Geothermal field management using fiber optics

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing enhanced geothermal system fields are provided. The fields may be managed by monitoring the fields using both point and distributed sensors. Measurements from the sensors may be used to model the fields, and potential scenarios for the fields. The measurements may also be used to revise the models for the fields, such as corrections of incorrect assumptions regarding the fields. The models may also be used to proactively alert and/or take automated actions to address occurrence of undesired events in the fields.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a hardware sensing system for obtaining measurements of an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) field; and   a hardware modeling system that hosts:
 a reservoir model for the EGS field; 
 a heat exchange model for the EGS field; 
 a fluid dynamics model for the EGS field; 
 a real-time data collection repository for storing the measurements; and 
 a workflow orchestrator adapted to:
 use the reservoir model, the heat exchange model, the fluid dynamics model, and the real-time data collection repository to obtain predicted behavior for the EGS field. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir model is a three dimensional model or a four dimensional model. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange model is adapted to provide heat transfer between inject fluid into the EGS field, reservoir fluid of the EGS field, a formation in which the EGS field is positioned, and the Earth's core. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange model is further adapted to take into account behavior of critical and supercritical states of fluids of the EGS field, and conducive fracture networks. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid dynamics model comprises a porous media fluid motion model that uses a simplified streamline approach. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measurements comprise:
 surface pressures for fluids that traverse the EGS field;   surface fluid flow rates for the fluids that traverse the EGS field;   compositions of the fluids; and   surface temperatures of the fluids.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measurements comprise:
 distributed temperature sensing measurements of the EGS field; and   distributed acoustic sensing measurements of the EGS field.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the distributed temperature sensing measurements or the distributed acoustic sensing measurements are taken using fiber optic cables positioned with the EGS field. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fiber optic cables are positioned in injection wells of the EGS field. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware modeling system further hosts:
 a real-time interpretation model to provide users with distributed flow rates and distributed temperatures along wells of the EGS field.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware modeling system further hosts:
 a data analytic model adapted to:
 process real-time data for the EGS field from the real-time data collection repository to obtain processed data; and 
 generate, based on the processed data, real-time adjustments to at least one of the reservoir models, the heat exchange model, and the fluid dynamics model. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware modeling system further hosts:
 a reservoir repository comprising:
 flow patterns for the EGS field, the flow patterns being obtained with chemical or radioactive tracers. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the workflow orchestrator is further adapted to:
 provide user access to the predicted behavior for the EGS field to cooperatively develop processes to be performed with respect to the EGS field.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the EGS field comprises injection wells to inject cool fluid, and production wells to produce heated fluid. 
     
     
         15 . A method for managing an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) field, the method comprising:
 obtaining measurements of the EGS field;   generating, using the measurements, a reservoir model for the EGS field, a heat exchange model for the EGS field, and a fluid dynamics model for the EGS field, predicted behavior of the EGS field; and   providing user access to the predicted behavior for the EGS field to cooperatively develop processes to be performed with respect to the EGS field.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the measurements comprise:
 surface pressures for fluids that traverse the EGS field;   surface fluid flow rates for the fluids that traverse the EGS field;   compositions of the fluids; and   surface temperatures of the fluids.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the measurements comprise:
 distributed temperature sensing measurements of the EGS field; and   distributed acoustic sensing measurements of the EGS field.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the distributed temperature sensing measurements or the distributed acoustic sensing measurements are taken using fiber optic cables positioned with the EGS field. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fiber optic cables are positioned in injection wells of the EGS field. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 initiating performance of the processes to update operation of the EGS field.