Re-Evaluation of the Development Strategy of the Integrated Geothermal Project ìKOTCHANYî - Macedonia

Abstract

After about 17 years of exploitation, the integrated geother-mal project ìKotchanyî showed all the positive and negative aspects of its initial development strategy, either from the technical/technological or the economical point of view. In combination with the requests of new state economy surrounding which dictates organizational reorganization, that conditions re-evaluation of the project development strategy. Problems to be resolved can be summarized in: - Need for a new approach to the reservoir engineering. Improving the elasticity of the system by the introduction of new exploitation well(s), reinjection of the effluent water and its treatment before reinjection; - Need for gradual change of the composition of heat consumers in order to improve the total annual heat loading factor and, in that way, the economy of the system exploitation; and - Need fo rintroducing of a new pricing system with more significant stimulation of the better use of the temperature difference on disposal. Results of recent analysis are presented in the paper and recommendations for the elements of a new strategy for development of the Kotchany integrated geothermal system du-ring the period of next ten years.