Preliminary Data Collection Results and Well Stimulation Plans for the Wells of Opportunity Project

Abstract

The goal of this ongoing Department of Energy (DOE)-funded Ormat-GeothermEx Wells of Opportunity Project is to use stimulation techniques, guided by geomechanical modeling and analytical methods, to sequentially stimulate two existing wells with long open-hole sections at two operating fields in Nevada. These stimulations have the potential generation impact of up to several MWs at the Don A. Campbell (DAC) and Jersey Valley (JV) operating geothermal power plants. The subject wells for stimulation are DAC idle well 68-1RD and JV injection well 14-34. This paper describes the results of various tests and data collection activities conducted to understand and characterize the readiness of each well and wellsite for stimulation. For both wells, pressure-temperature-spinner (PTS) logs, geophysical logs and injection test data have been collected to complement extensive reviews of existing well and geothermal resource information. Additionally, laboratory testing has been performed on existing samples of representative core and cuttings to characterize the petrology and mineralogy of the formations of interest for stimulation of both wells. Herein we describe the usefulness of the data collected during BP1 activities for stimulation planning, and how they are used to inform the preparation of static geomechanical models and stimulation effectiveness models for the DAC and JV well sites, and for stimulation planning in general for geothermal wells with low productivity elsewhere. Currently proposed plans for through-tubing stimulation are also described for both wells.