Field-Wide Application of Chemical Tracers for Mass Flow Measurements in Philippine Geothermal Fields

Abstract

Chemical tracers are widely utilized in Philippine geothermal pel& to accurately measure the bore output of production wells, injection line flow rates, and steam inlet rates to power plants. Based on these flow measurements, a production-injection well utilization strategy is fonnulated to optimize production and minimize injection fluid breakthrough to the production sector. fie reservoir response to peld utilization is filly assessed based on the total steam and brine flow meastcrements with time and individual injection well capacity trends.

Recent on-line bore output measurements using sodium benzoate for brine flow and suuur hexafluoride for steam flow demonstrated a good correlation with the James tube method for several production wells tested. Similarly, steam flow rates measured by tracer compared well with venturi flowmeter measurements at power plant inlets.

Magnesium chloride has been extensively used as a chemical tracer for water flow measurements by PNOC. These test results yielded close agreement with orijce plate flowmeter and spinner flow measurements. Other chemical tracers, such as sodium benzoate and sodium fluorescein, were compared with the magnesium chloride tracer and produced similar results.