Production of Geothermal Brine Wells in Two-Phase Flow

Abstract

Hot geothermal waters, containing dissolved gases and salts, normally flash to form a two phase flowing mixture of steam and water during production up deep wells. Shifts in chemical equilibrium ten occur due to release of CO2, often causing deposits, of CaCO3 and well plugging. Prediction of flow rate versus pressure drop is difficult because little data exists for vertical two phase flow in large lines; certain minimum flows are required; and flow equations for both the reservoir and the well must be considered. A computer program being developed both predicts the point of CaCO3 scaling, and permits evaluation of various correlations give significantly different solutions. Thus, a goal of this study is to develop reliable correlations based on both laboratory data and new data from field test.