GEOTHERMAL RESERVOIR SIMULATION IN

HOT SEDIMENTARY AQUIFER SYSTEM USING FEFLOW®

Hardi Nur Hidayat, Maximillian Gala Permana
Department of Geothermal Enginerring-Institute of Petroleum Engineering TU Clausthal
Agricolastraße 10 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld , Germany
e-mail:hardi.nur.hidayat@tu-clausthal.de , maximillian.gala.permana@tu.clausthal.de

INTRODUCTION RESULTS DISCUSSIONS

Parameters for Base Model • Deeper aquifer has higher heat production rate which
Hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA) is a was highly affected by the thermal gradient.
conduction-dominated hydrothermal play • The decline rate had to be considered, since the higher
type utilizing deep aquifer, which is heated flow rate indicated a higher decline rate too.
by near normal heat flow. HSA system • Temperature changes in the reservoir was insignificant
typically uses doublet wells for geothermal after 10 years. The production well could still generate
utilization: an injection and production well. for longer time until this well had to be shut off, in
This study’s objective is to generate a order to replenish the heat in the aquifer.
transient HSA model using FEFLOW • Higher conductivity could generate more heat
software package. The simulation was run production rate. However, thermal conductivity of solid
and hydraulic conductivity were extremely dependent
for 3650 days of simulation time. The
on the lithology of the aquifer.
technical feasibility and performance are
• The generated thermal energy from this HSA system
analyzed in regards to the produced heat was not able to be converted into electrical energy,
power from this concept. Several parameters since the average temperature was only circa 70°C.
are compared to determine the model
performance. CONCLUSIONS
• The transient base model of HSA was built by using
FEFLOW.
METHODS 1 D and 3D Presentation of Temperature Distribution after 10 Years
• The base model could generated almost 15,5 GWh with
Parameters for Sensitivity Analysis*
heat production rate at 171 kW, which declined
exponentially at 2.303 x 10-5 kW / day.
• This study has examined the influence of several
significant parameters to the HSA system. The
production well in this case could produce higher heat
*parameter was analyzed one
at a time. When one parameter production rate by having better aquifer, which has the
was changed, the other
remained at the base values. following criteria: deeper depth, higher thermal
conductivity of solid, higher hydraulic conductivity, and
lower porosity
• The HSA system is more suitable to utilize for heating
system, such as district heating.
REFERENCES
[1] I. Moeck, "Catalog of Geothermal Play Types Based on Geologic Controls," Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014.
[2] DHI-WASY, "FEFLOW finite element subsurface flow and transport simulation system," Berlin, 2013.
[3] R. DiPippo, "Geothermal Power Plants, Second Edition: Principles, Applications, Case Studies and
Environmental Impact," Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007, p. 159.
[4] T. Maghiar and C. Antal, "Power Generation from Low Enthalphy," University of Oradea, Romania,
2001.
Tornado Chart for Sensitivity Analysis of The Parameters Produced Thermal Power (GWh): Comparison of Three [5] DHI-WASY, "FEFLOW User Manual," Berlin , 2012.
Scenarios on Five Different Parameters [6] V. Claustnitzer, "Introduction to FEFLOW," DHI Groundwater Modelling Centre.