Development status and research recommendations for thermal extraction technology in deep hot dry rock reservoirs

Abstract

	•This article summarizes the existing methods and mainstream working fluids for hot dry rock (HDR) reservoir stimulation.
	•This article delves into a detailed discussion on the influence of well and fracture network layout and HDR fracturing parameters on the thermal extraction efficiency of enhanced geothermal system (EGS).
	•The article suggests that future research efforts should focus on investigating the impact of thermo-induced stresses on the stability of the artificial fracture network within the EGS during long-term (>30 years) circulation of hot and cold fluids.

Keywords

enhanced geothermal system / hot dry rock reservoir / thermoelastic stress / thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling

References

[1] AliyuMD, ChenHP. Sensitivity analysis of deep geothermal reservoir: effect of reservoir parameters on production temperature. Energy. 2017a;129:101-113.

[2] AliyuMD, ChenHP. Optimum control parameters and long-term productivity of geothermal reservoirs using coupled thermo-hydraulic process modelling. Renew Energy. 2017b;112:151-165.

[3] AsaiP, PanjaP, McLennanJ, Moore J. Efficient workflow for simulation of multifractured enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Renew Energy. 2019;131:763-777.

[4] AshenaR. Analysis of some case studies and a recommended idea for geothermal energy production from retrofitted abandoned oil and gas wells. Geothermics. 2023;108:102634.

[5] ChenJ, JiangF. Designing multi-well layout for enhanced geothermal system to better exploit hot dry rock geothermal energy. Renew Energy. 2015;74:37-48.

[6] ChenZ, XuGQ, JiangM. The current status and development recommendations for dry hot rock fracturing technologies at home and abroad. Petrol Dril Tech. 2019;47(6):1-8.

[7] CovellCD, Gudjonsdottir M, OrhallssonS. Hydraulic well stimulation in low-temperature geothermal areas for direct use. Paper presented at: Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering; 2016.

[8] FengB, XuJN, XuTF, et al. Application and recent progresses of chemical stimulationon hot dry rock reservoir modification. J Earth Sci Environ. 2019;41(5):577-591.

[9] FoxDB, KochDL, TesterJW. The effect of spatial aperture variations on the thermal performance of discretely fractured geothermal reservoirs. Geother Energy. 2015;3(1):21.

[10] GeeB, GracieR, DusseaultMB. Multiscale short-circuiting mechanisms in multiple fracture enhanced geothermal systems. Geothermics. 2021;94:102094.

[11] GhassemiA, ZhouX. A three-dimensional thermo-poroelastic model for fracture response to injection/extraction in enhanced geothermal systems. Geothermics. 2011;40(1):39-49.

[12] GuoT, GongF, WangX, Lin Q, QuZ, ZhangW. Performance of enhanced geothermal system (EGS) in fractured geothermal reservoirs with CO₂ as working fluid. Appl Ther Eng. 2019;152:215-230.

[13] HadguT, Kalinina E, LowryTS. Modeling of heat extraction from variably fractured porous media in enhanced geothermal systems. Geothermics. 2016;61:75-85.

[14] HuangX, ZhuJ, LiJ, LanC, JinX. Parametric study of an enhanced geothermal system based on thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of a prospective site in Songliao Basin. Appl Ther Eng. 2016;105:1-7.

[15] LiS, FengX-T, ZhangD, Tang H. Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical analysis of stimulation and production for fractured geothermal reservoirs. Appl Energy. 2019;247:40-59.

[16] LiuHQ, HuCB, ZhaoGP, et al. Therma-hydraulic finite element simulation of temperature decrease process during hot dry rock exploitation: a case study in the Qiabuqia area, Gonghe Basin, Qinghai province. Chin J Geophys. 2023;66(7):2887-2902.

[17] LiuY, WangG, ZhuX, et al. Occurrence of geothermal resources and prospects for exploration and development in China. Energy Explor Exploit. 2019;39(2):536-552.

[18] MaY, LiS, ZhangL, et al. Numerical simulation study on the heat extraction performance of multi-well injection enhanced geothermal system. Renew Energy. 2020a; 151:782-795.

[19] MaY, LiS, ZhangL, et al. Study on the effect of well layout schemes and fracture parameters on the heat extraction performance of enhanced geothermal system in fractured reservoir. Energy. 2020b; 202:117811.

[20] MahmoodpourS, SinghM, BärK, Sass I. Thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of an enhanced geothermal system in a fractured reservoir using carbon dioxide as heat transmission fluid: a sensitivity investigation. Energy. 2022;254:124266.

[21] PanSY, GaoM, ShahKJ, Zheng J, PeiSL, ChiangPC. Establishment of enhanced geothermal energy utilization plans: barriers and strategies. Renew Energy. 2019;132:19-32.

[22] PandeySN, Chaudhuri A, KelkarS. A coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of fracture aperture alteration and reservoir deformation during heat extraction from a geothermal reservoir. Geothermics. 2017;65:17-31.

[23] PruessK. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) using CO₂ as working fluid-a novel approach for generating renewable energy with simultaneous sequestration of carbon. Geothermics. 2006;35(4):351-367.

[24] SalimzadehS, Paluszny A, NickHM, ZimmermanRW. A three-dimensional coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model for deformable fractured geothermal systems. Geothermics. 2018;71:212-224.

[25] SangG, Elsworth D, MiaoX, MaoX, WangJ. Numerical study of a stress dependent triple porosity model for shale gas reservoirs accommodating gas diffusion in kerogen. J Nat Gas Sci Eng. 2016;32:423-438.

[26] ShiY, SongX, LiJ, WangG, YuLongF, Geng L. Analysis for effects of complex fracture network geometries on heat extraction efficiency of a multilateral-well enhanced geothermal system. Appl Ther Eng. 2019;159:113828.

[27] Slatlem VikH, Salimzadeh S, NickHM. Heat recovery from multiple-fracture enhanced geothermal systems: the effect of thermoelastic fracture interactions. Renew Energy. 2018;121:606-622.

[28] SongX, ShiY, LiG, et al. Numerical simulation of heat extraction performance in enhanced geothermal system with multilateral wells. Appl Energy. 2018;218:325-337.

[29] SunZX, XuY, LvSH, et al. A thermo-hycro-mechanica coupling model for numerical simulation of enhanced geothermal systems. J China Univ Petrol. 2016;40(6):109-117.

[30] WanZ, ZhaoY, KangJ. Forecast and evaluation of hot dry rock geothermal resource in China. Renew Energy. 2005;30(12):1831-1846.

[31] WangG, LuC. Stimulation technoligy development of hot dry rock and enhanced geothermal system driver by carbon neutrality target. Geol Resour. 2023;32(1):85-95+126.

[32] WarrenJE, RootPJ. The behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs. Soc Petrol Eng J. 1963;3(3):245-255.

[33] WatanabeN, Takahashi K, TakahashiR, et al. Novel chemical stimulation for geothermal reservoirs by chelating agent driven selective mineral dissolution in fractured rocks. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):19994.

[34] XuT, YuanY, JiaX, et al. Prospects of power generation from an enhanced geothermal system by water circulation through two horizontal wells: a case study in the Gonghe Basin, Qinghai Province, China. Energy. 2018;148:196-207.

[35] ZengYC, WuNY, SuZ, WangXX, HuJ. Numerical simulation of heat production potential from hot dry rock by water circulating through a novel single vertical fracture at Desert Peak geothermal field. Energy. 2013;63:268-282.

[36] ZhangFZ, JiangPX, XuRN. System thermodynamic performance comparison of CO₂-EGS and water-EGS systems. Appl Ther Eng. 2013;61(2):236-244.

[37] ZhangW, QuZ, GuoT, WangZ. Study of the enhanced geothermal system (EGS) heat mining from variably fractured hot dry rock under thermal stress. Renew Energy. 2019;143:855-871.

[38] ZinsaloJM, Lamarche L, RaymondJ. Injection strategies in an enhanced geothermal system based on discrete fractures model. Appl Ther Eng. 2020;169:114812.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 The Authors. Deep Underground Science and Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of China University of Mining and Technology.