Closed loop energy production from producing geothermal wells

A system for producing fluid and generating thermal or electrical power from a geothermal reservoir containing steam, the system comprising:

• an outer production conduit for transporting fluids produced from the geothermal reservoir to a production conduit outlet;
• a heat exchanger, configured to heat a working fluid and to provide a heated working fluid, disposed within the outer production conduit, comprised of a well casino or open borehole, the heat exchanger comprising an outer heat exchange conduit and an inner conduit;
• a working fluid circulation system for circulating the working fluid through the outer heat exchange conduit and into the inner conduit, or through the inner conduit and into the outer conduit, by means of a pump and/or thermosiphon;
• an energy utilization or conversion system for using or converting energy contained in the heated working fluid;
• a measurement and control system for controlling the rate of flow of the working fluid in the heat exchanger configured to result in steam condensing into water at the surface of the outer conduit of the heat exchanger causing a density difference resulting in the condensed steam flowing deeper into the reservoir causing steam to flow from deeper in the geothermal resource towards the conduit adding advection heating to the conduction heating;
• and
• a system of one or more plugs or other barriers disposed in the annulus between the well and the outer conduit of the heat exchanger configured to prevent steam from rising up the annulus around the outer conduit of the heat exchanger rather than condensing into water at the surface of the outer conduit of the heat exchanger below the barriers.

The system of 8, further comprising an artificial lift system, the artificial lift system comprising:

• a gas injector pipe for injecting a lift gas into the outer production conduit, thereby lifting the produced fluids around the outer heat exchange conduit and indirectly heating the working fluid within the outer heat exchange conduit;
• a submerged pump;
• or
• both a submerged pump and a gas injector pipe.

A system for producing fluid and generating thermal or electrical power from a geothermal reservoir containing steam, the system comprising:

• an outer production conduit for transporting fluids produced from the geothermal reservoir to a production conduit outlet;
• a heat exchanger, configured to heat a working fluid and to provide a heated working fluid, disposed within the outer production conduit, comprised of a well casino or open borehole, the heat exchanger comprising an outer heat exchange conduit and an inner conduit;
• a working fluid circulation system for circulating the working fluid through the outer heat exchange conduit and into the inner conduit, or through the inner conduit and into the outer conduit, by means of a pump and/or thermosiphon;
• an energy utilization or conversion system for using or converting energy contained in the heated working fluid;
• a cased or open hole into the reservoir;
• a controller configured to control a pump rate that results in steam condensing into water at the surface of the outer heat exchanger conduit causing a density difference resulting in the condensed steam flowing deeper into the reservoir causing steam to flow towards the conduit;
• and
• a gas or other fill material between the casing and outer conduit to reduce the potential of steam condensing and becoming corrosive due to the reactions of chloride or other chemicals in the superheated steam with condensed steam resulting in HCl or other corrosive chemicals.

A system for producing fluid and generating thermal or electrical power from a geothermal reservoir containing steam, the system comprising:

• an outer production conduit for transporting fluids produced from the geothermal reservoir to a production conduit outlet;
• a heat exchanger, configured to heat a working fluid and to provide a heated working fluid, disposed within the outer production conduit, the heat exchanger comprising an outer heat exchange conduit and an inner conduit;
• a working fluid circulation system for circulating the working fluid through the outer heat exchange conduit and into the inner conduit, or through the inner conduit and into the outer conduit, by means of a pump and/or thermosiphon;
• an energy utilization or conversion system for using or converting energy contained in the heated working fluid;
• a measurement and control system for controlling the rate of flow of the working fluid in the heat exchanger configured to result in steam condensing into water at the surface of the outer conduit of the heat exchanger causing a density difference resulting in the condensed steam flowing deeper into the reservoir causing steam to flow from deeper in the geothermal resource towards the conduit adding advection heating to the conduction heating.