One Curve Fits All

Abstract

Characteristic curves of geothermal wells coordinate mass flow with wellhead pressure, and although differing from one another, plots of good comnercial producers are roughly el1iptical in appearance. This occurs whether the flow originates as dry saturated steam or as pressurized hot water. A l l ellipses when tilt e d can be changed to a circle, hence by plotting ( W / h x ) versus (P/Pmax) where W is flowrate and P is wellhead pressure, we can obtain a circle when: (W/wmax)' + (p/pmaX)2 = 1.0 Ten geothermal wells - of which half emit dry saturated steam - are plotted employing the above parameters and give surprisingly close approximations to a circle considering the variety of wells tested.