ADDING TO THE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PORTFOLIO FROM DEEP SEDIMENTARY BASINS

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ADDING TO THE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PORTFOLIO FROM
DEEP SEDIMENTARY BASINS
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Speaker Richard Erdlac
Richard J. Erdlac, Jr.1, Robert C. Trentham1,
Linda Armour1 Robert Lee2, Bruce Miller3
1Univ. Texas Permian Basin, Center for Energy
Economic Diversification2P.O. Box 10523,
Midland, TX 797023500 N. Loraine, Ste 1190,
Midland, TX 79701
Which well is for natural gas? Which well
is for geothermal?
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Student Research Assistants Michael Sorensen,
Michael Mattcucci, Jordan Horton DOE
grant Susan Primeaux, Chase Patton DOE EDA
grant
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Acknowledgements

• DOE grant of 194,458 to study deep Permian Basin
  geothermal energy (year 1 of a 3-year project).
• ( DE-FG36-05GO 85023)
• State Energy Conservation Office grant of 40,000
  to help develop a state-wide geothermal program.
• ( CM540)
• DOC/EDA grant of 115,000 matching to study
  geothermal, wind, and solar energy strategies in
  West Texas.
• ( 08-06-04006)

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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Texas
State of Texas Locations
Map Courtesy of Virtus Energy Research
Associates1995Adapted by R.J. Erdlac, Jr.,
UTPB/CEED2006
Texas Anadarko Basin
East Texas HDR Geopressured Area
Delaware and Val Verde Basins
1976 AAPG - USGS Map of North America
Trans-Pecos Region
Geopressured Gulf Coast (Successful Demonstration
Project)
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Texas Gulf Coast
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Texas Gulf Coast
In the late 1970s, the DOE started funding (200
million) a long-term (17 year) project to
investigate the entire Northern Gulf Coast in
Texas and Louisiana for its geopressured
geothermal potential.

• Three forms of energy recovery were being
  considered
• Chemical energy methane dissolved in brine.
  Thermal energy hot brines over 225oF (107oC).
• Mechanical energy high brine flow rates
  (gt20,000 bbls/day) and high well head pressure.

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Texas Gulf Coast
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Northern Gulf Coast
Geopressured regions along Gulf Coast and on
shore Texas and Oklahoma.
Wells of Opportunity wells provided by
industry. Design Wells wells drilled by DOE on
favorable geopressured geothermal sites.
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Texas Gulf Coast
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Brazoria, Texas
1989 to 1990
14,644 - 14,700 ft _at_ BHT 309oF
Minimum rating 1.191 Binary Cycle Turbine 541
kW Gas Engine 650 kW Parasitic Load -209
kW Capacity factor 80.2 (3-day plant outage
4-wk turbine outage) Plant availability 97.5 T
max brine 277oF Permeability 159.8
md Reservoir size 36,000 acres
Three heat exchangers at Pleasant Bayou
Condensers at Pleasant Bayou
In Texas, the Wilcox and Frio/Vicksburg strata
were target reservoirs. Contours on top of Frio
T5 foraminifera marker.
Fire protection system at Pleasant Bayou
Plant operated on 10,000 bbl/day (292 gpm) and 22
scf gas/bbl. Estimated minimum of 20,000 bbl/day.
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Texas Gulf Coast
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Minimum Estimated MW Generated From Hot Water In
Texas Gulf Coast In The Frio Sand (T5-T6) Only.
Matagorda Fairway
Brazoria Fairway
Corpus Christi Fairway
Gulf Coast Resource Amount
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
0 to 30,000 ft 44,525 wells well spots
0 to 4,999 ft 33,481 wells well spots
5,000 to 11,999 ft 8,802 wells well spots
12,000 to 30,000 ft 2,242 wells well spots
Oil Wells
Gas Wells
Data Geological Data Services Mapping
Software Petra
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Well Name Operator Location
Historical Information
Temperature Drilling Information
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Pecos County
Well ? 18,000 to 30,000 feet _at_ 1,000-foot
intervals.
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Maximize
Rs2Rd2
for shallow and deep linear functions.
Fouriers law of one-dimensional heat conduction
Equation 1
Equation 2
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006


A)
B)
C)
D)
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Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Delaware / Val Verde Basins
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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Delaware / Val Verde Basins
2000 Preliminary Investigation Of A Fusselman (?)
Location(Conducted by GeothermEx, Inc. for
Client Company)
Formation Characteristics - Depth 19,000
ft - Net Pay 200-600 ft (w. water zone) -
Porosity 6-10 - Permeability 25 md -
Transmissivity kh 10,000 md ft
Fluid Characteristics - Reservoir Pressure
9,000 psia - Reservoir T 280oF (137.8oC) -
Geothermal Gradient 1.1oF/100 ft
(nonlinear 2.8oF/100 ft) - Gas Gravity
0.58 - H2S Content in Gas 0.1 - Heating Vol.
of Gas 870 Btu/MCF - Brine Salinity 130,000
ppm - Gas Content in Brine 40 mcf/bbl
Well Characteristics - Well Size variable
13-3/8 casing to 5,000-14,000 ft
10-3/4 casing below to formation top
6-1/2 open hole below 2-7/8 or 3-1/2
tubing for production - Well Spacing 3,700 ft
apart
Courtesy Subir Sanyal
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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Delaware / Val Verde Basins
2000 Preliminary Investigation Of A Fusselman (?)
Location(Conducted by GeothermEx, Inc. for
Client Company)
Conclusions
Courtesy Subir Sanyal
- Maximum Brine Rate (self-flowed) 7,875 bbls/D
(125,000 lbs/hr)- Associated Gas 315 mcf/D-
Combined Hybrid Power Capacity 1,400 kW (net)
Brine Component 438 kW (gross) or 300 kW
(net) Gas Component 1,100 kW (net) (assuming
30 engine efficiency)- Net Annual Cash
Flow/Well 235,000 (15 bbl oil/D _at_
43/bbl) Brine 95 capacity factor at 4.5/kWh
125,000 annual Gas 85 capacity factor at
3kWh 246,000 annual Annual Gross
358,000/well Annual OM 1/kWh x 1,400 kW
123,000/well- Capital Cost 1,260,000 Binary
Plant 300,000 (1,000/kW x 300 kW) Gas Engine
660,000 (600/kW x 1,100 kW) Well Restoration
Other Installment Costs 300,000- Payout 5.36
years (1,260,000 / 235,000)- Improve
efficiency by specifically designed equipment for
recovery.- Savings from the economy of scale
when several wells are considered together. -
Obtaining renewable power price for the entire
project by designing a hybrid facility
that uses both geothermal brine and the gas in
an integrated way.- Perforate several brine
zones to increase production rate economics
based on 200-600 ft thickness only.
Costs From 1999 - 2000
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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Delaware / Val Verde Basins
Delaware / Val Verde Basins Resource Amount
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Trans-Pecos Region
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Trans-Pecos Region
Oil Gas Well Data
SMU Data
Trans-Pecos Well Data
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Why is geothermal so good to use?1) Versatility
geoexchange, direct use, electricity.2) High
availability factor 98 dependability.3)
Natural heat storage system.
Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Conclusions
CONCLUSIONS
What needs to be improved for further
development?1) Innovative technology heat
acquisition.2) Innovative perspective
- Broaden geographical area. - Industry
evolution towards an integrated energy
approach.
Missed Opportunity
Requires Innovative Business Plan
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Geothermal Resources Council September 10-13,
2006
Conclusions
Example Opportunity
Texas Resource Value
NOTE Calculations are based only upon one zone
in Fusselman (?) and one zone
in Frio Sandstone.