The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project

Mark White; Pengcheng Fu; Hai Huang; Ahmad Ghassemi; T. Kneafsey; D. Blankenship; J. Ajo-Franklin; S. J. Bauer; T. Baumgartner; A. Bonneville; L. Boyd; S. T. Brown; J. A. Burghardt; S. A. Carroll; T. Chen; C. Condon; P. J. Cook; P. F. Dobson; T. Doe; C. A. Doughty; D. Elsworth; L. P. Frash; Z. Frone; P. Fu; A. Ghassemi; H. Gudmundsdottir; Y. Guglielmi; G. Guthrie; B. Haimson; J. Heise; C. G. Herrick; M. Horn; R. N. Horne; M. Hu; H. Huang; L. Huang; T. C. Johnson; B. Johnston; S. Karra; K. Kim; D. K. King; H. Knox; D. Kumar; M. Lee; K. Li; M. Maceira; N. Makedonska; C. Marone; E. Mattson; M. W. McClure; J. McLennan; T. McLing; R. J. Mellors; E. Metcalfe; J. Miskimins; J. P. Morris; S. Nakagawa; G. Neupane; G. Newman; A. Nieto; C. M. Oldenburg; R. Pawar; P. Petrov; B. Pietzyk; R. Podgorney; Y. Polsky; S. Porse; B. Roggenthen; J. Rutqvist; H. Santos-Villalobos; P. Schwering; V. Sesetty; A. Singh; M. M. Smith; N. Snyder; H. Sone; E. L. Sonnenthal; N. Spycher; C. E. Strickland; J. Su; A. Suzuki; C. Ulrich; N. Uzunlar; C. A. Valladao; W. Vandermeer; D. Vardiman; V. R. Vermeul; J. L. Wagoner; H. F. Wang; J. Weers; J. White; M. D. White; P. Winterfeld; Y. S. Wu; Y. Wu; Y. Zhang; Y. Q. Zhang; J. Zhou; Q. Zhou; M. D. Zoback

The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project

Mark White, Pengcheng Fu, Hai Huang, Ahmad Ghassemi, T. Kneafsey, D. Blankenship, J. Ajo-Franklin, S. J. Bauer, T. Baumgartner, A. Bonneville, L. Boyd, S. T. Brown, J. A. Burghardt, S. A. Carroll, T. Chen, C. Condon, P. J. Cook, P. F. Dobson, T. Doe, C. A. DoughtyD. Elsworth, L. P. Frash, Z. Frone, P. Fu, A. Ghassemi, H. Gudmundsdottir, Y. Guglielmi, G. Guthrie, B. Haimson, J. Heise, C. G. Herrick, M. Horn, R. N. Horne, M. Hu, H. Huang, L. Huang, T. C. Johnson, B. Johnston, S. Karra, K. Kim, D. K. King, H. Knox, D. Kumar, M. Lee, K. Li, M. Maceira, N. Makedonska, C. Marone, E. Mattson, M. W. McClure, J. McLennan, T. McLing, R. J. Mellors, E. Metcalfe, J. Miskimins, J. P. Morris, S. Nakagawa, G. Neupane, G. Newman, A. Nieto, C. M. Oldenburg, R. Pawar, P. Petrov, B. Pietzyk, R. Podgorney, Y. Polsky, S. Porse, B. Roggenthen, J. Rutqvist, H. Santos-Villalobos, P. Schwering, V. Sesetty, A. Singh, M. M. Smith, N. Snyder, H. Sone, E. L. Sonnenthal, N. Spycher, C. E. Strickland, J. Su, A. Suzuki, C. Ulrich, N. Uzunlar, C. A. Valladao, W. Vandermeer, D. Vardiman, V. R. Vermeul, J. L. Wagoner, H. F. Wang, J. Weers, J. White, M. D. White, P. Winterfeld, Y. S. Wu, Y. Wu, Y. Zhang, Y. Q. Zhang, J. Zhou, Q. Zhou, M. D. Zoback

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

The United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is funding a collaborative investigation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) processes at the meso-scale. This study, referred to as the EGS Collab project, is a unique opportunity for scientists and engineers to investigate the creation of fracture networks and circulation of fluids across those networks under in-situ stress conditions. The EGS Collab project is envisioned to comprise three experiments and the site for the first experiment is on the 4850 Level in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman formation, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, located at the former Homestake Gold Mine, in Lead, South Dakota. Principal objectives of the project are to develop a number of intermediate-scale field sites and to conduct well-controlled in situ experiments focused on rock fracture behavior and permeability enhancement. Data generated during these experiments will be compared against predictions of a suite of computer codes specifically designed to solve problems involving coupled thermal, hydrological, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. Comparisons between experimental and numerical simulation results will provide code developers with direction for improvements and verification of process models, build confidence in the suite of available numerical tools, and ultimately identify critical future development needs for the geothermal modeling community. Moreover, conducting thorough comparisons of models, modelling approaches, measurement approaches and measured data, via the EGS Collab project, will serve to identify techniques that are most likely to succeed at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), the GTO's flagship EGS research effort. As noted, outcomes from the EGS Collab project experiments will serve as benchmarks for computer code verification, but numerical simulation additional plays an essential role in designing these meso-scale experiments. This paper describes specific calculations and numerical simulation approaches conducted in support of the designs for the stimulation and circulation experiments, and their monitoring, including those for predicting seismic energies during stimulation, stimulation pressure requirements, impacts of borehole orientation on fracture development and trajectories, influence of notch shapes on hydraulic fracture initiation, and pressure limits on fluid circulation to avoid fracture growth.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Geothermal Energy
Subtitle of host publication	Power To Do More - Geothermal Resources Council 2017 Annual Meeting, GRC 2017
Publisher	Geothermal Resources Council
Pages	967-984
Number of pages	18
ISBN (Electronic)	0934412227
State	Published - 2017
Event	Geothermal Resources Council 41st Annual Meeting - Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More, GRC 2017 - Salt Lake City, United States Duration: Oct 1 2017 → Oct 4 2017

Publication series

Name	Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council
Volume	41
ISSN (Print)	0193-5933

Conference

Conference	Geothermal Resources Council 41st Annual Meeting - Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More, GRC 2017
Country/Territory	United States
City	Salt Lake City
Period	10/1/17 → 10/4/17

Funding

In October 2016, the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) announced a funding opportunity that was to be collaborative in nature and act as a research and development bridge between laboratory-scale stimulation and rock mechanics studies and the large field scale of the future Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) investigations (U.S. Department of Energy, 2017). The recipient of the Collab award was announced in early 2017, the Stimulation Investigations for Geothermal Modeling Analysis and Validation (EGS COLLAB) project, lead by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). This collaborative project involves national laboratories, universities and private industry teaming to conduct stimulation and circulation experiments, and verify computer codes, numerical algorithms and approaches, and process models against the generated data. This three-year project has been tasked with providing new knowledge and modeling capabilities, forming a bridge from laboratory scale to the field scale of FORGE.

Funders	Funder number
Stimulation Investigations for Geothermal Modeling Analysis and Validation
United States Department of Energy
future Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
Research and Development
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Geothermal Technologies Office

Keywords

Borehole notching
Borehole orientation
Circulation
EGS
EGS Collab
Hydraulic fracture
Meso-scale experimental design
Numerical simulation
Sanford Underground Research Facility
Stimulation
THMC modeling

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cite this

White, M., Fu, P., Huang, H., Ghassemi, A., Kneafsey, T., Blankenship, D., Ajo-Franklin, J., Bauer, S. J., Baumgartner, T., Bonneville, A., Boyd, L., Brown, S. T., Burghardt, J. A., Carroll, S. A., Chen, T., Condon, C., Cook, P. J., Dobson, P. F., Doe, T., ... Zoback, M. D. (2017). The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project. In Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More - Geothermal Resources Council 2017 Annual Meeting, GRC 2017 (pp. 967-984). (Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council; Vol. 41). Geothermal Resources Council.

@inproceedings{cfbd1ccb2b4c4400a61739105b53c2bc,

title = "The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project",

abstract = "The United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is funding a collaborative investigation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) processes at the meso-scale. This study, referred to as the EGS Collab project, is a unique opportunity for scientists and engineers to investigate the creation of fracture networks and circulation of fluids across those networks under in-situ stress conditions. The EGS Collab project is envisioned to comprise three experiments and the site for the first experiment is on the 4850 Level in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman formation, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, located at the former Homestake Gold Mine, in Lead, South Dakota. Principal objectives of the project are to develop a number of intermediate-scale field sites and to conduct well-controlled in situ experiments focused on rock fracture behavior and permeability enhancement. Data generated during these experiments will be compared against predictions of a suite of computer codes specifically designed to solve problems involving coupled thermal, hydrological, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. Comparisons between experimental and numerical simulation results will provide code developers with direction for improvements and verification of process models, build confidence in the suite of available numerical tools, and ultimately identify critical future development needs for the geothermal modeling community. Moreover, conducting thorough comparisons of models, modelling approaches, measurement approaches and measured data, via the EGS Collab project, will serve to identify techniques that are most likely to succeed at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), the GTO's flagship EGS research effort. As noted, outcomes from the EGS Collab project experiments will serve as benchmarks for computer code verification, but numerical simulation additional plays an essential role in designing these meso-scale experiments. This paper describes specific calculations and numerical simulation approaches conducted in support of the designs for the stimulation and circulation experiments, and their monitoring, including those for predicting seismic energies during stimulation, stimulation pressure requirements, impacts of borehole orientation on fracture development and trajectories, influence of notch shapes on hydraulic fracture initiation, and pressure limits on fluid circulation to avoid fracture growth.",

keywords = "Borehole notching, Borehole orientation, Circulation, EGS, EGS Collab, Hydraulic fracture, Meso-scale experimental design, Numerical simulation, Sanford Underground Research Facility, Stimulation, THMC modeling",

author = "Mark White and Pengcheng Fu and Hai Huang and Ahmad Ghassemi and T. Kneafsey and D. Blankenship and J. Ajo-Franklin and Bauer, {S. J.} and T. Baumgartner and A. Bonneville and L. Boyd and Brown, {S. T.} and Burghardt, {J. A.} and Carroll, {S. A.} and T. Chen and C. Condon and Cook, {P. J.} and Dobson, {P. F.} and T. Doe and Doughty, {C. A.} and D. Elsworth and Frash, {L. P.} and Z. Frone and P. Fu and A. Ghassemi and H. Gudmundsdottir and Y. Guglielmi and G. Guthrie and B. Haimson and J. Heise and Herrick, {C. G.} and M. Horn and Horne, {R. N.} and M. Hu and H. Huang and L. Huang and Johnson, {T. C.} and B. Johnston and S. Karra and K. Kim and King, {D. K.} and H. Knox and D. Kumar and M. Lee and K. Li and M. Maceira and N. Makedonska and C. Marone and E. Mattson and McClure, {M. W.} and J. McLennan and T. McLing and Mellors, {R. J.} and E. Metcalfe and J. Miskimins and Morris, {J. P.} and S. Nakagawa and G. Neupane and G. Newman and A. Nieto and Oldenburg, {C. M.} and R. Pawar and P. Petrov and B. Pietzyk and R. Podgorney and Y. Polsky and S. Porse and B. Roggenthen and J. Rutqvist and H. Santos-Villalobos and P. Schwering and V. Sesetty and A. Singh and Smith, {M. M.} and N. Snyder and H. Sone and Sonnenthal, {E. L.} and N. Spycher and Strickland, {C. E.} and J. Su and A. Suzuki and C. Ulrich and N. Uzunlar and Valladao, {C. A.} and W. Vandermeer and D. Vardiman and Vermeul, {V. R.} and Wagoner, {J. L.} and Wang, {H. F.} and J. Weers and J. White and White, {M. D.} and P. Winterfeld and Wu, {Y. S.} and Y. Wu and Y. Zhang and Zhang, {Y. Q.} and J. Zhou and Q. Zhou and Zoback, {M. D.}",

year = "2017",

language = "English",

series = "Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council",

publisher = "Geothermal Resources Council",

pages = "967--984",

booktitle = "Geothermal Energy",

note = "Geothermal Resources Council 41st Annual Meeting - Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More, GRC 2017 ; Conference date: 01-10-2017 Through 04-10-2017",

}

White, M, Fu, P, Huang, H, Ghassemi, A, Kneafsey, T, Blankenship, D, Ajo-Franklin, J, Bauer, SJ, Baumgartner, T, Bonneville, A, Boyd, L, Brown, ST, Burghardt, JA, Carroll, SA, Chen, T, Condon, C, Cook, PJ, Dobson, PF, Doe, T, Doughty, CA, Elsworth, D, Frash, LP, Frone, Z, Fu, P, Ghassemi, A, Gudmundsdottir, H, Guglielmi, Y, Guthrie, G, Haimson, B, Heise, J, Herrick, CG, Horn, M, Horne, RN, Hu, M, Huang, H, Huang, L, Johnson, TC, Johnston, B, Karra, S, Kim, K, King, DK, Knox, H, Kumar, D, Lee, M, Li, K, Maceira, M, Makedonska, N, Marone, C, Mattson, E, McClure, MW, McLennan, J, McLing, T, Mellors, RJ, Metcalfe, E, Miskimins, J, Morris, JP, Nakagawa, S, Neupane, G, Newman, G, Nieto, A, Oldenburg, CM, Pawar, R, Petrov, P, Pietzyk, B, Podgorney, R, Polsky, Y, Porse, S, Roggenthen, B, Rutqvist, J, Santos-Villalobos, H, Schwering, P, Sesetty, V, Singh, A, Smith, MM, Snyder, N, Sone, H, Sonnenthal, EL, Spycher, N, Strickland, CE, Su, J, Suzuki, A, Ulrich, C, Uzunlar, N, Valladao, CA, Vandermeer, W, Vardiman, D, Vermeul, VR, Wagoner, JL, Wang, HF, Weers, J, White, J, White, MD, Winterfeld, P, Wu, YS, Wu, Y, Zhang, Y, Zhang, YQ, Zhou, J, Zhou, Q & Zoback, MD 2017, The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project. in Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More - Geothermal Resources Council 2017 Annual Meeting, GRC 2017. Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council, vol. 41, Geothermal Resources Council, pp. 967-984, Geothermal Resources Council 41st Annual Meeting - Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More, GRC 2017, Salt Lake City, United States, 10/1/17.

The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project. / White, Mark; Fu, Pengcheng; Huang, Hai et al.
Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More - Geothermal Resources Council 2017 Annual Meeting, GRC 2017. Geothermal Resources Council, 2017. p. 967-984 (Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council; Vol. 41).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project

AU - White, Mark

AU - Fu, Pengcheng

AU - Huang, Hai

AU - Ghassemi, Ahmad

AU - Kneafsey, T.

AU - Blankenship, D.

AU - Ajo-Franklin, J.

AU - Bauer, S. J.

AU - Baumgartner, T.

AU - Bonneville, A.

AU - Boyd, L.

AU - Brown, S. T.

AU - Burghardt, J. A.

AU - Carroll, S. A.

AU - Chen, T.

AU - Condon, C.

AU - Cook, P. J.

AU - Dobson, P. F.

AU - Doe, T.

AU - Doughty, C. A.

AU - Elsworth, D.

AU - Frash, L. P.

AU - Frone, Z.

AU - Fu, P.

AU - Ghassemi, A.

AU - Gudmundsdottir, H.

AU - Guglielmi, Y.

AU - Guthrie, G.

AU - Haimson, B.

AU - Heise, J.

AU - Herrick, C. G.

AU - Horn, M.

AU - Horne, R. N.

AU - Hu, M.

AU - Huang, H.

AU - Huang, L.

AU - Johnson, T. C.

AU - Johnston, B.

AU - Karra, S.

AU - Kim, K.

AU - King, D. K.

AU - Knox, H.

AU - Kumar, D.

AU - Lee, M.

AU - Li, K.

AU - Maceira, M.

AU - Makedonska, N.

AU - Marone, C.

AU - Mattson, E.

AU - McClure, M. W.

AU - McLennan, J.

AU - McLing, T.

AU - Mellors, R. J.

AU - Metcalfe, E.

AU - Miskimins, J.

AU - Morris, J. P.

AU - Nakagawa, S.

AU - Neupane, G.

AU - Newman, G.

AU - Nieto, A.

AU - Oldenburg, C. M.

AU - Pawar, R.

AU - Petrov, P.

AU - Pietzyk, B.

AU - Podgorney, R.

AU - Polsky, Y.

AU - Porse, S.

AU - Roggenthen, B.

AU - Rutqvist, J.

AU - Santos-Villalobos, H.

AU - Schwering, P.

AU - Sesetty, V.

AU - Singh, A.

AU - Smith, M. M.

AU - Snyder, N.

AU - Sone, H.

AU - Sonnenthal, E. L.

AU - Spycher, N.

AU - Strickland, C. E.

AU - Su, J.

AU - Suzuki, A.

AU - Ulrich, C.

AU - Uzunlar, N.

AU - Valladao, C. A.

AU - Vandermeer, W.

AU - Vardiman, D.

AU - Vermeul, V. R.

AU - Wagoner, J. L.

AU - Wang, H. F.

AU - Weers, J.

AU - White, J.

AU - White, M. D.

AU - Winterfeld, P.

AU - Wu, Y. S.

AU - Wu, Y.

AU - Zhang, Y.

AU - Zhang, Y. Q.

AU - Zhou, J.

AU - Zhou, Q.

AU - Zoback, M. D.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - The United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is funding a collaborative investigation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) processes at the meso-scale. This study, referred to as the EGS Collab project, is a unique opportunity for scientists and engineers to investigate the creation of fracture networks and circulation of fluids across those networks under in-situ stress conditions. The EGS Collab project is envisioned to comprise three experiments and the site for the first experiment is on the 4850 Level in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman formation, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, located at the former Homestake Gold Mine, in Lead, South Dakota. Principal objectives of the project are to develop a number of intermediate-scale field sites and to conduct well-controlled in situ experiments focused on rock fracture behavior and permeability enhancement. Data generated during these experiments will be compared against predictions of a suite of computer codes specifically designed to solve problems involving coupled thermal, hydrological, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. Comparisons between experimental and numerical simulation results will provide code developers with direction for improvements and verification of process models, build confidence in the suite of available numerical tools, and ultimately identify critical future development needs for the geothermal modeling community. Moreover, conducting thorough comparisons of models, modelling approaches, measurement approaches and measured data, via the EGS Collab project, will serve to identify techniques that are most likely to succeed at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), the GTO's flagship EGS research effort. As noted, outcomes from the EGS Collab project experiments will serve as benchmarks for computer code verification, but numerical simulation additional plays an essential role in designing these meso-scale experiments. This paper describes specific calculations and numerical simulation approaches conducted in support of the designs for the stimulation and circulation experiments, and their monitoring, including those for predicting seismic energies during stimulation, stimulation pressure requirements, impacts of borehole orientation on fracture development and trajectories, influence of notch shapes on hydraulic fracture initiation, and pressure limits on fluid circulation to avoid fracture growth.

AB - The United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is funding a collaborative investigation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) processes at the meso-scale. This study, referred to as the EGS Collab project, is a unique opportunity for scientists and engineers to investigate the creation of fracture networks and circulation of fluids across those networks under in-situ stress conditions. The EGS Collab project is envisioned to comprise three experiments and the site for the first experiment is on the 4850 Level in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman formation, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, located at the former Homestake Gold Mine, in Lead, South Dakota. Principal objectives of the project are to develop a number of intermediate-scale field sites and to conduct well-controlled in situ experiments focused on rock fracture behavior and permeability enhancement. Data generated during these experiments will be compared against predictions of a suite of computer codes specifically designed to solve problems involving coupled thermal, hydrological, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. Comparisons between experimental and numerical simulation results will provide code developers with direction for improvements and verification of process models, build confidence in the suite of available numerical tools, and ultimately identify critical future development needs for the geothermal modeling community. Moreover, conducting thorough comparisons of models, modelling approaches, measurement approaches and measured data, via the EGS Collab project, will serve to identify techniques that are most likely to succeed at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), the GTO's flagship EGS research effort. As noted, outcomes from the EGS Collab project experiments will serve as benchmarks for computer code verification, but numerical simulation additional plays an essential role in designing these meso-scale experiments. This paper describes specific calculations and numerical simulation approaches conducted in support of the designs for the stimulation and circulation experiments, and their monitoring, including those for predicting seismic energies during stimulation, stimulation pressure requirements, impacts of borehole orientation on fracture development and trajectories, influence of notch shapes on hydraulic fracture initiation, and pressure limits on fluid circulation to avoid fracture growth.

KW - Borehole notching

KW - Borehole orientation

KW - Circulation

KW - EGS

KW - EGS Collab

KW - Hydraulic fracture

KW - Meso-scale experimental design

KW - Numerical simulation

KW - Sanford Underground Research Facility

KW - Stimulation

KW - THMC modeling

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044670383&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85044670383

T3 - Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council

SP - 967

EP - 984

BT - Geothermal Energy

PB - Geothermal Resources Council

T2 - Geothermal Resources Council 41st Annual Meeting - Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More, GRC 2017

Y2 - 1 October 2017 through 4 October 2017

ER -

White M, Fu P, Huang H, Ghassemi A, Kneafsey T, Blankenship D et al. The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project. In Geothermal Energy: Power To Do More - Geothermal Resources Council 2017 Annual Meeting, GRC 2017. Geothermal Resources Council. 2017. p. 967-984. (Transactions - Geothermal Resources Council).

The role of numerical simulation in the design of stimulation and circulation experiments for the EGS Collab project

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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