Patent classifications
F24T2010/53
GROUT FLUIDS FOR USE IN A GEOTHERMAL WELL LOOP
A method comprising (a) first, preparing a grout additive fluid comprising a fresh water base fluid and a grout additive control package comprising a primary additive selected from the group consisting of an inhibitor, a dispersant, a thermally conductive material, and any combination thereof, wherein at least about 90% of the dispersant and the inhibitor are dissolved in the fresh water base fluid; (b) second, introducing an aqueous swellable clay into the grout additive fluid, thereby forming a final grout fluid; and (c) third, introducing the final grout fluid into an annulus in a subterranean formation, the annulus formed between an exterior of a geothermal well loop tubular and the subterranean formation.
Systems for Generating Energy from Geothermal Sources and Methods of Operating and Constructing Same
The present disclosure describes a system and a method for generating energy from geothermal sources. The system includes an injection well and a production well extending underground into a rock formation, a first lateral section connected to the injection well and a second lateral section connected to the production well, the first and second lateral sections connected with a multilateral connector, defining a pressure-tested downhole well loop within the rock formation and in a heat transfer arrangement therewith. The downhole well loop cased in steel and cemented in place within the rock formation. The downhole well loop to receive working fluid capable of undergoing phase change between liquid and gas within the downhole well loop as a result of heat transferred from the rock formation. The system also includes a pump to circulate working fluid, a turbine system to convert the flow of working fluid into electricity, and a cooler.
A METHOD FOR ADAPTING AN OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION WELL OF A DEPLETED OIL AND GAS RESERVOIR INTO A GEOTHERMAL ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEM AND THE RESULTING SYSTEM
The method and the system are related to means for extraction of geothermal energy from deep wells having been used for oil or gas production. The extracted geothermal energy may then in turn be used in generation of electricity. A first aspect of the invention is a geothermal energy recovery system adapted to recover heat from a depleted oil and gas reservoir being a reservoir storing hot water and, a second aspect of the invention is a method for adapting an oil and gas production well of a depleted oil and gas reservoir into a geothermal energy recovery system for recovering heat from said depleted reservoir. According to this method the energy potential from abandoned wells can be exploited.
Method of Controlling Tensile-Splitting and Hydro-Shearing Parameters During Completion of Enhanced Geothermal System Wells
Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.
Method of Controlling Tensile-Splitting and Hydro-Shearing Parameters During Completion of Enhanced Geothermal System Wells
Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.
Method of Controlling Tensile-Splitting and Hydro-Shearing Parameters During Completion of Enhanced Geothermal System Wells
Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.
Method of Controlling Tensile-Splitting and Hydro-Shearing Parameters During Completion of Enhanced Geothermal System Wells
Methods and systems for geothermal energy production wherein multiple horizontal or vertical wells may be used to pass fluids through the Earth from an injector well to a producer well through induced cracks, splits, fractures, conduits, or channels in the rock. Such methods and systems may include controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation by providing an injection well, providing a production well, configuring the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, configuring the production well to produce a heated fluid from the production zone, applying pressure to the production well, creating a plurality of tensile-split conduits, raising or lowering the pressure in the production well, establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well, and producing the heated fluid to the surface.
Cavitation-based hydro-fracturing technique for geothermal reservoir stimulation
A rotary shutter valve 500 is used for geothermal reservoir stimulation. The valve 500 includes a pressure chamber 520 for holding a working fluid (F) under pressure. A rotatable shutter 532 is turned with a powering device 544 to periodically align one or more windows 534 with one or more apertures 526 in a bulkhead 524. When aligned, the pressurized working fluid (F) flows through the bulkhead 524 and enters a pulse cavity 522, where it is discharged from the pulse cavity 522 as pressure waves 200. The pressure wave propagation 200 and eventual collapse of the bubbles 202 can be transmitted to a target rock surface 204 either in the form of a shock wave 206, or by micro jets 208, depending on the bubble-surface distance. Once cavitation at the rock face begins, fractures are initiated in the rock to create a network of micro-fissures for enhanced heat transfer.
Casing a wellbore in magma
A process for preparing a geothermal system involves preparing a borehole that extends into an underground magma reservoir, providing a flow of a first fluid into the borehole, thereby maintaining a rock layer around a portion of the borehole located within the magma reservoir, lowering a casing into the borehole, and providing a second fluid into the casing, thereby causing the casing to sink into a volume of the first fluid that is inside the borehole.
Magma wellbore with directional drilling
A method is provided for forming a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground reservoir of magma. The method includes drilling a primary borehole from the surface into the underground reservoir of magma and drilling a secondary borehole extending from the primary borehole and further into the underground reservoir of magma.