Regulating distribution of injection and production fluids to enhance heat recovery in geothermal applications
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsPhilip D. Nguyen, Ronald Glen Dusterhoft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of improving heat recovery from a geothermal well includes receiving temperature distribution data from a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system comprising a fiber optic cable disposed in a wellbore, which extends through a formation; analyzing the temperature distribution data to determine a fluid flow profile along the wellbore; determining, based on the fluid flow profile, a location of dominant flow rate; and injecting a sealing agent into the formation at the location. When the sealing agent cures, fractures within a fracture system are sealed in the formation at the location. The cured sealing agent prevents or mitigates fluid flow through the formation at the location.
Claims20
A method of improving heat recovery from a geothermal well, comprising:
- receiving temperature distribution data from a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system comprising a fiber optic cable disposed in a wellbore, which extends through a formation;
- analyzing the temperature distribution data to determine a fluid flow profile along the wellbore;
- determining, based on the fluid flow profile, a location of dominant flow rate, wherein the determining of the location of the dominant flow rate comprises identifying a local maximum flow rate based on a flow rate gradient of the fluid flow profile, and determining the location of dominant flow rate to be a location of the local maximum;
- and
- injecting a sealing agent into the formation at the location, wherein the sealing agent cures to seal fractures within a fracture system in the formation at the location, and wherein the cured sealing agent prevents or mitigates fluid flow through the formation at the location.
A method of improving heat recovery from a geothermal well, comprising:
- receiving temperature distribution data from a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system comprising a fiber optic cable disposed in an injection wellbore, which extends through a formation;
- determining a location of a local maximum of flow rate in the injection wellbore based on the temperature distribution data, wherein the determining of the location of the local maximum of flow rate comprises determining a location of a local maximum of temperature gradient, and determining the location of the local maximum of temperature gradient to be the location of the local maximum of flow rate;
- and
- injecting a sealing agent into the formation at the location, wherein the sealing agent cures to seal fractures within a fracture system in the formation at the location, and wherein the cured sealing agent prevents or mitigates fluid flow through the formation at the location.
A method of improving heat recovery from a geothermal well, comprising:
- receiving first temperature distribution data from a first distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system comprising a first fiber optic cable disposed in an injection wellbore, which extends through a formation;
- receiving second temperature distribution data from a second DTS system comprising a second fiber optic cable disposed in a production wellbore, which extends through the formation and is in fluid communication with the injection wellbore via the formation;
- determining a thermal efficiency profile between the injection wellbore and the production wellbore based on the first temperature distribution data and the second temperature distribution data, wherein the determining of the thermal efficiency profile comprises determining a set of temperature differences between points along the injection wellbore and points along the production wellbore, and wherein the set of temperature differences is used to generate the thermal efficiency profile;
- determining a location of a local minimum of the thermal efficiency profile;
- and
- injecting a sealing agent into the formation at the location, wherein the sealing agent cures to seal fractures within a fracture system in the formation at the location, and wherein the cured sealing agent prevents or mitigates fluid flow through the formation at the location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.