Summary of our Research in Geothermal Reservoir Simulation

Abstract

Our research effort has concentrated on developing theoretical and numerical models for the purpose of simulating geothermal reservoirs. The first heat-transport model we developed was single-phase (liquid water), two-dimensional (areal), and was based on the Galerkin, finite-element method. This model was applied to the Wairakei geothermal field, which we were able to simulate until approximately 1962 at which time the reservoir became two-phase.

More recently we have formulated the equations of two-phase (steamwater), heat transport in terms of enthalpy and pressures. Formulation of the basic mass, momentum and energy balances in terms of fluid pressure and enthalpy yields two nonlinear, partial differential equations that are valid for both liquid- and vapor-dominated hydrothermal reservoirs, as well as for reservoirs that may include both single- and two-phase regions. In addition, this formulation eliminates the interphase condensation terms.