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Figure 7: Hydrologic c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s (i.e., flow<br />

paths) inferred<br />

in 2009 by injecting tracers in injecti<strong>on</strong> wells 22-22 and<br />

21-2 and sampling in producti<strong>on</strong> wells. Results show str<strong>on</strong>g<br />

returns to nearest producer 74-21, and slower, weaker<br />

returns to other wells. C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> between reservoir and<br />

22-22 occurs through base <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rhyolite Unit and STF<br />

(Figure from<br />

[32][7]).<br />

Like many<br />

other fields, the volume<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> hot rock<br />

surrounding the Desert Peak geothermal field is far<br />

more extensive than the volume <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> hot and permeablee<br />

rock. These circumstances have driven<br />

the need for<br />

an EGS experiment that can extend the<br />

reservoir into<br />

untapped hot rock to the<br />

north <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the field, creating<br />

potential new injectors and increasing<br />

the residencee<br />

time <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

fluid.<br />

Orientati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the horiz<strong>on</strong>tal principal stresses in<br />

well 27-15 were determined through analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

drilling-induced tensile fractures visible<br />

in both high-<br />

temperature<br />

acoustic televiewer (ABI85)<br />

and<br />

formati<strong>on</strong> micro-scannerr (FMS) logs. These drilling-<br />

induced structures indicate that the azimuth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

minimum horiz<strong>on</strong>tal principal stress, S hmin , is<br />

currently oriented 114 ± 17° (corresp<strong>on</strong>ding to a<br />

maximum horiz<strong>on</strong>tal principal stress <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 024 ± 17°)<br />

[3]. Previous analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> stress directi<strong>on</strong>s from<br />

borehole failure observed in well 23-1, located 2km<br />

E-SE <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> well 27-15, is in excellent agreement with<br />

stress orientati<strong>on</strong>s inferred from well 27-15 [31],<br />

suggestingg a regi<strong>on</strong>ally uniform stress field (Figure 2<br />

and Figure<br />

5).<br />

A detailed 3D analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the EGS wellsite based <strong>on</strong><br />

the geologic cross secti<strong>on</strong> and map introduced by<br />

Faulds et al., 2010 [9] (Figure 8 and Figure 10), ,<br />

suggests that EGS well 27-15 and injector well 22-222<br />

encounter the same permeable horiz<strong>on</strong> at about<br />

1400m depth, which is c<strong>on</strong>sistent with a moderatee<br />

inter-well c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> revealed by pressuree<br />

interference testing (Figure 9) [40] and<br />

TPS logs [3].<br />

Figure 8: Three dimensi<strong>on</strong>al geologic model <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> EGS<br />

wellsite, derived from<br />

the geologic cross secti<strong>on</strong> and map<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Faulds et al., 20100 [9], but with lithology simplified and<br />

grouped into fewer units to facilitate<br />

c<strong>on</strong>ceptual modeling<br />

and numerical simulati<strong>on</strong>. Clustering <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> MEQs (shown<br />

from entire EGS experiment) mostly occurs within the<br />

Mesozoic and Jurassic metamorphic basement at depth.<br />

Unit abbreviati<strong>on</strong>s: J, Jurassic metamorphic basement; PT,<br />

Pre-Tertiary basement; Tr, Tertiaryry lavas and ash-flow<br />

tuffs; Bl, basalt lavas.<br />

This horiz<strong>on</strong> is thee projecti<strong>on</strong> at depth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

mainn Rhyolite Ridge Fault Z<strong>on</strong>e structures mapped at<br />

the surface, the Shearing Target Fault (discussed<br />

below; see Figure 11 and Figure 5), which is also<br />

approximately parallel to S Hmax . This fault is near a<br />

densee cluster <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> MEQs associated with injecti<strong>on</strong> into<br />

well 27-15 and increases in injecti<strong>on</strong> rate thatt were<br />

occurring at about the same time into well 22-22.<br />

The temporal associati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high-pressure injecti<strong>on</strong><br />

into 27-15 during the c<strong>on</strong>trolled hydr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>rac phase and<br />

this cluster <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> seismicity suggest that the EGS<br />

stimulati<strong>on</strong> caused some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this seismicity. However,<br />

c<strong>on</strong>current increases in injecti<strong>on</strong> rate into well 22-22<br />

immediately beforee high-pressure injecti<strong>on</strong> makes it<br />

difficult to establish a unique causal link between<br />

mostt <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this seismicity and the EGS stimulati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

Also, this seismicity occurs at a depth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1400 to<br />

1600m, which is significantly below the interval <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

fluid egress from well 27-15 at a depth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ~914m [2]<br />

(Figure 8). At 1400m depth, significant fluid loss<br />

associated with large-aperture fractures is observed in<br />

the deeper secti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> well 27-15 [3]. Also, in well 22-<br />

22, an active injecti<strong>on</strong> well located ~400m south <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

27-15, major feed z<strong>on</strong>es are found at depths <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

790m<br />

and 1340m.

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