| Geothermal
Exploration
MeProRisk
II – Strategies
A
three year research initiative
Geophysica
Beratungsgesellschaft mbH (Aachen) join together with five
university institutes of RWTH Aachen University, TU
Freiberg, Free University Berlin, Kiel University and
Friedrich-Schiller University Jena within MeProRisk II.
Cooperation agreements were concluded with geothermal
reservoir operators and/or exploration project leaders.
This is ENEL Green Energy (Pisa, Italy) and the VIGOR
group of the CNR-Institute of Geoscience and Earth
Resources (Pisa, Italy). The MeProRisk II research project
is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the
Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).
Within
the forerunner project "MeProRisk I" a tool
package for reservoir simulation, rock property estimation,
and optimization strategies for reducing the risk of
drilling unproductive wells was provided. The
follow-up project "MeProRisk II" now focus on
testing this tool package under real reservoir exploration
conditions. This work
mainly concentrate on medium to high enthalpy resources,
currently studied by our cooperation partner ENEL Green
Power. Geophysica’s main task within the research
project is the characterization of the geothermal
reservoir.
Existing
petrophysical methods will be improved and adapted to the
local environment in order to define thermal and hydraulic
input parameter for numerical models as representative as
possible. The statistic approach allows to quantify the
uncertainty of model predictions and thus helps to reduce
risk. A special research focus is set on facial and
structural heterogeneities, having impact on fluid- and
heat transport within the reservoir. Heterogeneities might
be facies trends, changes resulting from processes such as
dolomitization and fault and fracture systems with
different orientations. Our main objective is, to find
solutions of simplifying internal geological structures
for geothermal numerical models. Models should be balanced
between geological detail correctness, numerical
robustness and calculation speed.
In
parallel, the MeProRisk research network partners will
develop methods of visualization and strategies of
mathematical optimization in order to define best
positions for new exploration and production wells.
Herefore, realistic optimization criteria will be applied
reflecting the exploration, production, and financial
targets of the operating company.
Integration of geological, geophysical and
well logging data for a statistical
characterization oft he subsurface
Example
for a 3D geological model of an exploration area in Italy.
The model units are characterized by input parameter,
which are derived from core- log and cuttings studies.
Simplification
of geological heterogeneities for numerical modelling (example).
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