Optimization Of Geothermal Well Control For A Sustainable Utilization Strategy

Geothermal energy has already shown to be a powerful opportunity when it comes to reducing the environmental impact of electricity generation and climatization by being an established technology in many nations worldwide. Considering the potential and upcoming growth of the sector, it is important to maximize the sustainable use of geothermal resources, from already explored sited as well as for future ones. Therefore, proper utilization of the resource is required not only to match sustainable generation to the current demands of the market but also to manage the geothermal field as efficiently as possible. The optimization methodology presented in the study is aimed at creating a model that understands the resource demands of a working power station and uses previous production data to estimate an optimal production strategy. The main goal of the research is to find the optimal working wellhead pressure for each of the production wells that feed the power station to fulfill the energy requirements of the area and optimize the total production of energy, both electric and thermal. Moreover, the presented model is constrained to minimize surface environmental impacts, reservoir drawdown and CO2 emissions. To create this model, a methodology has been developed which combines stock reservoir modeling and production strategy modeling. The former studies the maximum extraction that each of the wells can undertake under sustainable production limits by studying the close-by reservoir of the wells. The latter constraints the model to select the most efficient extraction strategy for the production wells for the required flow characteristics and reduced greenhouse gas emissions for a more effective utilization of the geothermal resource.