Comparative Evaluation on the Performance of Top and Bottom against Side Tapping Sampling Points from Two-Phase Geothermal Pipelines

Abstract

The collection of representative samples from a geothermal well discharging steam and water is a complex procedure. Sampling plays important role in geothermal operations, as credibility and usefulness of geochemical data depends on the methods used and the care taken in the collection of samples. Methods of sampling in the two-phase lines evolve in different ways. The use of a twin-cyclone separator to collect both gas and water samples at the same time at a horizontal point is slowly been modified by the geothermal steam field operators. To date, most commonly used practice is the separate sampling of gas and water inside a pipe using two different separators intended to capture more realistic representative sample at the top and bottom locations. Comparing the existing method using different sampling locations is evaluated by the use of gas and water chemistry data and also listed amongst are the advantages and dis-advantages of each. Comparability and variation in result is determined. The top and bottom configuration was found to be more appropriate, advantageous, and practical, and reduces some of the access and maintenance problems including two-phase flow regime inside the pipe during flow of the geothermal fluid.