A Robust Supercritical Geothermal Simulator
- Key words
- Geothermal modelling, supercritical, Menengai, Reykjanes, Krafla, Taupo volcanic zone
- Conference
- New Zealand Geothermal Workshop
- Year
- 2020
- Session
- Session 6.2 Future Technologies and Projects
- Language
- English
- Paper number
- 137
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Abstract
Recent improvements to a supercritical equation-of-state (EOS) for the simulator TOUGH2 are discussed together with its application to simulations of Menengai (Kenya), Reykjanes Peninsula (Iceland), Krafla (Iceland) and the TVZ (New Zealand). The models of Reykjanes Peninsula and the TVZ include multiple geothermal systems.
The new EOS uses smoother and more reliable transitions into and out of the supercritical region than our previous supercritical EOS. This allows natural state simulations to converge robustly, thus enabling models to be calibrated effectively.
An air/water equation-of-state, similar to EOS3 in TOUGH2, but with supercritical capability is also described. This new EOS3sc allows simulation of regions including the shallow unsaturated zone and extending deep to the high-temperature and high-pressure zone.
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