Different Stimulation Strategies to Enhance the Performance of Subsurface Feat Exchangers Based on Tensile Fractures

Tensile fraccing in non-critically stressed tectonic environments, such as occur in large parts of the Netherlands, allows stimulation with a negligible level of seismicity. In this paper we analyse the performance of two tensile hydraulic stimulation strategies, for geothermal systems at large depth. In a reference case with reservoir temperature of 190C at 5 km depth, tensile fracturing can result in significant flow rates when multiple fractures are generated in a low permeable formation. LCOE range from 15 to 27 cts/kWh depending on subsurface conditions and costs for hydraulic stimulation. The economics of the case can be significantly enhanced by developing these subsurface engineering scenarios in higher subsurface temperature environments.