NEDO's Project on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering: A Reservoir Engineering Study of the Sumikawa Geothermal Field, Japan

Abstract

In order to promote the development of geothermal energy resources, it is important to understand how to estimate reservoir capacity and to minimize the risks associated with various development schemes prior to full-scale commitment so that power plant design may be formulated. The New Energy and Industrual Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has been developing technology suitable for the evaluation of geothermal reservoirs since FY 1984. Phase I of this program was completed during FY 1987; the results of these studies are being published during FY 1988. Then, beginning in FY 1988, NEDO undertook Phase II of the program, of which the major purpose is to devise techniques to deal with more complex reservoir behavior. This includes reservoirs in which the effects of fractures must be specifically treated and /or in whcih the fluid mixture contains important constituents in addition to H20 (such as carbon dioxide gas).