Preproduction Analysis of Thermal Breakthrough by Reinjection at the Los Humeros First 5-MWe Units

Abstract

Reinjection of cooled brine is part of the reservoir management plans for the four 5 MWe portable generating units to be installed at the Los Humeros geothermal field in east central Mexico in 1989-90. The potential for thermal breakthrough of the reinjected fluid has been estimated for the reinjection wells under consideration and the expected operating conditions of the production wells. The analyses are based on staff compiled reservoir and preproduction flow data useful in field management of the reinjection wells used for brine disposal from the wellhead separators and condensate from the unit turbines. The estimated cool down data at the production wells for several reservoir and production parameters show a wide range of production times to an abandonment temperature of 170°C, corresponding to the minimum inlet pressure of 8 bar to the CFE 5 MWe generating unit turbines.