Science & Technology: Flow Control Devices Helps in Mitigating Against Thermal Breakthrough in Geothermal Reservoirs

From Oil & Gas to Geothermal: flow control devices (Phoenix RDS)

Flow control devices (FCDs) or inflow control devices (ICDs) have been utilized for many years in well completions in the oil and gas industry. They are down hole tools or equipment designed to promote uniform flow in or out of a well by inducing pressure drop. Devices utilized in injection wells have been referred to as outflow control devices (OCDs) while those in production wells are referred to as inflow control devices (ICDs). FCDs have been successfully utilized in improving oil and gas production through secondary and tertiary recovery methods. They have been used in preventing water/gas breakthroughs. More recently they have been applied to Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) improving recovery in these reservoirs.

(A1) No Flow control –
inefficient zonal heat extraction

(A2) Flow control –
controlled, efficient zonal heat extraction

Reservoirs of hot water that exist at varying temperatures and depths below the Earth’s surface. These conventional systems are often referred to as hydrothermal systems and they naturally possesses all major components (heat >150C; fluid; and permeability) of geothermal systems. In these systems heat is transferred by convection. In these high temperature systems, injection flow control is an effective tool for reservoir management mitigating against thermal breakthrough and to increase productivity. Examples include a number of power plants throughout the Philippines including Gunung Salak, Mindanao, and Palinpinon. The application of FCD’s here can contribute greatly towards reservoir management increasing the longevity of the resource (See A1 & A2 above).

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