computational investigation of hydro-mechanical effects on ...
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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.