Numerical Simulation of Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Processes at Soultz-sous-Forêts

Saeed Mahmoodpour (), Mrityunjay Singh (), Ramin Mahyapour, Sri Kalyan Tangirala, Kristian Bär and Ingo Sass
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Saeed Mahmoodpour: Group of Geothermal Technologies, Technical University Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
Mrityunjay Singh: Group of Geothermal Science and Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 9, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
Ramin Mahyapour: Department of Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-11155, Iran
Sri Kalyan Tangirala: Department of Applied Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad 826004, India
Kristian Bär: GeoThermal Engineering GmbH, 76227 Karlsruhe, Germany
Ingo Sass: Group of Geothermal Science and Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 9, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-21

Abstract: Porosity and permeability alteration due to the thermo-poro-elastic stress field disturbance from the cold fluid injection is a deciding factor for longer, more economic, and safer heat extraction from an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). In the Soultz-sous-Forêts geothermal system, faulted zones are the main flow paths, and the resulting porosity–permeability development over time due to stress reorientation is more sensitive in comparison with the regions without faulted zones. Available operational and field data are combined through a validated numerical simulation model to examine the mechanical impact on the pressure and temperature evolution. Results shows that near the injection wellbore zones, permeability and porosity values are strongly affected by stress field changes, and that permeability changes will affect the overall temperature and pressure of the system, demonstrating a fully coupled phenomenon. In some regions inside the faulted zones and close to injection wellbores, porosity doubles, whereas permeability may be enhanced up to 30 times. A sensitivity analysis is performed using two parameters which are not well discussed in the literature the for mechanical aspect, but the results in this study show that one of them impacts significantly on the porosity–permeability changes. Further experimental and field works on this parameter will help to model the heat extraction more precisely than before.

Keywords: Soultz-sous-Forêts; EGS; THM processes; porosity-permeability variation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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