Formation compaction associated with thermal cooling in geothermal reservoirs

Concepts from the Theory of Interacting Continua are employed to develop constitutive relations for thermoelastic fluid-saturated porous media; these constitutive relations are shown to be equivalent to those of Biot in isothermal limit. For uniaxial compaction, the constitutive theory is simplified to give formation compaction as a function of changes in fluid pressure and temperature. The formation compaction due to thermal cooling is equal to 3hη[(1 + v)/3(1 − v)]ΔT.     

Fractal analysis of 2-D fracture networks of geothermal reservoirs in south-western Turkey

Natural fracture patterns of producing geothermal formations in south-western Turkey are mapped at different scales. The fractal dimensions of different fracture network properties, such as spatial distribution, density, connectivity, orientation, and length are measured by different methods. Analysis of the natural fracture patterns from giga to microscales identifies the descending behavior of box-counting fractal dimension with respect to the scale. It is observed that the fracture networks represent scale-invariant properties, but fractal dimensions might notably differ when the mass dimension is measured applying different methods. Anisotropic nature of fracture networks is also included in the fractal analysis.     

Thermal coupling may control mechanical stability of geothermal reservoirs during cold water injection

Hydraulic stimulation and geothermal reservoir operation may compromise the rock mechanical stability and trigger microseismic events. The mechanisms leading to this induced seismicity are still not completely understood. It is clear that injection causes an overpressure that reduces the effective stress, bringing the system closer to failure conditions. However, rock instability may not result only from hydraulic effects, but also from thermal effects. In fact, hydro-mechanical (i.e., isothermal) models often fail to reproduce field observations because the injection of cold water into a hot reservoir induces thermal stresses due to rock contraction. Thus, rock instability is likely to result from the superposition of hydraulic and thermal effects. Here, we perform coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical simulations to investigate the effects of cold water injection in a fracture zone-intact rock system. Results show that thermal effects induce a significant perturbation on the stress in the intact rock affected by the temperature drop. This perturbation is likely to trigger induced seismicity in the surroundings of critically oriented fractures near the injection well. Hydro-mechanical simulations show that the behavior depends on the orientation of the faults and on the initial stress tensor. In the direction of the fractures, where the strains are more constrained, total stress increases with increasing pressure; thus, deviatoric stress increases or decreases depending on the initial stress state. The comparison between hydraulic and thermal effects shows that, when the largest confining stress acts perpendicular to the fractures, thermoelastic effects dominate and could trigger induced seismicity.     

Determination of characteristics of steam reservoirs by Radon-222 measurements in geothermal fluids

The authors conducted a Rn²²² survey in wells of the Larderello geothermal field (Italy) and observed considerable variations in concentrations. Simple models show that flow-rate plays an important part in the Rn²²² content of each well, as it directly affects the fluid transit time in the reservoirs. Rn²²² has been sampled from two wells of the Serrazzano area during flow-rate drawdown tests. The apparent volume of the steam reservoir of each of these two wells has been estimated from the Rn²²² concentration versus flow-rate curves.List of symbols Q Flow-rate (kg h^–1) - Decay constant of Rn²²² (=7.553×10^–3 h^–1) - Porosity of the reservoir (volume of fluid/volume of rock) - ₁ Density of the fluid in the reservoir (kg m^–3) - ₂ Density of the rock in the reservoir (kg m^–3) - M Stationary mass of fluid filling the reservoir (kg). - E Emanating power of the rock in the reservoir (nCi kg _rock ^–1 h^–1). - P Production rate of Rn²²² in the reservoir: number of atoms of Rn²²² (divided by 1.764×10⁷) transferred by the rock to the mass unit of fluid per unit time (nCi kg _fluid ^–1 h^–1). - N Specific concentration of Rn²²² in the fluid (nCi kg^–1) - Characteristic time of the steam reservoir at maximum flow-rate (=M/Q)     

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of geothermal field in space-wavenumber domain

Large-scale,fine,and efficient numerical simulation of a geothermal field plays an important role in geothermal energy development.Confronted with the problem o...     

On pressure-work,viscous dissipation and the energy balance relation for geothermal reservoirs

This article examines the conditions under which the pressure-work and viscous dissipation terms should be retained in the energy balance relation for single (liquid water or vapor) and two-phase (liquid water and vapor) fluid flow through porous media. It is shown that if one wishes to retain the pressure-work term, then one must also keep the viscous dissipation term in the energy balance. Consideration of steady non-isothermal radial flow demonstrates that both pressure-work and viscous dissipation are liable to have negligibly small effects in single phase liquid water and in two-phase liquid-vapor systems. This conclusion is, however, not generally valid for pure vapor systems; in this case, pressure-work and viscous dissipation can produce significant variations in the computed reservoir response.     

封闭地热系统水平井采热储层内渗流与传热的有限元模拟

地热能是储量巨大、分布广泛且供给稳定的清洁能源.地热发电对经济发展和环境保护都具有重要意义.然而, 现有地热电站广泛采用的开放性采热模式易导致发电设备结垢与腐蚀、循环水流量不足与波动、自耗功率高等问题.采用传热工质与地热储层分离的封闭性采热模式, 不但能根治上述问题, 而且提升了选择传热工质和设计传热循环的灵活性.本研究采用有限元方法数值模拟水平井采热的封闭地热系统中自然对流强化储层内渗流与传热的动力学过程, 系统分析了水平井温度、水平井位置、储层渗透率、水平井周围渗透率强化改造范围及储层厚度-宽度比等关键因素对采热热流和采热年限的影响, 从而为适用于地热发电的大型封闭地热系统设计和工程实践提供理论指导和基础数据.模拟结果表明, 在水平井周围半径10 m区域内进行渗透率强化改造就能够启动和强化自然对流, 大幅提高未强化改造区域的地热开采; 水平井从储层采热的先后次序由自然对流区域逐渐拓展控制, 开发厚地热储层并将水平井设置在储层高处能够提高采热效率并延长采热年限; 驱动自然对流的水平井-储层温差与采热热流不成正比但正相关; 地热储层内存在的稳态背景自然对流对水平井采热有显著贡献.

     

缝洞型储层随钻测井自适应有限元法数值模拟

缝洞型碳酸盐岩储层具有强烈的非均质性及储集空间预测难度大的特点,利用随钻电阻率测井方法对缝洞进行准确识别和划分,是当前研究的热点问题.利用一种先进的高精度自适应有限元方法和几何精确的曲边单元造型技术可以模拟缝洞型储层的随钻测井响应.本文通过研究仪器在不同半径缝洞的模拟测井响应及缝洞填充与坍塌导致的机械填充对测井结果的影响,给出了用于识别缝洞大小和填充程度的缝洞型储层的测井响应特征.研究结果为缝洞型碳酸盐岩储层的识别与划分提供了理论依据.     

地热深井生产过程的井筒传热数值模拟

从地热储层中提取热流体的过程中,在井筒流体与周围地层之间存在着热量交换,使得热流温度发生着变化,为探究流体在生产井中的热量损失过程,本文的目的 是开发一种可靠的数值模型用以说明地热井在生产过程中的流动与换热问题,在此选取COMSOL Multiphysics建立了仿真模型,并对模拟结果进行了解析验证.井筒热量损失的表征要素除了温度以外,热损失功率也起着至关重要的作用,为了全面评价地热生产井的热能损失,故对井口水温及热损失功率两项评价指标进行研究,分析得出水的操作参数及环空热导率变化对井筒热损失的影响.研究结果表明:(1)数值模拟中应用TD代数表达式的连续形式与解析模型中应用Ramey定义的f(t)不连续函数表达式进行热流温度的求解时,对于较长的生产时间,数值解与解析解吻合良好.(2)井底水温的线性变化也将带来井口水温和井筒热损失功率的线性变化,井口水温和井筒热损失功率随井底水温的变化直线斜率随时间的增加略有减小,纵截距也略有减小,说明时间越长,井口温度升高的越慢,井筒热损失功率增大的越小,系统越趋于稳定状态.(3)增量为10 kg/s的采出流量与增量为10℃的井底水温相比,对井口水温的升高及热损失功率的减小影响程度均相应减弱,最终也将趋于稳定状态.(4)环空热导率对井口水温和井筒热损失功率的影响呈现相反的效应,即环空热导率增大井口水温降低,井筒热损失功率增大.结论 认为,综合考虑热流温度及井筒热损失功率两项指标对于高效地热能开采,提高热能利用率等方面具有重要意义,并可全面评价井筒的热量损失大小,为地热能开发提供可靠理论依据.     

Real-time envelope cross-correlation detector: application to induced seismicity in the Insheim and Landau deep geothermal reservoirs

We develop and test a real-time envelope cross-correlation detector for use in seismic response plans to mitigate hazard of induced seismicity. The incoming seismological data are cross-correlated in real-time with a set of previously recorded master events. For robustness against small changes in the earthquake source locations or in the focal mechanisms we cross-correlate the envelopes of the seismograms rather than the seismograms themselves. Two sequenced detection conditions are implemented: After passing a single trace cross-correlation condition, a network cross-correlation is calculated taking amplitude ratios between stations into account. Besides detecting the earthquake and assigning it to the respective reservoir, real-time magnitudes are important for seismic response plans. We estimate the magnitudes of induced microseismicity using the relative amplitudes between master event and detected event. The real-time detector is implemented as a SeisComP3 module. We carry out offline and online performance tests using seismic monitoring data of the Insheim and Landau geothermal power plants (Upper Rhine Graben, Germany), also including blasts from a nearby quarry. The comparison of the automatic real-time catalogue with a manually processed catalogue shows, that with the implemented parameters events are always correctly assigned to the respective reservoir (4 km distance between reservoirs) or the quarry (8 km and 10 km distance, respectively, from the reservoirs). The real-time catalogue achieves a magnitude of completeness around 0.0. Four per cent of the events assigned to the Insheim reservoir and zero per cent of the Landau events are misdetections. All wrong detections are local tectonic events, whereas none are caused by seismic noise.     

Numerical simulation of sedimentation processes in reservoirs as a function of outlet location

This paper builds on a recently published one-dimensional moving-boundary model of the coevolution of topset, foreset and bottomset in a reservoir that captures the dynamics of the internal muddy pond typical to reservoirs. This model was modified to account for different outlet locations at the reservoir＇s downstream end. This model considers a river carrying two sustained phases of sediments： coarse （sand） and fine （mud）. The coarse phase deposits in the topset and delta foreset, while the fine phase forms a dilute suspension of wash load in the river. As the river enters the reservoir, the muddy water plunges on the foreset to form a Froude-supercritical （purely depositional） turbidity current. This turbidity current emplaces the bottomset. The modified numerical model was tested against five laboratory experiments previously reported by the author. The model successfully locates the muddy-water/clear-water interface. In addition, modeled and measured bed deposits are in good agreement. Results clearly indicate that the location of the internal hydraulic jump plays a key role in the final bed deposit.     

储层地震物理模拟的震源指向性及介质非均质性影响分析

随着地震物理模拟的研究目标由地质构造发展为不同类型的油气储层,明确震源指向性及介质非均质性对实验结果的影响,对提高物理模拟数据的可信性及准确性具有重要意义.利用激光测振新方法对震源指向性进行了实验测试,得到了更加精确的指向性结果,形成了模拟数据振幅补偿方法.制作了具有不同尺度特征的非均质样品,在50 kHz至1000 kHz超声频段下对纵波速度及能量进行了测试,明确了不同的波长/介质尺度比（λ/a）范围内纵波速度及干扰波与有效波能量比的变化特征.结果表明,在地震物理模拟超声频段下射线速度向散射速度的转折点出现在λ/a≈2处;散射速度向等效介质速度的转折点出现在λ/a≈100处.当满足λ/a>200条件时,干扰波与有效波能量比小于5%时,可认为满足储层模拟的等效介质条件.

     

Optimal operation of reservoirs for downstream water quality control using linked simulation optimization

A methodology is developed for optimal operation of reservoirs to control water quality requirements at downstream locations. The physicochemical processes involved are incorporated using a numerical simulation model. This simulation model is then linked externally with an optimization algorithm. This linked simulation–optimization‐based methodology is used to obtain optimal reservoir operation policy. An elitist genetic algorithm is used as the optimization algorithm. This elitist‐genetic‐algorithm‐based linked simulation–optimization model is capable of evolving short‐term optimal operation strategies for controlling water quality downstream of a reservoir. The performance of the methodology developed is evaluated for an illustrative example problem. Different plausible scenarios of management are considered. The operation policies obtained are tested by simulating the resulting pollutant concentrations downstream of the reservoir. These performance evaluations consider various scenarios of inflow, permissible concentration limits, and a number of management periods. These evaluations establish the potential applicability of the developed methodology for optimal control of water quality downstream of a reservoir. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetotelluric resistivity modeling for 3D characterization of geothermal reservoirs in the Western side of Mt. Aso, SW Japan

Geothermal reservoirs are usually located at a depth range of 2 to 5 km, so to efficiently utilize such resources an advanced prospecting method is needed to detect these deep geologic structures. This study aimed to three-dimensionally characterize geothermal reservoirs by a combination of Magnetotelluric (MT) survey, inversion analysis of apparent resistivity, and interpolation of the resistivity data obtained. The western side of Mt. Aso crater, southwest Japan, was chosen as the case study area. Three hot springs exist there and a fault is assumed to go in the direction connecting them. A MT survey was carried out at 26 sites and the data processed by a remote reference method to reduce artificial noises. Based on skewness and Mohr circle analyses of the impedance tensor, the local geologic structure at each site could be approximated as horizontally layered and therefore, a one-dimensional inversion analysis was applied to the MT raw data. The resultant resistivity column data were then interpolated by the three-dimensional optimization principle method. The resistivity distributions obtained clarified continuous conductors with especially low resistivity (less than 10 Ω·m) at the hot springs along the fault. Because the resistivity decreases largely with an abundance of clay minerals, the conductors could be considered to correspond with the cap rocks. Thus, two geothermal reservoirs, whose shapes were estimated to be pillar, were detected under the cap rocks in an elevation range of − 1000 to − 3000 m. By comparing the resistivity distributions with the temperature distributions based on fluid-flow calculations at a steady state using FEM, the validity of the location and dimension of the estimated reservoirs were confirmed.     

碳酸盐岩洞穴型储层双侧向测井数值模拟和响应特征(英文)

洞穴型碳酸盐岩地层具有显著的非均质性和测井预测难度大的特点,如何利用双侧向测井对识洞穴进行准确识别与定量评价,是当前的一个研究难点与热点。利用数值模拟方法计算电测井响应,可为洞穴识别与评价提供理论依据。本文根据双侧向测井原理,采用有限元素法,研究了球状洞穴模型的测井响应特征,并考察了不同尺寸的洞穴对电测井响应的影响;然后,系统研究了不同充填程度的洞穴模型的测井响应,得出了电阻率与充填程度之间的关系;最后,研究了洞穴中充填泥质、灰质、砾岩和砂泥岩薄互层等多种充填物的测井响应特征。研究结果对碳酸盐岩洞穴型储层的识别与评价具有较高的应用价值和研究意义。     

沁水盆地南部煤层气储层压裂过程数值模拟研究

储层改造是煤层气井提高产能的重要措施,水力压裂是煤层气储层改造的重要方法.为研究煤层气储层压裂过程及其天然裂缝对煤储层压裂时破裂压力的影响,本文以山西沁水盆地南部高煤级煤矿区为研究区,运用有限元数值模拟方法,计算不同地应力条件下、裂缝处于不同位置时煤储层的破裂压力.结果表明:(1)不同类型地应力场对破裂压力的影响不同.对于均匀应力场,破裂压力随着围压的增大而增大,其增幅约为围压的两倍;对于非均匀应力场,当一个水平主应力不变时,破裂压力会随着水平主应力差的增加而减少;(2)如果地应力条件不变,煤储层破裂压力随着天然裂缝与最大水平主应力方向夹角的增加而增加,水平主应力差越大煤储层破裂压力增幅也越大;(3)在有天然裂隙的地层中进行压裂,当天然裂缝的方位不同时压裂裂缝既可能是沿着天然裂缝扩展的裂缝,也可能是压裂过程中产生的新裂缝,因此天然裂缝的方位对破裂压力具有一定的影响.     

Submarine geothermal resources

Approximately 20% of the earth's heat loss (or 2 × 10¹² cal/s) is released through 1% of the earth's surface area and takes the form of hydrothermal discharge from young (Pleistocene or younger) rocks adjacent to active seafloor-spreading centers and submarine volcanic areas. This amount is roughly equivalent to man's present gross energy consumption rate.A sub-seafloor geothermal reservoir, to be exploitable under future economic conditions, will have to be hot, porous, permeable, large, shallow, and near an energy-deficient, populated land mass. Furthermore, the energy must be recoverable using technology achievable at a competitive cost and numerous environmental, legal and institutional problems will have to be overcome.The highest-temperature reservoirs should be found adjacent to the zones of the seafloor extension or volcanism that are subject to high sedimentation rates. The relatively impermeable sediments reduce hydrothermal-discharge flow rates, forcing the heat to be either conducted away or released by high-temperature fluids, both of which lead to reservoir temperatures that can exceed 300°C. There is evidence that the oceanic crust is quite permeable and porous and that it was amenable to deep (3–5 km) penetration by seawater at least some time in the early stages of its evolution.Most of the heat escapes far from land, but there are notable exceptions. For example, in parts of the Gulf of California, thermal gradients in the bottom sediments exceed 1°C/m. In the coastal areas of the Gulf of California, where electricity and fresh water are at a premium, this potential resource lies in shallow water (< 200 m) and within sight of land. Other interesting areas include the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Andaman Sea along the margins of the western Pacific, the Tyrrhenian Sea west of Italy, and the southern California borderland and west flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge off the west coast of the United States.Many questions remain to be answered about the physical and other characteristics of these systems before they can be considered a viable resource. Until several of the most promising areas are carefully defined and drilled, the problem will remain unresolved.     

地热地球物理勘探新进展

地热作为一种清洁能源具有巨大的开发潜力,将在我国的经济发展中起到巨大的作用.在传统的热水型地热开发的基础上,国际上非常重视热干岩(Enhanced Geothermal)型地热的勘探开发.在这两类地热勘查和开发中,地球物理方法具有非常重要的作用.本文从地热系统的目标体岩石的地球物理性质出发,分析岩石的地球物理性质与温度、压力和含水量等影响因素的关系.例如随着温度的升高,岩石会出现去磁、电阻率降低、密度降低、弹性波速度也现明显降低等现象.进而分析地球物理方法应用到具体的地热勘查地质-地球物理异常模型.结合国际上21世纪以后的新方法技术,分析了重磁、电、地震方法在利用由于岩石温度的升高而出现的特殊地球物理现象,并应用于地热勘探.通过国内外实例介绍了各种地球物理勘探方法在地热勘查中成功应用,为进一步提高我国地热勘查水平,提供一些参考.     

Numerical simulation of sedimentation process in reservoirs and development of a non-coupled algorithm to improve long-term modeling

This paper investigates the validity of a quasi-steady approximation for sediment transport and presents a new algorithm based on this concept. The developed non-coupled algorithm interacts among hydrodynamic, sediment, and morphology modules which are based on depth-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for the flow, the three-dimensional equation of conservation of sediment, and the mass balance between the bed and sediment (Exner equation) to simulate the reservoir sedimentation process. The non-coupled algorithm solves both the short-term scale and the relatively long-term scale problems of reservoir sedimentation. The proposed algorithm is verified using field data and by comparison with other accurate algorithms. Based upon the results of this investigation, the developed algorithm can be used to simulate long-term reservoir sedimentation while considerably decreasing the computational costs and preserving computational accuracy. The computational cost of the non-coupled algorithm is about 97% less than the conventional semi-coupled approach whereas the errors (Root Mean Square Error, Average Relative Error, and Maximum Relative Error of bed level) of the developed algorithm are approximately 15% greater than those for the semi-coupled algorithm for the average value.     

基于3D-FEM的洞穴型地层双侧向测井数值模拟及响应特征研究

洞穴型碳酸盐岩储层非均质性强、电测井响应复杂、测井识别和表征难度大,利用数值模拟方法明确该类储层的电测井响应特征,可为洞穴识别与评价提供理论依据.本文基于三维有限元素法（3D-FEM）,引入边界局部加密技术,实现对复杂球形洞穴的精细刻画与响应精确计算;对比分析井眼钻穿型洞穴和井旁洞穴的双侧向测井响应特征和敏感性,进而考察双侧向测井对两者敏感范围的差异.结果表明：洞穴的存在导致双侧向测井响应明显降低,受洞穴边界及仪器探测深度等影响,井眼钻穿型洞穴双侧向测井曲线复杂,而井旁洞穴曲线呈“抛物线”型;双侧向测井对井眼钻穿型洞穴的敏感性远大于对井旁洞穴的敏感性,深侧向和浅侧向测井最大可对洞穴边界距井壁0.5 m和0.3 m的井旁洞穴敏感.