Enhanced geothermal system
AssigneeFervo Energy Company
InventorsJack Norbeck, Timothy Latimer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and techniques may be used to operate an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). An example technique may include applying a stimulation treatment including a proppant to generate a distributed network of fractures along wellbores between a horizontal geothermal injection well and a horizontal geothermal production well. The horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well may be positioned within a mixed metasedimentary and igneous formation.
Claims20
An enhanced geothermal system (EGS) comprising:
- a horizontal geothermal injection well positioned within a formation;
- a horizontal geothermal production well positioned within the formation;
- and
- a distributed network of fractures along wellbores between the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, the distributed network of fractures comprising a set of uniform vertical fractures connecting the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, each uniform vertical fracture of the set of uniform vertical fractures having a uniform height and a uniform aperture, fluid flow being evenly distributed along the distributed network of fractures, each uniform vertical fracture of the set of uniform vertical fractures contributing to conductivity of the EGS, and the distributed network of fractures generated via a stimulation treatment comprising a proppant.
A method for generating an enhanced geothermal system (EGS), the method comprising:
- drilling a horizontal geothermal injection well positioned within a formation;
- drilling a horizontal geothermal production well positioned within the formation;
- and
- applying a stimulation treatment comprising a proppant to generate a distributed network of fractures along wellbores between the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, the distributed network of fractures comprising a set of uniform vertical fractures connecting the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, each uniform vertical fracture of the set of uniform vertical fractures having a uniform height and a uniform aperture, fluid flow being evenly distributed along the distributed network of fractures, and each uniform vertical fracture of the set of uniform vertical fractures contributing to conductivity of the EGS.
A method for generating an enhanced geothermal system (EGS), the method comprising:
- applying a stimulation treatment comprising a proppant in a first stage to generate a first distributed network of fractures along wellbores starting at a toe of a horizontal geothermal injection well positioned within a formation, the first distributed network of fractures occurring between the horizontal geothermal injection well and a horizontal geothermal production well positioned within the formation, the first distributed network of fractures comprising a set of uniform vertical fractures connecting the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, each uniform vertical fracture of the set of uniform vertical fractures having a uniform heigh and a uniform aperture, fluid flow being evenly distributed along the distributed network of fractures, and each uniform vertical facture of the set of uniform vertical fractures contributing to conductivity of the EGS;
- and
- applying the stimulation treatment comprising
- the proppant in a second stage to generate a second distributed network of fractures along wellbores between the horizontal geothermal injection well and the horizontal geothermal production well, the second stage being uphole of the toe of the horizontal geothermal injection well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.