Abstract
This paper describes the applications of the fractured continuum model to the different enhanced geothermal systems reservoir conditions. The capability of the fractured continuum model to generate fracture characteristics expected in enhanced geothermal systems reservoir environments are demonstrated for single and multiple sets of fractures. Fracture characteristics are defined by fracture strike, dip, spacing, and aperture. The paper demonstrates how the fractured continuum model can be extended to represent continuous fractured features, such as long fractures, and the conditions in which the fracture density varies within the different depth intervals. Simulations of heat transport using different fracture settings were compared with regard to their heat extraction effectiveness. The best heat extraction was obtained in the case when fractures were horizontal. A conventional heat extraction scheme with vertical wells was compared to an alternative scheme with horizontal wells. The heat extraction with the horizontal wells was significantly better than with the vertical wells when the injector was at the bottom.
Highlights
The major objective of this work is to demonstrate the applications of the fractured continuum model (FCM) to common enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) reservoir conditions
The FCM approach was selected because it is computationally effective compared to the discrete fracture approach
The FCM maps the permeability of discrete fractures onto a regular grid using a continuum approach
Summary
The major objective of this work is to demonstrate the applications of the fractured continuum model (FCM) to common enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) reservoir conditions. This work demonstrates the importance of natural fracture properties on heat extraction. The FCM approach was selected because it is computationally effective compared to the discrete fracture approach. This is especially important when the fracture network is very complex and the scale of interest is very large, as it is in the case of EGS. A number of different techniques were proposed to translate individual fracture properties into a continuum model (Botros et al 2008, McKenna and Reeves, 2006, Reeves et al 2008). The method that we used is an extension of the method
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