Development history of the Tiwi geothermal field, Philippines

Commercial production of electricity from the Tiwi geothermal system began in 1979. In 1982, Tiwi became the world's first water-dominated system to produce more than 160 MWe. Today the field supplies about 11% of Luzon's electricity. Initially, the reservoir was single-phase liquid with a small, shallow steam zone on the east side. Temperature reversals in the first wells showed the east to be an outflow zone. As production began, reservoir pressure declined, two-phase conditions developed, and groundwater entered the reservoir from the east. As many production wells cooled, brine production increased and generation decreased from about 280 MWe in 1983 to about 190 MWe in 1986. Improvements to surface facilities and new wells drilled farther west raised generation to about 280 MWe by mid-1993. Separated brine was first injected into the reservoir, but this lowered steam production; injection is now outside the field.     

Sustainable development of the Kamojang geothermal field

Geothermal electricity production in Indonesia began with the operation of a 0.25 MW_e pilot project in Kamojang geothermal field, in 1978. Commercial operation started in 1983, with the commissioning of the 30 MW_e Unit-1 power plant. In 1987, an additional capacity of 110 MW_e was provided by the Unit-2 and Unit-3 power plants. The addition of the 60 MWe Unit-4 power plant in 2008 increased the total generating capacity to 200 MW_e. The 27 years of commercial operation have led to a slight decline in reservoir pressure and temperature within the active production sector. The most recent significant change in the field conditions and performance occurred following the 2008 increase in generating capacity from 140 to 200 MWe. The production decline of individual wells has been relatively low, at an average of 3%/yr. However, the increased rate of steam withdrawal might negatively affect long-term sustainability of energy production at Kamojang unless suitable field management strategies are implemented. In order to stabilize the steam flow, it has been necessary to drill about three make-up wells every 2–3 years. The unbalanced mass extraction, where less than 30% of the produced steam mass can be injected, is a serious concern for long-term reservoir management in Kamojang. The field operator (Pertamina) plans to increase the Kamojang generating capacity from 200 to 230 MWe (Unit 5) and optimize the long-term performance of the Kamojang geothermal resource. The response of the reservoir during the previous three decades is being used to guide reservoir development for the planned increase in production capacity.     

The USA geothermal country update

Geothermal energy is used for electric power generation and direct utilization in the United States. The present installed capacity (gross) for electric power generation is about 2020 MWe, with 1902 MWe net delivering power to the grid, producing approximately 16,000 GWh per year for a 96% capacity factor. Geothermal electric power plants are located in California, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. The two largest concentrations of plants are at The Geysers in northern California and the Imperial Valley in southern California. The latest development at The Geysers, due to recent declines in steam output, is the injection of recycled wastewater from two communities into the reservoir, which has at present permitted the recovery of 70 MWe of power generation. The direct utilization of geothermal energy includes the heating of pools and spas, greenhouses and aquaculture facilities, space heating and district heating, snow melting, agricultural drying, industrial applications and ground-source heat pumps. The installed capacity is about 4350 MWt and the annual energy use is 22,250 TJ, or 6181 GWh. The largest application is that of ground-source (geothermal) heat pumps (60% of the energy use), and the largest direct-use is that of aquaculture pond and raceway water heating. Direct utilization is increasing at about 6% per year, whereas electric power plant development is almost static. The energy savings from electric power generation, direct uses and ground-source heat pumps amount to 6.6 million tonnes of equivalent fuel oil per year and represents a reduction in air pollution of 5.8 million tonnes of carbon annually (compared to fuel oil).     

The Bulalo geothermal field, Philippines: Reservoir characteristics and response to production

The Bulalo geothermal field has been operating since 1979, and currently has 330 MWe of installed capacity. The field is associated with a 0.5 Ma dacite dome on the southeastern flank of the Late Pliocene to Quaternary Mt. Makiling stratovolcano. The reservoir occurs within pre-Makiling andesite flows and pyroclastic rocks capped by the volcanic products of Mt. Makiling. Initially, the reservoir was liquid-dominated with a two-phase zone overlying the neutral-pH liquid. Exploitation has resulted in an enlargement of the two-phase zone, return to the reservoir of separated waste liquid that has been injected, scaling in the wellbores and rock formation, and influx of cooler groundwaters. Return of injected waters to the reservoir and scaling have been the major reservoir management concerns. These have been mitigated effectively by relocating injection wells farther away from the production area and by dissolving scale from wells with an acid treatment.     

Numerical modeling of the Momotombo geothermal system, Nicaragua

The Momotombo geothermal field, Nicaragua, has been under commercial production since 1983; presently it has an installed capacity of 77 MWe. A three-dimensional, porous-media numerical model of the system was developed and calibrated using the code iTOUGH2, and was utilized to study the response of the geothermal reservoir under different fluid production and injection scenarios. Satisfactory agreements were obtained between measured and computed discharge enthalpies and flow rates for most of the shallow wells. The model also qualitatively reproduced the pressure drawdowns measured in selected wells.     

Production of superheated steam from vapor-dominated geothermal reservoirs

Vapor-dominated geothermal systems such as Larderello, Italy, The Geysers, California, and Matsukawa, Japan yield dry or superheated steam when exploited. Models for these systems are examined along with production data and the thermodynamic properties of water, steam and rock. It is concluded that these systems initially consist of a water and steam filled reservoir, a water-saturated cap rock, and a water or brine-saturated deep reservoir below a water table. Most liquid water in all parts of the system is relatively immobilized in small pores and crevices; steam dominates the large fractures and voids of the reservoir and is the continuous, pressure-controlling phase. With production, the pressure is lowered and the liquid water boils, causing massive transfer of heat from the rock and its eventual drying. Passage of steam through already dried rock produces superheating. After an initial vaporization of liquid water in the reservoir, the decrease in pressure produces increased boiling below the deep water table. With heavy exploitation, boiling extends deeper into hotter rock and the temperature of the steam increases. This model explains most features of the published production behavior of these systems and can be used to guide exploitation policies.     

Performance history of The Geysers steam field, California, USA

The performance of Calpine's Geysers steam field from startup in 1960 to 2008 is described in this paper. Since October 2003, Calpine has received approximately 482 L/s of tertiary-treated reclaimed water from the City of Santa Rosa. To accommodate and derive benefit from this water, Calpine has converted 20 wells (ten producers, six shut-in, two observation, and two suspended wells) to high-rate injection service. Additional nine wells were also converted to low-rate injectors that receive 12.6 L/s or less. Annual recovery factors (i.e., fieldwide increase in annual steam production divided by annual injection) for the first 5 years of Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge Project (SRGRP) operation have been estimated at 17.6%, 26.1%, 37.1%, 39% and 44.6%, respectively; reasonably close to or slightly higher than the values, predicted prior to SRGRP startup. Using a revised definition that includes the amount of un-boiled water in the reservoir, the annual recovery factors turn out to be 17.6%, 16.1%, 14.6%, 12.4% and 12.2% from year one through year five. Improvements in the wellfield, water injection, and power plant modifications from January 1995 through December 2008 are also discussed in this paper.     

Well-testing in travale-radicondoli field. Part V. Concluding statement on pressure transient studies made from well tests in the Travele-Radicondoli reservoir

The theory and applications of pressure transient (well test) analysis have been studied intensively for more than 40 yr by petroleum reservoir engineers and groundwater hydrologists. Only in the past decade, however, have geothermal-fluid wells been tested for the purpose of making pressure transient studies. Results of these studies disclose various well conditions, for example, restrictions to fluid flow into the wellbore. They also disclose reservoir heterogeneities, boundaries and permeability-thickness products of reservoir rocks. Probably most important, they can be used in estimations of energy reserves. This powerful analytical tool is discussed with special reference to the Travale reservoir.This reservoir is complicated geologically and hydrologically. It lies on the margin of a graben near a widespread outcrop of the reservoir rocks, which also form an absorption area for the meteoric waters. The area explored can be divided into three zones: in one of these (the nearest to the absorption area) some noncommercial wells produce two-phase water-steam mixtures; in the second zone the wells produce superheated steam, while a well drilled in the graben itself produces a fluid with an uncondensable gas content of about 80%. The reservoir is described in relation to defining areas for further exploration. The nature of the reservoir has affected the design of programs for collecting pressure-production data and other well performance data. The performance history prior to the advent of pressure transient studies pertains mainly to what is known as the ‘old’ Travale reservoir to the southwest of the ‘new’ Travale-Radicondoli reservoir in which the more recent wells are drilled and in which modern well test analysis methods have been applied. Data on the “old” reservoir are discussed first.Because of its initial performance and relationship to nearby wells the most important well in the “new” reservoir is Travale well 22. It has been subjected to extensive well testing. Nearly all the wells in the “new” reservoir have been involved, however, through well-interference tests. In these tests the wells surrounding Travale well 22 are shut in and their pressure responses to different Travale well 22 production rates are measured. Well interference tests indicate the characteristics of fluid flow in the reservoir between test wells and in a qualitative way the heterogeneous nature of the reservoir itself.Pressure transient theory is developed from ideal system behavior: one vertical, fully-penetrating well producing at a constant rate from a horizontal reservoir of uniform thickness and of infinite extent in any direction from the wellbore. A great deal of research has been done to aid well-test analysts in their interpretation of pressure buildup and pressure drawdown curves constructed from data taken on wells in actual reservoirs. This research generally is accomplished with model studies. Some of the models developed in the present research fit reasonably well with the build-up behavior of Travale well 22.The research done on the Travale reservoir is summarized here with the objective of showing what has been learned, how it can be applied, and what should be done next. Confidence in applications of pressure transient analyses in the Travale reservoir has been gained. New concepts of the reservoir system have emerged as a result of the research. Additional testing and more precise measurements in the field should lead to good engineering estimates of energy reserves.     

Geothermal resources in the Asal Region,Republic of Djibouti: An update with emphasis on reservoir engineering studies

Three independent geothermal systems have been identified, so far, in the Asal region of the Republic of Djibouti (i.e. Gale le Goma, Fiale and South of Lake). Six deep wells have been drilled in the region, the first two in 1975 and the others in 1987–88. Well A2 was damaged and wells A4 and A5 encountered impermeable yet very hot (340–365 °C) rocks. Wells A1, A2, A3 and A6 produce highly saline (120 g/L TDS) fluids leading to mineral scaling. Well test data indicate that the reservoir might be producing from fractured and porous zones. The estimated permeability-thickness of the deep Gale le Goma reservoir is in the 3–9 darcy-meter range. Lumped-parameter modeling results indicate that well A3 should be operated at about 20 kg/s total flow rate and that injection should be considered to reduce pressure drawdown. The estimated power generation potential of well A3 is 2.5 MWe, and that of all Asal high-temperature hydrothermal systems is between 115 and 329 MWe for a 25-year exploitation period.     

拉德瑞罗地热电站可持续开发经验——记拉德瑞罗地热发电100周年

意大利地热发电的世界霸主地位持续了60多年,直至20世纪70年代被美国超越。位于意大利中部托斯卡纳区的拉德瑞罗地热电站是世界第一座地热电站,1913年11月13日开始运行,到1957年仍是世界唯一的地热发电。截至2013年11月,拉德瑞罗地热电站已发电运行100周年,实现了可再生地热能的可持续开发。拉德瑞罗地热电站稳定发展和持续运行100年的经验,一是发电系统设备更新换代,2013年拉德瑞罗地热电站运行机组22台,总装机容量594MW,全部是20世纪90年代以来的新建机组;二是发电废汽回收实行冷凝水回灌,拉德瑞罗地热田现有23口回灌井,将发电废蒸汽回收后的冷凝水回灌到地下热储中,电站因此在2005~2009年增加了4台机组、共100MW的新增装机容量;三是地热田的勘探扩展。拉德瑞罗地热发电的百年经验也是对世界地热开发的重要贡献。     

The U.S. hot dry rock project

Early attempts to hydraulically fracture and connect two wells drilled at the Hot Dry Rock (HDR) site at Fenton Hill in New Mexico produced a large volume of fractured rock, but no connection. Microearthquakes triggered by fracturing indicated that the stimulated rock zones grew in unexpected directions. Consequently one of the wells was sidetracked at a depth of 2.9 km. It was redrilled into the zones of most intense microseismic activity, and flow connections were achieved. Hydraulic communication was improved by supplemental stimulation using recently developed high temperature and high pressure open hole packers. Preliminary testing indicates a reservoir with heat production capability which greatly surpasses that attained in the earlier Phase I reservoir. Longer term testing in 1987 and 1988 will provide more complete information on reservoir behaviour.     

Fractal modeling of capillary pressure curves for The Geysers rocks

Capillary pressure curves of The Geysers rocks have unique features because of their microfractures. The frequently used Brooks–Corey (1964) model does not match these capillary pressure curves. It would be useful to represent these curves mathematically, to provide a model for use in reservoir performance calculations. A general model developed from fractal modeling of a porous medium was applied and found to match the capillary pressure curves of The Geysers rocks satisfactorily. Capillary pressures were measured using a mercury intrusion technique. The values of fractal dimension, which is a representation of rock heterogeneity, were inferred from the match of the general capillary pressure model to the experimental data. The results demonstrate that the heterogeneity of The Geysers rocks can be determined quantitatively using the values of fractal dimension.     

Large energy storage systems for utilities

In addition to the capacity on line, electric networks usually need 8–10 per cent of their installed capacity readily available to handle load variations. Thermal storage of energy as pressurised saturated hot water has done this job for years, but only on a small scale because of cost limitation of the steel pressure vessel. This paper shows that steel lined cavities deep underground, using the rock to provide containment, are economical and practical in large capacities for this energy storage. By reducing the cavity pressure, steam is flashed from the hot water and used to drive peaking turbines when needed; at low load periods surplus steam is condensed in the water to recharge the vault. The saturation pressure of the hot water is borne by the overburden pressure of the rock formation in which the storage vault is prepared. At usual steam plant saturation temperatures the effective storage density is in the range of 18–21 electric kWh/m³ of storage volume, which is 20–50 times the capacity of the usual pumped hydro systems. Recovery of stored energy ranges from 75–90 per cent. The cost of a facility to deliver 1000 MW of peaking power for 10 h would fall in the range of $250–350 million, including indirect costs, interest, etc. The underground facilities represent about 40 per cent of the cost: the balance is for conventional generating and steam plant equipment.     

Downhole measurements and fluid chemistry of a castle rock steam well,the Geysers,Lake County,California

Wellbore and reservoir processes in a steam well in the Castle Rock field of The Geysers have been studied by means of down-hole pressure and temperature measurements and analyses of ejected water and steam produced under bleed and full flow. Down-hole measurements show that below a vapor zone there is liquid water in the well in pressure equilibrium with reservoir steam at a depth of 2290 m. The progressive decreases, from 1973 to 1977, of pressure and temperature in the vapor zone indicate that wellbore heat loss is high enough to condense a large fraction of the steam inflow. The chemical composition of water ejected from the well is consistent with an origin from wellbore condensation of steam. Calculations using the differences in gas and isotopic compositions between bleed and full-flow steam show that about half of the full-flow steam originated as liquid water in the reservoir and that about 30% of the steam entering the well under bleed was condensed in the wellbore and drained downward. Heat loss calculations are also consistent with this amount of condensation.     

The use of gas chemistry to evaluate boiling processes and initial steam fractions in geothermal reservoirs with an example from the olkaria field, Kenya

A method has been developed to evaluate boiling processes in the producing aquifer of “high-enthalpy” geothermal wells using data on the concentrations of CO₂, H₂S and H₂ in steam discharged. The extent to which water and steam are separated in the producing aquifer is evaluated as well as the amount of enhanced evaporation due to heat flow from the rock to the boiling water. Further, the initial steam fraction in the reservoir fluid is calculated. Results are presented for the Olkaria geothermal field, Kenya, to demonstrate the use of our method. They show that the initial steam fraction in the reservoir is very small: up to 0.25% of the mass, or about 10% by volume. Segregation of water and steam in the producing aquifers is rather extensive for some of the wells. Thus, water which has boiled and yielded steam into wells amounts to more than two times the mass of the fluid discharged from the well. The larger part of the exploited steam ( ) is generated by flow of heat from the rock to the boiling water.     

Sustainability analysis of the Ahuachapán geothermal field: management and modeling

The Ahuachapán geothermal field (AGF) is located in north western El Salvador. To date, 53 wells (20 producers and 8 injectors) have been drilled in the Ahuachapán geothermal field and the adjacent Chipilapa area. Over the past 33 years, 550 Mtonnes have been extracted from the reservoir, and the reservoir pressure has declined by more than 15 bars. By 1985, the large pressure drawdown due to over-exploitation of the resource reduced the power generation capacity to only 45 MW_e. Several activities were carried out in the period 1997–2005 as part of “stabilization” and “optimization” projects to increase the electric energy generation to 85 MW_e, with a total mass extraction of 850 kg/s.     

History of geothermal exploration in Indonesia from 1970 to 2000

Reconnaissance surveys undertaken since the 1960s show that more than 200 geothermal prospects with significant active surface manifestations occur throughout Indonesia. Some 70 of these were identified by the mid-1980s as potential high-temperature systems using geochemical criteria of discharged thermal fluids. Between 1970 and 1995, about 40 of these were explored using geological mapping, geochemical and detailed geophysical surveys. Almost half of the surveyed prospects were tested by deep (0.5–3 km) exploratory drilling, which led to the discovery of 15 productive high-temperature reservoirs. Several types of reservoirs were encountered: liquid-dominated, vapour-dominated, and a vapour layer/liquid-saturated substratum type. All three may be modified by upflows (plumes) containing magmatic fluid components (volcanic geothermal systems). Large, concealed outflows are a common feature of liquid-dominated systems in mountainous terrain. All explored prospects are hosted by Quaternary volcanic rocks, associated with arc volcanism, and half occur beneath the slopes of active or dormant stratovolcanoes. By 1995, five fields had been developed by drilling of production wells; three of them supplied steam to plants with a total installed capacity of 305 MW_e. By 2000, with input from foreign investors, the installed capacity had reached 800 MWe in six fields, but geothermal developments had stalled because of the 1997–1998 financial crisis.     

Reservoir engineering assessment of low-temperature geothermal resources in the Skierniewice municipality (Poland)

Low temperature geothermal resources and their production potential in the Skierniewice area of Poland were evaluated assuming conventional well doublet arrays. The reservoir engineering assessment was carried out, within the framework of a World Bank project, to study the feasibility of providing heat to the local district heating system, using data from two existing wells and from geophysical surveys, and by evaluating results of production, injection and interference well tests. Two options were simulated mathematically, using both semianalytical and numerical codes, considering a simplified reservoir model: one based on the two existing wells, the other considering four wells, two to be drilled. The injection of spent brines into a different reservoir was also studied.