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f Geothermal Energy Production – Issues in Coupled Modelling and Data Assimilation
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, DGG/EAGE Workshop - Geophysics for Deep Thermal Energy, Feb 2011, cp-219-00010
- ISBN: 978-94-6282-137-8
Abstract
The development of geothermal energy production poses important challenges for subsurface modelling. One of those challenges is the coupling of flow, geomechanics, and thermal behaviour. As an example, the coupling of geomechanics and flow covers the transport parameters of fractured rock which may change due to the geomechanical response of the fluid pressure, but also the occurrence of seismicity triggered by the injection of cold water under high pressure. In terms of the couplings represented in Table 1, flow induces temperature changes and possible thermal fracturing; but also pressure changes and associated hydraulic fracturing. The fractured system and its associated stress field changes the flow characteristics dramatically, and a fully coupled description is warranted.