Analyzing the Impact of Mineral Precipitation from Geothermal Water on the Injectivity of Wells

Abstract

The geothermal waters present in different geological structures may vary. They can provide freshwater and water with low dissolved mineral content (brackish water, 1–10 g/L), saline water (10–30 g/L) as well as brine with mineral contents exceeding 30 g/L. The cooling of water during the operation of a geothermal system can lead to the precipitation of solid phase from the water, which subsequently enter the injection well, substantially impacting its injectivity. The paper reports the findings of a study examining the influence of varying temperatures and pressures on the precipitation of solid phases from geothermal water. The data obtained were utilized to simulate the alteration of permeability in the near-well zone during injection using both transient and steady-state flow analytical models. The outcomes derived from the modeling will be validated by the laboratory test results of solid-phase water flow under reservoir conditions utilizing the presented laboratory system.