Geothermal Field Management Strategies: Various Cases and Lesson Learn from Top Geothermal Producer Countries

Abstract

Geothermal for power generation offers a clean and reliable energy compared to other renewable energy such as solar and wind. However, its sustainability is depending on how the reservoir was managed during exploitation. Improper field management strategy may lead to rapidly declining reservoir pressure and production. Devising a proper field and reservoir management requires a good understanding on the geothermal reservoir characteristics. One of the most important characteristics is the response of the reservoir to the exploitation and reinjection. Obtaining those responses requires a continuous monitoring of the reservoir performance for some periods of time. Therefore, typically as each phase of the development of geothermal field progresses, one's knowledge and understanding of geothermal resource becomes clearer. A robust and precise field management strategy will impact in stabilize and increase the revenue of geothermal developer that securing payback period and maintain during the contract period until next 30 years from commercial operation date. This paper aims to summarize geothermal field management strategy from various field in worldwide. The methodology used for this research is literature review and direct discussion with related expert on geothermal reservoir management. As the results of this research, lessons learned from various geothermal field in worldwide can be extracted, it will consist about how to understand the uniqueness of each field and their approach and strategies to solve the problem with objective to maintain and recover the production. The result of this study can become one of reliable reference for government and geothermal developer to develop robust geothermal field development strategy.