Initial Implementation of Oil Field Temperature Data for Calculating Formation Specific Heat Content for Electric Power Generation: First Approximations

Abstract

Developing geothermal energy from sedimentary basins requires initial knowledge on the temperature of the reservoir and volume of the heat resource that is contained within the target reservoir. In this paper bottom hole temperatures of wells within Reeves County, Texas are used to constrain three separate approaches for predicting minimum reservoir temperature. The location of wells is shown in relation to an oil and gas production map. Calculated temperatures at constant depths and within the target reservoir are used to generate a first pass series of subsurface temperature maps. Additionally, the volumetric method for calculating in-situ geothermal energy within a reservoir is discussed with reference to obtaining reservoir specific parameters necessary for solving the volumetric heat energy equation. This approach is able to use data available from the oil and gas industry for thermal evaluation of a sedimentary reservoir.