Numerical Simulation to Study Feasibility of Using Supercritical CO2 as a Stimulation Agent for Enhanced Geothermal Systems
- Key words
- EGS, Supercritical CO2, Mineral dissolution, Porosity enhancement, Reactive transport modeling
- Conference
- Stanford Geothermal Workshop
- Year
- 2010
- Session
- HDR/EGS
- Language
- English
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Abstract
Geothermal injection wells are often drilled into formations containing reactive minerals such as calcite. Injecting aqueous chemical agents such as mineral acid (HF) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), could be effective for mineral dissolution and porosity enhancement at distances of several meters around a geothermal well. An alternative to treatment with strong acids is the use of supercritical (SC) CO2 as stimulation agent for aqueous-based enhanced geothermal system (EGS). Using SC CO2, mineral dissolution and porosity enhancement may penetrate into the formation much longer distance. Reactive transport modeling is used to investigate the effectiveness of this method. The mineralogical composition from a well of Desert Peak EGS site is employed. Preliminary modeling results will be presented.
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