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1st Geoscience & Engineering in Energy Transition Conference
- Conference date: November 16-18, 2020
- Location: Strasbourg, France
- Published: 16 November 2020
1 - 20 of 64 results
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Well Leak and Annular Flow Analysis for a Gas-Well, A Workover Operation in South of Iran
Authors H. Ameri and M. MotahariSummaryThe workover jobs may conduct in a well during or after of completion operation for various reasons. One of the most common problems in the south of Iran is gas leakage and annular pressure increasing in the well. In this paper, the annular flow condition and energy and casing/liner leakage have been investigated by different new technologies such as Well Leak Detector (WLD), Well Annular Flow (WAF) and Ultrasonic Image Tool (USIT) in a well in one of the Iranian southern gas fields. The WLD logs showed no turbulent flow behind of casing. On the other hand, the USIT tests illustrated that laminar flow is not the result of large holes’ existence on the body of completion strings. Two different methods were conducted for better analyzing the WAF tests: Shut-in pass and Bleeding-off pass. All of the WAF sensors have been displayed the same trend for both scenarios in different time periods. The results have demonstrated the precise location of a shale layer and a gas pocket and determined that the leakage is via the liner-casing joint. Finally, casing/liner punching, squeeze cementing and tying back the liner was suggested and applied in the well as an optimum workover operation.
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Flow Simulation and History Matching of a High Enthalpy Geothermal Reservoir: The Larderello Case Study (Italy)
Authors P. De Montleau, F. Felici, M. Casini and M. CeiSummaryThe Larderello-Travale field (Tuscany, Italy) is the oldest historical areas of geothermal exploration and exploitation in the world. Two reservoirs have been progressively investigated and exploited and the current case study focuses on the deepest fractured reservoir in the southwestern area of the field. It is characterized by temperatures of 250–350°C with an initial static pressure of around 70 bar. The modeled area is historically managed by 64 producers and 12 injectors.
The study consisted in a 3D static and dynamic modeling and particular attention was paid to natural fractures distribution within the reservoir. The history matching was performed on the natural state and production history which started in the nineties.
The aim of the study is to give a better understanding of the production mechanism of a naturally fractured geothermal field by mean of fracture characterization and distribution. This calls for a detailed description of well productivity and interference between closed wells and groups of wells.
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Multiphase Compositional Well Flow Modelling: The Case of Injecting in Low Pressure Reservoirs
Authors V. Leontidis and M. GainvilleSummaryA steady-state compositional flow model has been developed for simulating the injection of condensed steam together with non-condensable gases (NCGs). All fluids are originated from a high enthalpy subsurface source, and after the recuperation of their energy in a geothermal power plant they must be reinjected back into the earth for controlling the emissions of greenhouse and toxic gases. For high content of NCGs in the initial geothermal fluid and reinjection of the totality of the fluids, the dissolution of the gas into the liquid phase is partial and a two-phase mixture must be injected. Targeting a low pressure (depleted) reservoir for the injection can result in a liquid column inside the well which is far for the surface in a depth of several hundreds of meters. The model considers a prototype well completion which overcomes these restrictions by injecting separately the water and the NCGs, and by mixing the two phases in a certain depth while ensuring the downward flow of the mixture.
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Utilizing the Geology to Your Advantage; Innovative Shallow Geothermal Energy in Crystalline Rocks
More LessSummaryShallow geothermal energy is an increasingly important source for heating and cooling of buildings in Scandinavia. Norway’s geology bears some challenges relating to shallow geothermal energy. The dominating geology is crystalline bedrock, which does not allow for the development of e.g. ATES. LEAT is a concept that is developed by Ruden Energy and based on the utilization of the fracture network in fractured crystalline rocks and the naturally occurring groundwater, in an open-loop well system. Instead of trying to avoid fracture systems and groundwater flow, LEAT enables the utilization of these features. The benefit of LEAT is that this concept requires a significantly lower number of wells to deliver the same amount of heating and cooling to a building or infrastructure when compared to more traditional closed well systems. There is a potential of creating an energy system with the same energy output with just 10 % of the number of wells in a traditional closed well system.
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Corrosion Inhibitor Evaluation Using Autoclave Electrochemical Measurements in Geothermal Brine
Authors T. Schott, M. Bolmont, A. Rouand and F. LiautaudSummaryTo protect a geothermal plant of the Upper Rhine Graben, the performance of commercially available corrosion inhibitors was evaluated in laboratory. Experiments, and in particular electrochemical measurements, were successfully conducted at 170°C, 22 bar, in autoclave to measure steel corrosion rates in utilization conditions, and to reproduce the scale deposits observed on-site. Among the inhibitor products the least toxic for aquatic life, one was able to reduce the steel corrosion rate in geothermal brine from 80 to 30 µm/year at 80°C, and from 450 to 180 µm/year at 170°C.
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Modeling of CO2 Solubility in Aqueous NaCl and Na2SO4 Solutions up to 473.15K and 20MPa
Authors P. Felipe Dos Santos, L. André, M. Ducousso, F. Contamine and P. CézacSummaryThe study of the phase equilibria of CO2 in aqueous solutions containing electrolytes is extremely relevant for several areas such as environment, oil and water production, or geothermal energy. With regard to the environment, CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in deep saline aquifers has been widely studied, as a strong potential for mitigating the global imbalance linked to greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 storage in deep aquifers is seen as the most promising geological storage techniques due to the large quantity and spreading of the reservoirs worldwide.
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Experimental CO2 Solubility in Nacl-Cacl2 Brines At 333.15 and 453.15 K Up to 40 Mpa
Authors J. Lara Cruz, F. Contamine and P. CézacSummaryAs part of the global efforts for renewable energies development, CO₂ solubility measurements were provided for the geothermal industry. Solubility is obtained at high pressures (6–40 MPa), in aqueous phases reproducing the exploited geothermal resources, through NaCl and CaCl₂ synthetic brines (1.2 mol NaCl/kg H₂O and 0.2 mol CaCl₂/kg H₂O), at 333.15 and 453.15 K. This work is encouraged by the lack of literature measurements on CO₂ solubility at these experimental conditions. Both mixed-salts and single-salt brines are analysed for the production of original results. A new stirred reactor, with variable volume, was conceived to maintain gas-liquid equilibria, while solubility measurements were performed by titration. The experimental methods were validated with measures in pure water, at 333.15 K, as well as in NaCl and CaCl₂ single-salt brines (1 mol.kg H₂O), at 323.15 K. Then, twenty original measures were produced with their uncertainty, and compared to Phreeqc (Pitzer.dat) calculation results. The measurements highlight that CO₂ solubility decreases when the aqueous phase salinity increases. Finally, a discussion is proposed to determine if this salting-out effect is influenced mostly by the NaCl or the CaCl₂, when observed in the mixed-salts brines at 333.15 K.
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Characterization of Crustal Fault Zones as Geothermal Reservoirs: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors H. Duwiquet, L. Guillou-Frottier, L. Arbaret, T. Guillon, M. Heap and M. BellangerSummaryAs potential geothermal reservoirs, Crustal Fault Zones are still largely unexplored and unexploited (e.g. South Erzebirge deep fault zone, Germany (Achtziger-Zupančič, 2017), GraVisual Basic Expresserg, Sweden (Juhlin and Sandstedt 1989 , Lund and Zoback 1999 )). A multi-disciplinary approach has made it possible to estimate the position of the 150 °C isotherm at 2.5 km depth at the Pontgibaud Crustal Fault Zone (French Massif Central), highlighting its geothermal potential ( Duwiquet et al., 2019 ). Although consistent with field data, this estimate did not take the 3D distribution of permeability, the 3D geometry of fault networks, and the poroelastic effects on fluid flow, and the intensity and depth of temperature anomalies into account. With more measurements, observations, and 3D modeling based on thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling, this study proposes to better characterize the geothermal reservoir potential of the Pontgibaud Crustal Fault Zone.
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Laboratory-Based Investigation into the Fluid Flow Properties of Natural and 3D-Printed Rough Fractures
Authors T. Phillips, N.D. Forbes Inskip, O. Esegbue, G. Borisochev, T. Bultreys, V. Cnudde, K. Bisdom, N. Kampman and A. BuschSummaryLow-permeability geological seals may be compromised by the occurrence of fluid-conductive fault and fracture systems, which can potentially transmit fluids away from the storage reservoir. We performed a systematic laboratory-based investigation into the effect of surface roughness on the fluid flow properties of both natural rock and 3D-printed fractures. The natural rock fractures span a range of lithologies and modes of creation. The synthetic fractures were numerically generated through accounting for complex matching properties and anisotropies within the defining properties of a fracture surface. A multipronged experimental approach was undertaken, comprising digital optical microscopy for roughness quantification, single-phase (core flooding) experiments for permeability evolution with effective stress, and X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) performed on 3D-printed fractures to investigate aperture field evolution during fracture closure. Results from this study provide further insights into the physical transport properties of fractures as a function of lithology, angle to bedding and surface roughness distribution. This work is used to directly inform caprock leakage models for a joint industry research project, which aims to generate guidelines for determining the risk of CO₂ leakage along faults and fractures in low-permeability caprocks.
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The Geothermal Energy Buffer: A Promising Carbon Free Solution for Bulk Energy Storage
By A. JeannouSummaryEnergy transition and, on a larger scale, climate change is a paradoxical problem for a geologist. He is probably very familiar with earth’s natural resources availability and also knowledgeable about past marine transgressions effects. Therefore, his knowledge allows him to anticipate the effects of the rapid fossil carbon destocking in the atmosphere. This carbon destocking will be carried out in approximatively 200 years; it is so quick that today, alarming atmospheric CO2 levels have been generated.
However the perplexing problem, geoscientists can and should take action to help our fellow human beings. First, by constantly reminding the necessity to recycle as much as possible finite natural resources, and second, by offering clean and sustainable energy solutions, for us and future generations.
Our proposal is the Geothermal Energy Buffer project. It’s a clean and definitely sustainable bulk energy storage solution based on: thermal storage, energy generation and management of a phase change hydrocarbon, the LPG. Through its performance, dispatchability and power, this innovation has the potential to be comparable to hydropower. This solution is rapidly deployable worldwide in spent oil fields and in many sealed equivalent geological structures. It has the ambition to become a game changer in the electricity market.
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Understanding Fault and Fracture Networks to De-Risk Geological Leakage from Subsurface Storage Sites
Authors R.E. Rizzo, H. Fazeli, C. Maier, R. March, D. Egya, F. Doster, A. Kubeyev, N. Kampman, K. Bisdom, J. Snippe, K. Senger, P. Betlem, T. Phillips, N. Forbes Inskip, O. Esegbue and A. BuschSummaryTo verify successful long-term CO2 storage, it is critical to improve our understanding of leakage along natural faults and fractures within the primary caprock. In the proximity of a fault zone, interactions between multiple fracture sets can create complex networks which can play a fundamental role in fluid transport properties within the rock mass. Being able to fully characterise fault and fracture networks, in terms of fracture density, connectivity, aperture size and stress regime, can allow us to more accurately identify, analyse and model the bulk properties (e.g. transport, strength, anisotropy) and, therefore sealing behaviour, of faulted and fractured geological storage sites. Here, we present an integrated workflow which combines laboratory measurements of single fracture permeability with outcrop-scale analysis of fault and fracture networks occurring in reservoir/caprock sections. These data are then used to develop a hydromechanical model to upscale laboratory tests to network-scale and potentially to reservoir-scale, verified against in-situ fault permeability data, where available.
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Chemical Reactions in Subsurface Storage Rocks - First Results from Reactive Fluid Flow Experiments
Authors B. Busch, A. Okamoto and C. HilgersSummaryFaults and fractures are important fluid pathways in subsurface energy reservoirs. Especially in geothermal energy production, hydrocarbon production, and energy storage in the deep subsurface, fractures can enhance reservoir quality and production- or storage potential. In subsurface reservoirs however, mineral precipitations often reduce available fracture apertures, and thus fracture porosity and permeability. The present study is performed on a homogeneous, massive marine Sandstone (Bentheimer Sandstone from Gildehaus Quarry, Lower Saxony, Germany, Lower Cretaceous) and a heterogeneous, laminated fluvial sandstones (grès vosgien from Cleebourg, Alsace, France, Lower Triassic). Hydrothermal flow-through experiments are performed at 420 °C and 30 MPa for 72 hours to compare resulting precipitated cement textures on fracture analog surfaces.
The experiments reveal a heterogeneous development of syntaxial overgrowth cements. Homogeneous sandstone, composed of similar grain sizes and quartz grains, show a homogeneous formation of overgrowths. Heterogeneous sandstones, composed of laminae with different grain sizes and variable detrital grain compositions, show smaller overgrowths on finer grained laminae when compared to coarser grained laminae.
The sedimentary texture might thus be an additional factor to consider when assessing mineral precipitations in fractures and their influence on subsurface fluid flow.
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Hydrogen Reactivity with (1) a Well Cement - PHREEQC Geochemical Thermodynamics Calculations
Authors N. Jacquemet, P. Chiquet and A. GraulsSummaryTEREGA has been using an aquifer of southwestern France to store natural gas since 1957. The storage and the surface facilities are connected by cement-completed wells. The PHREEQC geochemical thermodynamics calculations presented herein aim at evaluating if hydrogen reactivity with a class G oil-well cement would have an impact on its porosity, in a context of hydrogen co-storage in the aquifer. The reductive dissolutions of the model cement minerals ettringite and hematite were driven by the sulphate and ferric iron reductions by hydrogen. The so-produced sulphides and ferrous iron precipitated as iron sulphide and oxide minerals. Nevertheless these dissolution-precipitation reactions did not affected significantly the cement porosity, as the involved minerals constitute a minor part of the material. The strong hypothesis of this study resides in the fact that the redox reactions reached the chemical thermodynamics equilibrium. But it is known that their extent is kineticallylimited; they need to be catalysed through e.g. the metabolism of hydrogenotrophic microbes. Our study could be thus improved by including such microbial kinetical equations, as well as kinetics for mineral dissolution/precipitation reactions. Also, we could consider reactive transport simulations in which the diffusive transport of hydrogen within cement is taken into account.
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CO2 Handling in Binary Geothermal Systems – a Modelling Approach for Bruchsal, Germany
Authors D. Siefert, M. Kondek, T. Koelbel and J. KolbSummaryImplementation of the CO2-solubility model of Duan et al. (2006) into a simulation tool for the Bruchsal power plant yields results that indicate single-phase flow at 22 bar, at the production temperature of 124 °C, 130 g/L total dissolved solids and at a CO2-content of 0.3 wt.%. This, however, contradicts the observation in Bruchsal. The simulation was adjusted to 22 bar and 124 °C, yielding a CO2-content of 0.85 wt.%. The simulation is validated against gas breakout pressure measurements, which indicate that single-phase flow was not reached until 31.7 bar (operating conditions 22 bar). Using this pressure as a minimum value, the minimum CO2-content at single-phase conditions is estimated at 0.86 wt.%, which is in accordance with the results from the modified simulation tool. The general applicability of the new simulation tool has to be validated at other sites, before it can be implemented into a holistic power plant model. The successful validation at Bruchsal indicates that the new simulation tool and its implementation into holistic models is a promising tool for predicting NGC behaviour early in the development of geothermal power plants already in the exploration stage.
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Characterisation of Deep Hydrothermal Fluids Circulation in the Upper Rhine Graben (France) with Electromagnetic Methods
Authors S. Neeb, V. Maurer, M. Darnet, F. Bretaudeau, P. Wawrzyniak, C. Glaas, J. Girard, G. Marquis and A. GenterSummaryIn the present paper we present a new combination of 3D Controlled-Source Electromagnetics (CSEM) and Magnetotellurics (MT) adapted to image electrical resistivity of deep granitic fractured reservoirs. This method will be applied in the Upper Rhine Graben to locate and describe accurately the geothermal resource in order to reduce the risk of future Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) projects planned in this area. Electrical resistivity logs data from Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen (Alsace, France) geothermal wells will be used to design an optimal survey, since knowledge of resistivity variation in the sedimentary cover is required to properly image deep fluid circulation with high accuracy. As a first validation step, a 2D field trial run in July 2019 near the geothermal power plants from Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen successfully characterized the subsurface targets. The main goal of this study will be a large-scale 3D CSEM/MT acquisition campaign, planned on October 2020 in Northern Alsace, in a context of an actual exploration program.
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Multi-Scale Faults/Fractures Network Characterization of the Saarbrucken-Merlebach Anticline (Saar-Lorraine Coal Basin) for Geothermal Exploration
Authors M. Mombo Mouketo, Y. Geraud, M. Diraison and C. BossennecSummaryFaults and fractures are mechanical discontinuities that develop at all scales due to brittle deformation of rocks. Because of their complex geological history, they can be sealing or conductive to fluids. Moreover, this geological complexity results in very heterogeneous fracture systems both in orientation and spatial distribution. Description for the total range of size is difficult to predict from subsurface data or well data. Surface analogues are used to overcome this difficulty. Here, the focus is made on the folds/faults/fractures of the Westphalian interval of the Saar-Lorraine coal basin. This interval is the richest in coal seams and is folded.
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Full Wave Inversion of OVSP Seismic Data for Faults Delineation and Characterization in Granite Context
Authors Y. Abdelfettah, C. Barnes, E. Dalmais, V. Maurer and A. GenterSummaryWe have studied the application of the full-wave inversion method (FWI) to offset vertical seismic profiles (OVSP) in order to detect, delineate and characterize the heterogeneities and the faults in the deep granite geothermal reservoir. We consider the context of Soultz-sous-Forêts geothermal site. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the application of a method already used in the oil&gas industry to geothermal purpose and to assess its capability for the specific goal of fault imaging. After having tuned the FWI to adapt to the specific target of faults, we have studied the impact of the acquisition geometry on the estimated parameter fields, namely, the Pwave and S-wave velocity model and the density model. We have shown that for noise free synthetic data and for fault orthogonal to the propagation plane, the fault signal in the data is sufficient to obtain good inversion results. However, several sources are required to better constrain the inverse problem. We have also studied the sensibility of the FWI for different fault thickness, dip and position as the scattered field depends strongly on these parameters. This study has to be continued by using 3D FWI to assess the fault azimuth effect.
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Implementing the Cascade Use of Geothermal Energy in Agriculture and Assessment of Usage with MCDM Tool
More LessSummaryBased on the outdoor air temperatures at the location of the Lunjovec-Kutnjak geothermal field, the utilization of geothermal energy for heating the greenhouses was dimensioned through two thermo-technical systems. The first system involved the direct use of geothermal energy, and the second system involved the direct use of geothermal energy and the use of heat pumps after direct use. Such a cascading hybrid system through direct use and heat pumps represent the possibility of exploiting a larger temperature range and generating greater revenues. After sizing the system, MCDM analysis was performed according to the methodology presented in ( Ilak et al., 2018 ; Raos et al., 2019 ), together with the proposed weight parameters determined for agriculture. The results of the analysis showed a higher final grade of the cascade hybrid system for agricultural purposes where the parameters of installed capacity and levelized cost of heating (LCOH) had the greatest impact and geological parameters did not have a significant impact since they are the same in both proposed systems.
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Carbon Storage Potential in the Los Angeles Basin
Authors S. Cook, K. Batbayar and Z. PrintzSummaryPermanent carbon storage relies on detailed subsurface characterization and subsequent dynamic modeling to predict plume and pressure geometries. In this study, Schlumberger evaluated carbon storage feasibility in the Los Angeles Basin using proven geomodelling and simulation workflows in Petrel and Eclipse. Specific geologic criteria must be present in the subsurface to achieve permanent storage. A saline sand formation with appropriate injectivity properties exists, is thick enough to ensure sufficient storage capacity, and is deep enough to store CO2 in a super critical state (800 m). An overlying shale formation must exist regionally to confine injected CO2. Once these criteria were met, leakage pathways and other subsurface risks were considered. For the purpose of this study a geocellular facies model was created from public and raster log well data to calculate storage capacity and identify five prospective storage site locations. Evaluation criteria such as fault leakage and reactivation, distance to subsurface operations, and reservoir storage potential were used to rank prospective locations. After identifying the most feasible proposed location, Eclipse dynamic modeling was performed using an injection rate of 1 million tons CO2/year over 20 years plus 50 years post injection to predict carbon plume migration and stabilization.
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Delivering the CO2 Storage Resource Catalogue
Authors S. Thibeau, J. Canal Vila, M. Martins and J. RitterSummaryJuly 1st, 2020, the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) launched the CO2 Storage Resource Catalogue. The Catalogue aims to become the global repository for all future storage resource assessments, supporting the growth of a safe and commercially viable CCUS industry. It will do this by bolstering investors’ understanding of commercial development and maturity of published CO2 storage resources, thereby leading to increased investor confidence. It is based on the SRMS, A CO2 storage classification system established by the SPE in 2017.
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