出功最大。井间距的增大减缓了生产温度的衰减速率, 有利于热效率的提高, 但是也同时也增大了膨胀机轴功和注入泵功耗。当分支井间距为450 m时, 年均净输出功达到最大值1 497.3 kW。此研究可为增强地热发电系统的开发利用提供指导。     

Geologic Stochastic Modeling and Connectivity Assessment of Fracture Systems in the Boston Area

Summary The MIT stochastic model for representing fracture patterns has been applied to the Boston area. The model is a geometric-mechanical model, which means that underlying mechanisms are geometrically represented. In this paper the model is calibrated by comparing the fracture spacing and trace length simulated by the model with data collected by Billings (1976) in a number of tunnels in the Boston area. Following this, geometric fracture connectivity is investigated. This is done by recording in the model simulations, the number of interconnected fractures in so called sub-networks and by recording the geometric extents of these sub-networks. The results indicate limited horizontal but large vertical connectivity.     

松辽盆地增强型地热系统(EGS)地热能开发热-水动力耦合过程

增强型地热系统地热能开发涉及到热和水动力的耦合,对应的温度和压力场时空变化特征是评价地热开发效果的关键问题。基于松辽盆地徐家围子深部地质条件,采用TOUGH2进行了地热能开发过程中裂隙-孔隙介质系统中温度和压力变化的数值模拟,分析了不同埋深水平情况下地热能开发的差别,研究了孔隙基质和裂隙介质的渗透率和孔隙度、岩石导热系数、井径、注入压力、注入温度及裂隙周围基质因素对地热能开发的影响。结果表明：采用定压力开发时生产井抽出控制整个区域的压力分布,压力梯度在注入井区域较大,并随着开发的进行,注入井的注入对压力的影响逐渐增大;温度由注入井到生产井逐渐增大,并随着开发的进行温度降低范围逐渐向生产井扩大;质量和热提取速率随时间逐渐减小。不同埋深位置的模拟结果显示,埋深大的温度相对较高,水的流动性较强,质量和热提取速率较高,压力和温度变化幅度均较大。裂隙系统的渗透率、注入井/生产井压力和注入温度、井径对深部地热开采过程中的压力和温度影响较大,从而影响热的提取效率;而孔隙基质的渗透率和孔隙度、裂隙介质的裂隙度和岩石的热传导系数的影响并不明显。     

Multi-objective Optimization of Geothermal Extraction from the Enhanced Geothermal System in Qiabuqia Geothermal Field, Gonghe Basin

A geothermal demonstration exploitation area will be established in the Enhanced Geothermal System of the Qiabuqia field, Gonghe Basin, Qinghai–Xizang Plateau in China. Selection of operational parameters for geothermal field extraction is thus of great significance to realize the best production performance. A novel integrated method of finite element and multi-objective optimization has been employed to obtain the optimal scheme for thermal extraction from the Gonghe Basin. A thermal-hydraulic-mechanical coupling model (THM) is established to analyze the thermal performance. From this it has been found that there exists a contraction among different heat extraction indexes. Parametric study indicates that injection mass rate (Qin) is the most sensitive parameter to the heat extraction, followed by well spacing (WS) and injection temperature (Tin). The least sensitive parameter is production pressure (pout). The optimal combination of operational parameters acquired is such that (Tin, pout, Qin, WS) equals (72.72°C, 30.56 MPa, 18.32 kg/s, 327.82 m). Results indicate that the maximum electrical power is 1.41 MW for the optimal case over 20 years. The thermal break has been relieved and the pressure difference reduced by 8 MPa compared with the base case. The optimal case would extract 50% more energy than that of a previous case and the outcome will provide a remarkable reference for the construction of Gonghe project.     

松辽盆地增强型地热系统开发选区评价

干热岩是一种新型清洁能源,其开发利用区的确定十分重要。笔者首先通过对松辽盆地热源、资源量、导热、聚热、地震活动5个方面资料的收集,提出了松辽盆地增强型地热系统开发选区适宜性评价方法;然后选取8项评价因子,利用ArcGIS 10.2平台将松辽盆地划分为26个评价单元,根据打分法和层次分析法(AHP)求取每个因子的权重;最后,对26个选区进行综合评价,将其分成适宜、较适宜、一般适宜、较不适宜和不适宜5个等级。结果表明:松辽盆地干热岩开发适宜区和较适宜区主要集中在盆地中部的大安—大庆一带,确定的适宜选区范围对今后干热岩开发工作具有一定指导作用。     

Stochastic Modelling of Mineral Exploration Targets

Mathematical Geosciences - Mineral deposits are metal enrichment anomalies, occurring as local manifestations of the interplay between various geological processes that operate at a wide range of...     

波的传播及其与介质间断相互作用的数值模拟研究

本文用有限差分法模拟研究二维空间中波的传播、散射及其与介质间断的相互作用。文章第一部分运用所模拟的纵波波源讨论了半无限空间表面台阶地形或槽形裂隙所造成的波的散射。这些间断可模拟具有波长量级的悬崖或狭谷。第二部分用差分法与扰动法结合而成的混合法处理半无限空间表面有另一种物质构成的表面浅障碍时波的传播,以模拟山脊、堑沟等地形的影响。此混合法也被用于讨论半无限空间内含有水平夹层或孔隙的问题。所得研究结果对波的传播及其与介质间断的相互作用的理论研究和地震波破坏效应的分析和隔离等应用研究有一定的意义。     

石阡断裂地热水赋存特征及开发利用

通过对贵州省石阡县城区附近石阡断裂区域出露地热水资源地热地质条件的综合研究,分析认为石阡断裂构造是控制区内地热水资源形成和富集的主要因素,总结了沿石阡断裂上下盘地热水资源的形成、分布和赋存等特征,提出了石阡断裂上盘是进行理疗矿泉水资源勘查和开发的理想构造部位,下盘是进行饮用天然矿泉水资源开发利用的合理构造部位,为后期区内地热水资源的勘查开发提供了依据。     

FixAl及同位素方法在EGS返排液研究中的应用

增强地热系统(EGS)是开采低渗透率热岩体中热能的技术,属于广义的地热储工程。其中,作为换热介质被注入岩体并在换热后返回地表的返排液,不仅是岩体地球化学特征的信息载体,而且其物理化学行为直接影响着EGS系统的运行效果。FixAl化学热力学模拟和水同位素十三线图解在天然水热系统评价中得到了广泛应用,对返排液研究的实用性则是文章的核心问题。文中收集了全球主要EGS项目的返排液资料,基于FixAl方法分析矿物与返排液的化学平衡状态,并计算了流体在深部的热交换温度,用同位素模型验证了EGS系统中原生卤水的驱替过程。研究结果表明,上述方法在EGS返排液研究中是适用的。此外,返排液的化学特征对EGS的指示意义还包括厘定原生卤水在返排液中所占比例,识别岩浆挥发分溶解及储层改造时的添加剂残留,预测结垢趋势和流体腐蚀性等。未来需要通过更多的实验和模拟方法深入研究返排液的化学特征,建立EGS的热-水-力-化学(THMC)耦合模型,为科学开发深层地热能提供依据。     

增强型地热系统：国际研究进展与我国研究现状

干热岩地热能源已经受到全世界广泛关注。基于干热岩能源的巨大潜力和我国日益增长的能源需求,近年来,政府、大学、科研院所和企业在干热岩资源勘查、增强型地热(EGS)等方面做了许多科学研究与技术开发。为了促进我国干热岩资源的开发和增强型地热系统(EGS)示范场地的建设,本文收集和整理了国内外大量文献和相关资料,分析了目前国际典型EGS示范场地最新研究动态,总结了2013~2016年国际上开发最为活跃的EGS场地在开发过程中所取得的经验和教训。结合我国现有EGS场地的具体条件,详细阐述了我国干热岩远景区存在的问题,并对我国未来干热岩的开发和示范场地的建设提出建议。     

漳州地热田基岩裂隙水系统温度分布特征

为研究漳州地热田基岩裂隙水系统温度分布特征,建立了新的三维基岩裂隙水系统概念模型,并利用Fluent软件求解模型。结果表明:基岩裂隙热水温度场受到断裂区的强烈控制,在北东—南西向断裂中,强烈对流形成的高温热柱刺穿了基岩顶部形成热田高温中心;基岩热流在断裂区中部高温区达到最大,在北东—南西方向上最大值为343.02mW/m2,在北西—南东方向最大值为368.72mW/m2,并向边缘逐渐降低;第四系孔隙水的存在和运动使得地表热流的最大值和局部值降低。未来漳州热田应加强深部温度的测量研究。     

增强型地热系统采热性能影响因素分析

为了综合分析增强型地热系统各参数对系统采热性能的影响,以及参数相互之间的影响规律,以云南腾冲热海热田为地质背景,利用正交设计思想通过数值模拟方法对井间距、注入流量、注入温度、储层渗透率等因素的变化进行了分析。结果表明：注入流量是影响系统采热性能的关键因素,并对注入温度、井间距的确定有显著影响;注入流量越大,系统稳定采热时间和运行寿命越短,且注入流量较小的变化（提高0.06 m³/s）会对系统采热温度产生较大的影响（降低47℃）;增加注入温度可以提高系统的采热温度和运行寿命,但注入温度升高30℃、运行50 a后采热温度只提高10℃,效果有限;井间距、渗透率、开采压力对系统采热性能的影响相近,且远小于注入流量。     

Fractures,hydrothermal alterations and permeability in the Soultz Enhanced Geothermal System

Borehole studies of the Soultz-sous-Forêts granite are dedicated to deep geothermics. The hydraulic properties of the reservoir are mainly controlled by the occurrence of some altered cataclastic shear zones showing a low natural permeability characterized by the occurrence of brines. Those zones show a fracture cluster organisation with sealed fractures of various types (post-filled joints, sheared fractures, veins). The main hydrothermal deposits observed within the permeable zones are geodic quartz, carbonates, illite and more locally sulphides. The fracture wall–rocks are intensely transformed: dissolution of igneous minerals, crystallization of new minerals, porosity and permeability increase. It is important to characterize the newly-formed minerals in order to choose the reagents used to improve the permeability of the exchanger by chemical stimulations. This article represents a synthesis of the studies completed by the authors between 1990 and 2008 on the fracture networks, hydrothermal alterations and mineral crystallizations they induced and data about the flow pathways in the exchanger.