Production/Injection Characteristics of Slim Holes and Large-Diameter Wells at the Sumikawa Geothermal Field, Japan

Abstract

Production and injection data from 11 slim holes and 10 large-diameter wells at the Oguni Geothermal Field, Japan, were examined in an effort to establish relationships (1) between productivity of large-diameter wells and slim holes, (2) between injectivity and productivity indices and (3) between productivity index and borehole diameter. The production data from Oguni boreholes imply that the mass production from large diameter wells may be estimated based on data from slim holes. Test data from both large- and smalldiameter boreholes indicate that to first order the productivity and the injectivity indices are equal. Somewhat surprisingly, the productivity index was found to be a strong function of borehole diameter; the cause for this phenomenon is not understood at this time.