Investigations of Geothermal Energy Production in Coal Fires Affected Jharia Basin, India

Abstract

The Jharia Coalfield in India holds significant potential for geothermal energy production due to the presence of high-temperature anomalies resulting from the ongoing coal fires. The persistent coal fires, which have plagued the Jharia basin since 1916, have posed grave threats to the environment and society and created unique thermal conditions. Borehole temperature logging data recorded in the field reveal a notably high geothermal gradient within the basin, around 40-45 ̊ C/km. This study aims to harness the untapped thermal energy created by coal fires and convert it into usable geothermal energy. To achieve this, we employ a combination of analytical and numerical simulation techniques to assess the feasibility of extracting geothermal energy. Experimental determination of the thermo-physical attributes like the thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of the rocks and the injection fluids is employed to enhance our simulations. The current study aims to stimulate the heat transfer process of the injection fluid through a coaxial wellbore in the vicinity of coal fires affecting the Jharia basin. The findings obtained under analytical and numerical simulations indicated the potential of extracting geothermal energy and largely dependent on the well operational flow rate and the geothermal gradient of the basin. Furthermore, the production temperature varied between 110 ̊ F to 140 ̊ F depending on the geothermal conditions, coaxial wellbore dimensions and the thermal characteristics of the injection fluids and the rock formations. The study would enable a comprehensive understanding of the performance of the coaxial wellbore for geothermal energy extraction and pilot-scale operations in the Jharia basin.