The Birth of Geothermal Reservoir Engineering

Abstract

The term "reservoir engineering'' arose within the field of study of the development of gas and oil reservoirs. One definition of reservoir engineering is the application of scientific principles to the drainage problems arising during development and production of oil and gas reservoirs. Although many important physical laws concerning reservoir mechanics were established during the first half of this century, reservoir engineering has flourished mainly since the end of World War ll. The Combination of the recognition of increasing energy requirements in a rapidly industrializing world and the release of trained manpower following World War II abetted the development of the field of reservoir engineering. In the 1940's and 1950's oil recovery processes such as underground combustion of oil and oil recovery by steam and hot water injection received great attention. The modern development of geothermal reservoirs also began to accelerate about that time. The pioneering geothermal development in Larderello, Italy, began the massive job of rebuilding the devastation of World War II. New Zealand began the important development of geothermal power in the Wairakei steam field, and the Magma-Thermal Power Company development of the Geysers in California, USA, followed thereafter.