Sustainability and Exploitation Policies at the Miravalles Geothermal Field

Abstract

Electrical generation in Costa Rica relies almost completely in environmental-friendly, renewal type sources. By 2005, 78% of the installed capacity and 96% of the total energy generated came from hydro, geothermal and wind power plants. Electrical generation from geothermal has become very important since it has been used as replacement for the thermal power plants and as a basement for the electrical generation.

Geothermal energy in the country is generated by the 163 MW power plants complex at the Miravalles Field. Due to its strategic importance in the present and future energy supplies for the country, the sustainability of the field is considered and issue of special relevance. The Miravalles reservoir has evolved since the start of its massive production 12 years ago, and different actions and strategies have been and will be implemented for sustaining the steam supply to the power plants and for reservoir management. In this paper those strategies are presented and discussed.