IP Library › Granted Patent US 12698762
Granted Patent B1
US 12698762 · App. 19/297,587 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for use in harvesting heat from subterranean geologic formations

Inventor: Gregory B. Asher (Southlake, TX)
Assignee: MAZA AA ENERGY, INC.
F03G4/072F03G4/026E21B43/267
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698762
App. No.
19/297,587
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, processes, and non-transitory computer-readable media for use in harvesting heat from subterranean geologic formations. Determining if power produced meets a power target produced by a power plant at selected temperature, pressure, and flow rate of an initial heat extraction fluid. If less than target, flowrate of the fluid is increased, and if more than target, decreasing flowrate of the fluid. If power produced equals the power target, proceed to determine if a producer well pressure would meet a producer well pressure target, and if pressure is less than target, increasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure, and if the pressure is more than target, decreasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure. If pressure equals target, flow initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a first heat extraction stage to form a heated heat extraction fluid, then determining whether a second heat extraction stage is required.

Claims (88)

1 . A method comprising:

a) selecting a subterranean geothermal formation;

b) selecting an amount and temperature of effluent heat extraction fluid from a geothermal power plant producing power from the subterranean geothermal formation, the effluent heat extraction fluid having an effluent fluid pressure;

c) selecting an amount and temperature of new heat extraction fluid from a fluid source;

d) mixing the effluent heat extraction fluid and the new heat extraction fluid to form an initial heat extraction fluid having an initial heat extraction fluid temperature and pressure;

e) selecting a flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid;

f) selecting an injector well geometry and calculating head pressure change, friction pressure change, and enthalpy gain or loss with the subterranean geothermal formation in which the injector well is positioned for the injector well geometry and the initial heat extraction fluid temperature, pressure and flowrate;

g) determining if power produced would meet a power target produced by the power plant at the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and

1) If the power produced is less than the power target, increasing flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

2) If the power produced is more than the power target, decreasing flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

3) If the power produced equals the power target, proceed to step (h);

h) determining if a producer well pressure would meet a producer well pressure target,

1) If the producer well pressure is less than the pressure target, increasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure, and repeating steps (e)-(h);

2) If the producer well pressure is more than the pressure target, decreasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure, and repeating steps (e)-(h);

3) If the producer well pressure equals the pressure target, proceed to step (i);

i) flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a first heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid;

j) determining whether a second heat extraction stage is required to meet the power target, and if no, proceed to step (k), and if yes, repeat steps (e)-(i);

k) flowing the heated heat harvesting fluid through the producer well to a producer wellhead and then to the power plant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean geothermal formation comprises dry hot rock (DHR).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (g)(l) comprises increasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid employing an injection pump.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (h)(l) comprises increasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid employing an injection pump.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through the first heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid comprises transferring at least about 760 GJ/hr. (gigajoules/hr.) of heat from the subterranean geologic formation to the first heat extraction fluid.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a second heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a second heated heat extraction fluid wherein the flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through the second heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form the second heated heat harvesting fluid comprises transferring at least about 730 GJ/hr. (gigajoules/hr.) of heat from the subterranean geothermal formation to the second heat extraction fluid.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial heat extraction fluid is selected from water, brine, viscosified fluids, energizing fluids, and polymer based fluids.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat extraction fluid comprises a propping agent.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising employing a computer and a computer-readable medium encoded with processing instructions to perform at least one of steps (a)-(k), wherein the computer is selected from the group consisting of a hand-held computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and a tablet computer.

10 . A method comprising:

a) selecting a subterranean geothermal formation;

b) selecting an amount and temperature of effluent heat extraction fluid from a geothermal power plant producing power from the subterranean geothermal formation, the effluent heat extraction fluid having an effluent fluid pressure;

c) selecting an amount and temperature of new heat extraction fluid from a fluid source;

d) mixing the effluent heat extraction fluid and the new heat extraction fluid to form an initial heat extraction fluid having an initial heat extraction fluid temperature and pressure;

e) selecting a flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid;

f) determining if power produced would meet a power target produced by the geothermal power plant at the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and

1) If the power is less than the power target, increasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e) and (f);

2) If the power is more than the power target, decreasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e) and (f);

3) If the power equals the power target, proceed to step (g);

g) determining if a producer well pressure would meet a pressure target,

1) if the producer well pressure is less than the pressure target, increasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

2) If the producer well pressure is more than the pressure target, decreasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

3) If the pressure target is met, proceed to step (h);

h) selecting an injector well geometry and calculating head pressure change, friction pressure change, and enthalpy gain or loss with the subterranean geothermal formation in which the injector well is positioned for the injector well geometry and the initial heat extraction fluid temperature, pressure and flowrate;

i) flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a first heat harvesting stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid;

j) determining whether another heat extraction stage is required to meet the power target, and if no, proceed to step (k), and if yes, repeat steps (e)-(j);

k) flowing the heated heat extraction fluid through the producer well to a producer wellhead and then to the power plant.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the subterranean geothermal formation comprises dry hot rock (DHR).

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step (g)(l) comprises increasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid employing an injection pump.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step (h)(l) comprises increasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid employing an injection pump.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through the first heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid comprises transferring at least about 760 GJ/hr. (gigajoules/hr.) of heat from the subterranean geologic formation to the first heat extraction fluid.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a second heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a second heated heat extraction fluid wherein the flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through the second heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form the second heated heat harvesting fluid comprises transferring at least about 730 GJ/hr. (gigajoules/hr.) of heat from the subterranean geothermal formation to the second heat extraction fluid.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the initial heat extraction fluid is selected from water, brine, viscosified fluids, energizing fluids, and polymer based fluids.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the heat extraction fluid comprises a propping agent.

18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising employing a computer and a computer-readable medium encoded with processing instructions to perform at least one of steps (a)-(k), wherein the computer is selected from the group consisting of a hand-held computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and a tablet computer.

19 . A computer-readable medium encoded with non-transitory processing instructions for implementing a method, the method comprising:

a) selecting a subterranean geothermal formation;

b) selecting an amount and temperature of effluent heat extraction fluid from a geothermal power plant producing power from the subterranean geothermal formation, the effluent heat extraction fluid having an effluent fluid pressure;

c) selecting an amount and temperature of new heat extraction fluid from a fluid source;

d) mixing the effluent heat extraction fluid and the new heat extraction fluid to form an initial heat extraction fluid having an initial heat extraction fluid temperature and pressure;

e) selecting a flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid;

f) selecting an injector well geometry and calculating head pressure change, friction pressure change, and enthalpy gain or loss with the subterranean geothermal formation in which the injector well is positioned for the injector well geometry and the initial heat extraction fluid temperature, pressure and flowrate;

g) determining if power produced would meet a power target produced by the power plant at the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and

1) If the power produced is less than the power target, increasing flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

2) If the power produced is more than the power target, decreasing flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

3) If the power produced equals the power target, proceed to step (h);

h) determining if a producer well pressure would meet a producer well pressure target,

1) If the producer well pressure is less than the pressure target, increasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure, and repeating steps (e)-(h);

2) If the producer well pressure is more than the pressure target, decreasing the initial heat extraction fluid pressure, and repeating steps (e)-(h);

3) If the producer well pressure equals the pressure target, proceed to step (i);

i) flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a first heat extraction stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid;

j) determining whether a second heat extraction stage is required to meet the power target, and if no, proceed to step (k), and if yes, repeat steps (e)-(i);

k) flowing the heated heat harvesting fluid through the producer well to a producer wellhead and then to the power plant.

20 . A computer-readable medium encoded with non-transitory processing instructions for implementing a method, the method comprising:

a) selecting a subterranean geothermal formation;

b) selecting an amount and temperature of effluent heat extraction fluid from a geothermal power plant producing power from the subterranean geothermal formation, the effluent heat extraction fluid having an effluent fluid pressure;

c) selecting an amount and temperature of new heat extraction fluid from a fluid source;

d) mixing the effluent heat extraction fluid and the new heat extraction fluid to form an initial heat extraction fluid having an initial heat extraction fluid temperature and pressure;

e) selecting a flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid;

f) determining if power produced would meet a power target produced by the geothermal power plant at the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and

1) If the power is less than the power target, increasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e) and (f);

2) If the power is more than the power target, decreasing the flowrate of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e) and (f);

3) If the power equals the power target, proceed to step (g);

g) determining if a producer well pressure would meet a pressure target,

1) If the producer well pressure is less than the pressure target, increasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

2) If the producer well pressure is more than the pressure target, decreasing the pressure of the initial heat extraction fluid, and repeating steps (e), (f), and (g);

3) If the pressure target is met, proceed to step (h);

h) selecting an injector well geometry and calculating head pressure change, friction pressure change, and enthalpy gain or loss with the subterranean geothermal formation in which the injector well is positioned for the injector well geometry and the initial heat extraction fluid temperature, pressure and flowrate;

i) flowing the initial heat extraction fluid from the injector well into and through a first heat harvesting stage in the subterranean geothermal formation to form a heated heat extraction fluid;

j) determining whether another heat extraction stage is required to meet the power target, and if no, proceed to step (k), and if yes, repeat steps (e)-(j);

k) flowing the heated heat extraction fluid through the producer well to a producer wellhead and then to the power plant.