Interventions to boost well performance in geothermal systems
Methods are provided for extracting thermal energy from a geothermal reservoir having at least one feature extending therethrough, which involve drilling or accessing a production well that intersects the at least one feature, wherein the at least one feature provides a flow path of pressurized geothermal fluid into the production well. Subsurface data can be analyzed to determine position of the at least one feature in the production well. One or more interventions, or combinations of interventions, can be performed to open the feature or otherwise enhance the flow rate of pressurized geothermal fluid carried by the feature into the production well. The intervention(s) can be performed on multiple features that connect to the production well. The method can also be applied to multiple production wells.
1 . A method for extracting thermal energy from a geothermal reservoir having a feature that extends through the geothermal reservoir, the method comprising:
analyzing subsurface data to determine a first intersection of the feature with a production well in the geothermal reservoir, wherein the feature provides a flow path of geothermal fluid into the production well;
performing a first intervention at a first position in the production well that corresponds to the first intersection, wherein the first intervention is configured to increase a first flow rate of the geothermal fluid from the feature into the production well, and wherein the first intervention comprises perforating the production well with one of an abrasive fluid jetting tool and an explosive charge; and
performing a second intervention at the first position in the production well, wherein the second intervention comprises stimulating the production well with one of a hydraulic fracturing tool and an acidizing tool.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising setting one or more packers within less than 15 feet of the feature prior to performing the second intervention.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first radial length of the first intervention is less than approximately 5 feet, and wherein a second radial length of the second intervention is greater than the first radial length.
4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising drilling a sidetrack from the production well to intersect the feature, wherein the sidetrack comprises a second intersection with the feature, and the second intersection is configured to increase the first flow rate of the geothermal fluid from the feature into the production well.
5 . The method of claim 4 , comprising performing a third intervention at a second position in the production well that corresponds to the second intersection, wherein the third intervention is configured to increase a second flow rate of the geothermal fluid from the feature into the sidetrack.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the production well comprises a tubular completion component at or near the first intersection of the feature, and the first intervention comprises opening an aperture through the tubular completion component to the feature.
7 . A method for extracting thermal energy from a geothermal reservoir having a plurality of features that extend through the geothermal reservoir, the method comprising:
analyzing subsurface data to determine a first intersection of a first feature with a production well in the geothermal reservoir;
analyzing the subsurface data to determine a second intersection of a second feature with the production well in the geothermal reservoir, wherein the first feature and the second feature provide respective flow paths of geothermal fluid into the production well; and
performing an intervention on at least one of the first intersection and the second intersection,
wherein the intervention is configured to increase a flow rate of the geothermal fluid into the production well,
wherein performing the intervention on at least one of the first intersection and the second intersection comprises performing a first intervention at a first position in the production well that corresponds to the first intersection, and performing a second intervention at a second position in the production well that corresponds to the second intersection, and
wherein the first intervention comprises perforating a tubular completion component and the second intervention comprises perforating an open wellbore.
8 . The method of claim 7 , comprising performing a third intervention at the first position in the production well that is different than the first intervention, and performing a fourth intervention at the second position in the production well that is different than the second intervention.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein performing the intervention comprises positioning a downhole tool to perform the first intervention within an accuracy tolerance of the first intersection, wherein the accuracy tolerance is less than 1 foot.
10 . The method of claim 7 , comprising setting one or more packers within less than 15 feet of the first intersection or the second intersection to isolate the respective intersection prior to performing the respective intervention at the respective intersection.