Heterogeneous geomechanical properties and cooling in a sandstone reservoir exploited for geothermal production
conference paper
In the Netherlands, geothermal projects target porous sandstone reservoirs and extract heat by balanced circulation. All projects need to provide a seismic hazard and risk analysis, part of which requires a geomechanical simulation of the effects of cooling and thermo-elastic stressing on fault reactivation. In this analysis uniform cooling and thermo-elastic properties are assumed over the reservoir height. However, in reality cooling and thermo-elastic parameters will likely vary over the reservoir interval, which can affect the geomechancial modeling of fault reactivation. Until recently, field evidence of cooling was lacking and extensive well logs were scarce for Dutch geothermal wells. However, a log suite was acquired in a new geothermal well which passed close by a former injection well which had been operational for 10 years. This provided a unique opportunity to probe the cooled reservoir. Here the first results of the logging campaign are presented, with an emphasis on the structural geological and geomechanical properties in relation to the observed cooling.
TNO Identifier
1020313
Source title
European Geothermal Congress 2025, Zurich, Switzerland 2025, 6-10 October 2025
Pages
1-10
Files
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