Analysis of Water Injection and Heat Recovery Potential of Abandoned Oil Wells Transformed into Geothermal Wells in Northern Shaanxi

Huagui Yu (), Shi Liu, Yanyan Pang, Peng Wang and Qian Gao
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Huagui Yu: College of New Energy, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Shi Liu: College of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Yanyan Pang: College of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Peng Wang: Anton Oilfield Services (Group) Ltd., Beijing 100102, China
Qian Gao: College of New Energy, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: The Chang 2 bottom water reservoir area in the western part of northern Shaanxi constitutes one of the key oil-producing regions within the Ordos Basin. A principal reservoir here is the Triassic Yanchang Formation’s Chang 2 reservoir, which is characterized by favorable physical properties, dynamic edge and bottom water activity, and a high geothermal gradient. This study employs the STARS module of the CMG reservoir numerical simulation software to model water intake and heat recovery processes in the target region. It analyzes the heat recovery rate and efficiency of three water production methods—direct water extraction, four-injection–one-production, and one-injection–four-production—under varying injection pressures. The results indicate that direct water extraction from the bottom water reservoir is challenging. However, the annual heat recovery per well for the four-injection–one-production and one-injection–four-production methods equates to a standard coal production ranging between 190 and 420 tons, suggesting that there is significant potential for water injection and heat recovery in the Chang 2 reservoir in the western part of northern Shaanxi.

Keywords: the Chang 2 reservoir; injecting heat; thermal potential (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: 2025
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