Title:

Impact of Well Placement on Heat Recovery in Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Authors:

Jinchuan HU, Mukul M. SHARMA

Key Words:

Well Placement, Thermal fracturing, Goethermal

Conference:

Stanford Geothermal Workshop

Year:

2026

Session:

Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Language:

English

Paper Number:

Hu

File Size:

1061 KB

View File:

Abstract:

In Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), the placement of producers relative to injectors can play a very important role in controlling fluid flow patterns, fracture connectivity, and overall energy recovery. Improper placement can result in rapid thermal breakthroughs or reduced heat sweep efficiency. This study aims to (1) investigate how the relative angular alignment of the injector-producer pair influences heat recovery, and (2) provide quantitative design strategies for optimizing well placement to enhance long-term geothermal performance. A fully coupled reservoir-fracture-well simulator that models multi-phase flow, geomechanics, and thermal effects is employed to simulate the fluid circulation process and examine fracture propagation in EGS. It simulates the propagation, opening, and closing of propped fractures under the influence of thermo-poro-elastic stress. The geothermal heat recovery was simulated for different well placements. Changes in flow patterns and fracture geometry over time were analyzed, providing insights into fracture dynamics during geothermal recovery and their impact on overall efficiency. Simulation results demonstrate that well spacing and placement strongly influence heat recovery. Although late-time thermal power converges across all cases, cumulative thermal energy increases significantly with production-well elevation. Larger positive angles enhance buoyancy-driven circulation and sustain heat extraction over longer timescales. These findings highlight the trade-offs in fracture utilization and thermal sustainability, underscoring the importance of carefully selecting well placement strategies in EGS.


216.73.216.131, you have accessed 0 records today.

Press the Back button in your browser, or search again.

Copyright 2026, Stanford Geothermal Program: Readers who download papers from this site should honor the copyright of the original authors and may not copy or distribute the work further without the permission of the original publisher.


Attend the nwxt Stanford Geothermal Workshop, click here for details.

Accessed by: 216.73.216.131 (216.73.216.131)
Accessed: Tuesday 28th of July 2026 07:44:18 AM