THC simulation of halite scaling in deep geothermal single well production

Nitschke, Fabian; Himmelsbach, Thomas; Köhl, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2016.09.009

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Precipitation of other solutes, such as SiO 2 , may also help to confine the brine lens, although this has not yet been explored in detail in our models. Halite precipitation has been described from ore deposits [56,114,115] and geothermal reservoirs [116,117] and is consistent with the evidence of halite saturation in some of the brine fluid inclusions in table 1.…”

Section: Sub-volcanic Brine Lensessupporting

confidence: 77%

The economic potential of metalliferous sub-volcanic brines

et al. 2021

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The transition to a low-carbon economy will increase demand for a wide range of metals, notably copper, which is used extensively in power generation and in electric vehicles. Increased demand will require new, sustainable approaches to copper exploration and extraction. Conventional copper mining entails energy-intensive extraction of relatively low-grade ore from large open pits or underground mines and subsequent ore refining. Most copper derives ultimately from hot, hydrous magmatic fluids. Ore formation involves phase separation of these fluids to form copper-rich hypersaline liquids (or ‘brines') and subsequent precipitation of copper sulfides. Geophysical surveys of many volcanoes reveal electrically conductive bodies at around 2 km depth, consistent with lenses of brine hosted in porous rock. Building upon emerging concepts in crustal magmatism, we explore the potential of sub-volcanic brines as an in situ source of copper and other metals. Using hydrodynamic simulations, we show that 10 000 years of magma degassing can generate a Cu-rich brine lens containing up to 1.4 Mt Cu in a rock volume of a few km 3 at approximately 2 km depth. Direct extraction of metal-rich brines represents a novel development in metal resource extraction that obviates the need for conventional mines, and generates geothermal power as a by-product.

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Section: Sub-volcanic Brine Lensessupporting

confidence: 77%

The economic potential of metalliferous sub-volcanic brines

et al. 2021

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“…Hydrogeochemical models are applied in order to predict precipitation reactions in surface level facilities and hydraulic changes induced by hydrogeochemical reactions in the reservoir (e.g. Baumann et al 2017;Fritz et al 2010;Nitschke et al 2017;Reed 1989;Regenspurg et al 2015). These geochemical model concepts rest on four foundations (Moog et al 2015):…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of hydrogeochemical databases for problems in deep geothermal energy

Hörbrand

Baumann

Moog³

2018

Geotherm Energy

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Background Geothermal energy has acquired a key position in the mix of renewable energies due to its very effective heat supply and the ability to provide base load electrical energy. Many current model concepts addressing deep geothermal exploration focus on thermal, mechanical, and hydraulic interactions (e.g. Gholizadeh Doonechaly et al. 2016; Magnenet et al. 2014; Major et al. 2018; Yoon et al. 2014; Zhao et al. 2015), while neglecting hydrogeochemical effects. This is partly due to a lack of experimental data for short-term hydrogeochemical processes in the vicinity of production and injection wells (Baumann Abstract Hydrogeochemical modelling has become an important tool for the exploration and optimisation of deep hydrogeothermal energy resources. However, well-established software and model concepts are often run outside of its temperature, pressure, and salinity ranges. The core of the model codes are thermodynamic databases which contain a more or less complete subset of mineral phases, dissolved species, and gases occurring in geothermal systems. Although very carefully compiled, they should not be taken for granted at extreme conditions but checked prior to application. This study compares the performance of four commonly used geochemical databases, phreeqc. dat, llnl.dat, pitzer.dat, and slop16.dat. The parameter files phreeqc.dat, pitzer.dat, and llnl.dat are distributed with PHREEQC and implement extended Debye-Hückel and Pitzer equations. Thermodynamic data in slop16.dat represent an implementation of the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers formalism and were converted to be used with the Gibbs Energy Minimizer ChemApp for this work. Test calculations focussed on the solubility for some of the most common scale-forming mineral phases (barite, celestite, calcite, siderite, and dolomite). The databases provided with PHREEQC performed comparatively well, as long as the range of validity was respected for which the corresponding database was developed. While it is obvious to use pitzer.dat at high salinities instead of phreeqc.dat, the range of validity for high temperature is usually not given in the database and has to be checked manually. The results also revealed outdated equilibrium constants for celestite in slop16.dat and llnl.dat and the lack of adequate temperature functions for the solubility constants of siderite and dolomite in all databases. For those two minerals, new thermodynamic data are available. There is, however, a lack of experimental thermodynamic data for scale-forming minerals in low-enthalpy geothermal settings, which has to be addressed for successful modelling.

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“…This is equivalent to the North German Basin, another sub-basin of the Central European Basin System (Littke et al, 2008), where several Mesozoic sandstone aquifers have been classified as potential geothermal reservoirs based on their hydraulic properties (porosity/permeability) and thicknesses (Feldrappe et al, 2008;Franz et al, 2018, and references therein). These include the Middle Bunter sandstones of the Solling, Hardegsen, Detfurth, and Volpriehausen formations (e.g., Nitschke et al, 2017;Franz et al, 2018), the Lower to Middle Keuper Stuttgart and Erfurt Formations (e.g., Franz et al, 2015), the Rhaetian sandstones of the Upper Keuper (Franz et al, 2018), Lower and Middle Jurassic sandstones (e.g., Franz et al, 2015Franz et al, , 2018Kunkel and Agemar, 2019) as well as Lower Cretaceous sandstones (Feldrappe et al, 2008;Franz et al, 2018). Deeper non-hydrocarbonbearing carbonate reservoirs, such as the Muschelkalk carbonates, have not been a primary exploration target for geothermal energy yet as data is not as abundant as for the hydrocarbon-bearing sandstones.…”

Section: Geological Setting and Mesozoic Reservoirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A deep geothermal project in the wider region of Minden is the GeneSys project with its two major parts "GeneSys Horstberg" (Middle Bunter at depths greater 3600 m and formation temperatures of approximately 150 • C; e.g., Kehrer et al, 2007;Tischner et al, 2010) and "GeneSys Hannover" (Middle Bunter at depths greater 3400 m and formation temperatures of approximately 170 • C; Fig. 1; e.g., Tischner et al, 2010;Hesshaus et al, 2013;Nitschke et al, 2017) initiated by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). Other studies in the area of Minden investigated the feasibility of storing CO 2 at depths of 3000 m within the Middle Bunter sandstones (Beni et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of Mesozoic deposits and their temperature ranges within the Weser-Wiehengebirge Syncline of the inverted Lower Saxony Basin, Minden area, Germany

et al. 2023

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Abstract. The provision of climate-neutral, sustainable, and independent heat sources is an essential part of the ongoing transformation of heating systems in Germany. The city of Minden, located at the junction of the river Weser and the Middleland Canal, with its strong industrial sector, faces a massive transition of how heat and energy will be provided for industrial processes as well as heating in the commercial and residential sectors. In our study, we evaluate the structural requirements for the exploitation and utilization of deep geothermal energy from regional Mesozoic rocks, which are known to source thermal springs in the greater Minden area, and geothermal projects in other parts of the North German Basin. The compilation of geological data, seismic data, and rock properties from wells is used to construct a regional structural model as well as temperature distributions based on depth uncertainties of the respective stratigraphic units. Our investigations indicate several stratigraphic units ranging from the Middle Jurassic, Keuper, and Muschelkalk to the Middle Bunter at depths greater than 4100 m below mean sea level with suitable temperatures greater than 150 ∘C. Seismic data reveal the presence of faults, which may act as a conduit for thermal waters in the northern part of Minden. Our study also provides a basis for further geothermal exploration and exploitation south of Minden, where an operating geothermal system has already been established in the city of Osnabrück and further north, where the potential reservoirs are located at greater depths as shown by hydrocarbon exploration data. First estimations of the geothermal power output for two selected reservoir horizons yield up to 11.3 and 14.3 MW (10 % probability to yield these or higher values), respectively. We conclude that the subsurface of the inverted part of the Lower Saxony Basin principally fulfills the requirements (formation temperatures) for deep geothermal production not only for residential and commercial use but also for industrial processes. However, future detailed reservoir analyses and thermo-hydraulic investigations on a regional scale require additional exploration work like newly acquired seismic surveys and deep exploration wells.

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THC simulation of halite scaling in deep geothermal single well production

Cited by 13 publications

References 22 publications

The economic potential of metalliferous sub-volcanic brines

The economic potential of metalliferous sub-volcanic brines

Validation of hydrogeochemical databases for problems in deep geothermal energy

Spatial distribution of Mesozoic deposits and their temperature ranges within the Weser-Wiehengebirge Syncline of the inverted Lower Saxony Basin, Minden area, Germany

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