Wells 16A&16B Stimulation

From Open Energy Information

caption

Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy


16A78-32 narrow Eric Larson.png

Utah FORGE Successfully Completes Stimulation and Circulation Tests – Establishing Effective Communication 

-  Enhanced connectivity between two wells achieved
-  No induced seismicity greater than magnitude 1.9
-  Culmination of extensive collaboration between geoscientists and
engineers
-  Foundational step to realizing the promise of EGS technologies

The Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) at the University of Utah has successfully stimulated wells 16A(78)-32 (injection) and 16B(78)-32 (production). A 9-hour circulation test that followed stimulation proved fluid flow and energy transfer from an Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) reservoir in hot dry granite – a major breakthrough for the industry.

“These stimulations and the short-term circulation test are the culmination of more than two years of planning and in-depth data analysis,” stated Professor John McLennan who oversaw the activities. “Enfranchising the knowledge gained from previous activities, and with advice from a diverse team of specialists from industry and academia, the Utah FORGE team was able to achieve outstanding results. Importantly, the maximum induced seismicity was magnitude 1.9, falling well short of the threshold of felt seismicity.”

In 2020, the injection well was drilled to a true vertical depth of 8,559 feet and a measured depth of 10,897 feet. Two years later, this well was hydraulically fractured in three intervals towards the toe. State-of-the-art seismic monitoring mapped these fracture networks. The production well was subsequently drilled in 2023. The two wells are parallel with lateral sections at 65 degrees to the vertical and spaced apart vertically by 300 feet. Immediately following the drilling of 16B(78)-32, a brief circulation test revealed some connectivity between the two wells.

Beginning on April 3, 2024, commercial-scale stimulation was conducted on both wells to develop interwell connectivity. Over two weeks, well 16A(78)-32 was hydraulically fractured in eight different stages. The three intervals previously stimulated were re-fractured and seven new intervals were perforated and hydraulically fractured. Four stages of the production well were then injected. Overall, 118,000 barrels (4,956,000 gallons) of water were used for the experiment. This non-potable injected water was produced from a shallow well on the Utah FORGE site.

To locate fractures intersecting well 16B(78)-32, fiber optic cables were monitored during the stimulation of its sister well, 16A(78)-32. The recorded fiber optic signatures highlighted intervals of fracture intersection or proximity. These intervals were selected and perforated for subsequent stimulation. Stimulating both wells ensured connectivity.

“We are thrilled to see these remarkable achievements at FORGE, and the promise this geothermal breakthrough holds for our clean energy future,” said Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “The ability to tap more of the Earth’s natural heat through enhanced geothermal systems will expand access to affordable, secure, and resilient clean energy for everyone.”

Following the stimulation, a short circulation test was conducted. Water was injected into well 16A(78)-32 for nine hours at rates up to 15 barrels-per-minute (630 gallons-per-minute). The injection led to corresponding production from well 16B(78)-32 of up to 8 bpm (344 gpm). Significantly, this is an efficiency rate of around 70% recovery. This reconfirms that conductivity between the wells was established. The temperatures of the outflow water also continually increased to approximately 139° C (282° F). Microseismic events, fiber optics data, and spinner logging showed that multiple independent flow paths had been created. During the stimulation use of proppant, custom frac plugs, multiple clusters per stage, and different treating fluids were evaluated.

The short circulation test capped this phase of experimentation. Hot water was produced and the testing confirmed the potential of EGS energy production. These exciting results and the rich sets of data are being analyzed to plan additional fieldwork, including a 30-day circulation test scheduled for July 2024. All of the data collected are publicly available on the Geothermal Data Repository (GDR).

“We are excited to have had such great success during our most recent stimulation and circulation testing,” said Professor Joseph Moore, Managing Principal Investigator of the Utah FORGE project. “Each test brings us closer to realizing the full potential of Enhanced Geothermal Systems and the important role it will play in world’s energy portfolio.”

The work undertaken by Utah FORGE shares a goal of de-risking the tools and technologies needed to make commercial-scale EGS affordable and accessible anywhere in the world.

Please see below for data:

  1. Well 16A(78)-32 &16B(78)-32 Stimulation Production Logging Tests These are the Halliburton production logging tests (PLT) run during the nine hour circulation test performed (injecting into well 16A(78)-32 and producing out of well 16B(78)-32) after fracturing both of those wells -- performed in April 2024.
  2. Wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 Stimulation Pressure and Circulation Data This dataset consists of all of the pressure pumping data for 16A frac stages and 16B frac stages and the 9-hour circulation test following the fracing after all of the frac plugs were drilled out. They are all Excel files and there is a ReadMe file for each of the uploads to detail what data is available. This also included the Pason data that is referred to in the ReadMe files. The stimulation was done in April 2024.
  3. Well 16B(78)-32 Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing Data This dataset includes Neubrex Energy Services fiber optic distributed temperature sensing data from well 16B(78)-32 during stimulation and circulation, including interaction with well 16A(78)-32, during April and May 2024. This also includes a PowerPoint presentation with graphics.
  4. 2024 Stimulations Microseismic Event Catalog from Seismic Surface Network This is a link to the microseismic catalog of the 2024 stimulations at Utah FORGE is based on the surface monitoring network consisting of 5 permanent seismic stations deployed by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations and a temporary deployment of 144 nodal geophones. The catalog and its compilation are described in: Niemz et al. (2024). Mapping Fracture Zones with Nodal Geophone Patches: Insights from Induced Microseismicity during the 2024 Stimulations at Utah FORGE. Submitted to Seismological Research Letters. The local coordinate system is relative to well 16A(78)-32 (lat=38.50402147, lon=-112.8963897, elev=1650m NAD 83). The magnitudes in this catalog were calibrated based on the local magnitude provided by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations. They are not authoritative.
  5. 2024 Neubrex Fiber Optic Monitoring During Stimulation of Well 16B(78)-32 These reports feature pressure/temperature and strain monitoring fracture driven interactions (FDI) for well 16B(78)-32 during the stimulation in 2024.
  6. 2024 Wells 16A/16B(78)-32 Stimulation Daily Reports This zip file contains the daily reports for the spring 2024 wells 16A/16B(78)-32. These reports cover a period from March 29th to April 28th, 2024. They discuss the activity on the rig each day.
  7. Well 16A(78)-32 Injection, Production, Flow Rate, Gamma, Temperature and Pressure Logs These files include injection, production, flow rate, gamma, temperature and pressure survey results from well 16A(78)-32 injection testing in August 2024. This includes two reports.
  8. Neubrex Energy Services Fiber Optics Reports This zip file contains two reports discussing the use of fiber optics during well 16B(78)-32 stimulation and circulation tests in the summer of 2024. This was to collect data on strain change rate and temperature changes including temperature changes on the fiber-optic cable.
  9. Wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 Circulation Test Daily Reports from August 2024 These are the daily reports created during and around the August 2024 circulation test done on wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 at the Utah FORGE site. Information about the rig activity during this period includes details on rig up, depths, pumping, water temperature, safety, and cleanout. The reports span all rig activities from July 29th, 2024 through September 5th, 2024.
  10. Wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 Extended Circulation Test Data from August/September 2024 This zipped file includes: 1. Manual Temperature and Pressure Data.xlsx: 2. Field Calibration of Flow Meters.xlsx: 3. Extended Circulation Test Data 08082024 to 09052024 (30 sec increment).xlsx: RAW, UNCORRECTED digital data. 4. Extended Circulation Test Report-Final.docx: This document describes the extended circulation test and shows how the Pason data can be corrected for calibrations that were done in the field. A plot of efficiency (ratio of mass flow rates) is provided.
  11. Utah FORGE: Neubrex Circulation Test Results and Fiber Optics Technical Report - April, 2024 This report examines the fiber optic measurements made on the 16B well after both wells were hydraulically stimulated and shortly thereafter a 9 hour cross well circulation test was run between the two slant wells, 16A and 16B. The report reviews distributed fiber optic signal processing and analysis results using Rayleigh Frequency Shift - Distributed Strain Sensing and Distributed Strain Sensing (DTS) data. The data are integrated with pumping and discharge rate data from the two wells. All data are depth registered to Measured Depth (MD) Relative to Kelly Bushing (RKB).
  12. Neubrex Well 16B(78)-32 DAS Data - April, 2024 This dataset comprises Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) data collected from the Utah FORGE monitoring well 16B(78)-32 (the producer well) during hydraulic fracture stimulation operations conducted in April 2024. The data were acquired continuously over the stimulation period at a temporal sampling rate of 10,000 Hz (10 kS/s) and a spatial resolution of approximately 3.35 feet (1.02109 meters). The measurements were captured using a Neubrex NBX-S4100 Time Gated Digital DAS interrogator unit connected to a single-mode fiber optic cable, which was permanently installed within the casing string. All recorded channels correspond to downhole segments of the fiber optic cable, from a measured depth (MD) of 5,369.35 feet to 10,352.11 feet. The DAS data reflect raw acoustic energy generated by physical processes within and surrounding the well during stimulation activities at wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32. These data have potential applications in analyzing cross-well strain, far-field strain rates (including microseismic activity), induced seismicity, and seismic imaging. Metadata embedded in the attributes of the HDF5 files include detailed information on the measured depths of the channels, interrogation parameters, and other acquisition details. The dataset also includes a recording of a seminar held on September 19, 2024, where Neubrex's Chief Operating Officer presented insights into the data collection, analysis, and preliminary findings. The raw data files, stored in HDF5 format, are organized chronologically according to the recording intervals from April 9 to April 24, 2024, with each file corresponding to a 12-second recording interval.
  13. Neubrex Well 16A(78)-32 Stimulation Crosswell RFS Fiber Optic Monitoring Report - April, 2024 Neubrex Well 16A(78)-32 Stimulation Crosswell RFS Fiber Optic Monitoring Report - April, 2024
  14. Post Hydraulic Fracturing Circulation Testing Fiber Optics Report - August, 2024 This report documents the post hydraulic fracturing extended circulation test between wells 16A and 16B during August 2024. In 16B, fiber optic measurements of RFS DSS and DTS were primarily used to detect and map thermal inflow anomalies, as detected by thermally driven strain changes and thermal changes from DTS. The report provides a first pass integration of SLB Production Logging Tool (PLT) results with fiber optic results to look for correlations between the two different types of data. The report also takes a close look at the Fiber Optic derived cross well strain signatures created during the 16A frac, as detected at 16B producer well and correlates those Fracture Driven Interactions with the Circulation Flow Test results.
  15. Neubrex Hydraulic Fracturing DAS Based Fluid Injection Efficiency and Plug Analysis Report Report reviews results acquired by Neubrex using Distributed Acoustic Sensing of the 16B(78)-32 Hydraulic Fracturing operations, Stages 1-4. The DAS data acquisition, processing and analysis focuses on acoustic noise signatures during each stage and analyzes the acoustic noise produced at each perforation cluster. Pumping curve data are integrated with fiber optic DAS results. The acoustic data and the pumping curve data are integrated to generate relative Injection Allocation percentages for each cluster of each stage. Plug holding efficacy is also analyzed using the DAS Acoustic energy band data.
  16. Well 16A(78)-32 Perforation Images and Raw Data This archive contains raw data of visual and acoustic mapping of perforations in Utah FORGE well 16A(78)-32 acquired during the August 2024 circulation program. The dataset includes downhole images captured by EV, a downhole visual analytics company, providing visual records of each perforation. Images are organized in two folders: one set with perforation visualization overlays and one without. An included Excel spreadsheet provides the organized raw data.
  17. Neubrex Fiber Optic Crosswell Cumulative Strain Change Data during 16A Frac at 16B This is Rayleigh Frequency Shift Distributed Strain Sensing Cumulative Strain Change data. It was acquired during the 16A well Frac Stimulation period in April 2024 and was monitored using fiber optics in the 16B well. It was acquired using Neubrex SR7000 RFS DSS Distributed Strain sensing instruments. It is in the format of HDF5 files (.h5 extension). The spatial sampling on the full wellbore profiles is 0.20 centimeters. The data is the far field strain change response from a baseline profile made down the 16B well on April 3, 2024, so each strain value represents the strain change at each depth relative to the baseline reference profile.
  18. Neubrex Fiber Optic Crosswell Strain Change Rate Data during 16A Frac at 16B Digital data of cross well fiber optic RFS DSS strain rate data from the 16A frac period, stages 3R through 10 as detected and recorded on the 16B monitor well fiber optics data in hdf5 format.
  19. Neubrex Well 16A(78)-32 and Hydraulic Fracturing Stage 8 Crosswell Strain FDI and Microseismic Presentation - April, 2024 This is a pair of PowerPoint presentation by Neubrex Energy Services (US), LLC describing their work in April 2024 on crosswell strain fracture driven interactions (FDI) and micro seismic events during hydraulic fracturing in stage 8 of well 16A(78)-32. Well 16B(78)-32 was the monitoring well.
  20. Wells 16A(78)-32/16B(78)-32 Stimulation Program Report -- May 2024 This is the end of job report for the stimulation program run on wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 done during May 2024.
  21. QuantumPro Tracer Test Results for Well 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 This dataset includes the data, a report, and a Powerpoint presentation for tracer tests done during the 2024 stimulation and curculation tests, where tracers were injected into 16A(78)-32 and recovered in 16B(78)-32.
  22. RESMAN Energy Technology Wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32 Tracer Test Results This dataset, compiled by RESMAN Energy Technology, contains the tracer test results from stimulation and circulation experiments conducted on Utah FORGE wells 16A(78)-32 and 16B(78)-32. The files include data collected from flowback, short- and extended-duration circulation tests, and reinjection sampling, spanning tests in April, August, and September 2024. Advanced time-series tracer analysis provides a detailed understanding of fracture flow paths, production contributions, and circulation efficiency. Tracer responses offer key insights into fluid movement between wells, helping refine strategies for optimizing reservoir performance. Given the proprietary nature of some tracer methodologies, users should refer to the accompanying interpretation report for further insights into experimental procedures and data contextualization.

Overview Geology Water Chemistry/Ground Water Geophysics Earth/Fracture Modelling

Seismicity GIS Data/Maps R&D Projects Wells 16A&16B Stimulation Reports

Well 58-32 Well 78-32 Well 78B-32 Well 68-32 Well 56-32 Well 16A(78)-32 Well 16B(78)-32 Wells General


Go back to the UtahFORGE home page.


Retrieved from "https://openei.org/w/index.php?title=Wells_16A%2616B_Stimulation&oldid=1076830"