Record Details

Title Downhole Seismic Monitoring of an Acid Treatment in the Beowawe Geothermal Field
Authors Batra, Ravi; Albright, James N.; Bradley, Christopher
Year 1984
Conference Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
Keywords Exploration; Well Test; Reservoir Parameters; USA; Nevada; Beowawe; Geophysical Surveys; Fractures; Permeability; Microearthquakes; Alteration; Injection Test; Hydraulic Fracturing; Acid Stimulation
Abstract during the acid treatment of a subeconomic well at the Beowawe Geothermal Field, numerous seismic events were detected of which 22 could be located. The events occurred following a first stage of the acid treatment and generally define a trend paralleling the surface trace of the Malpais fault. No seismic signals were detected following a second stage of acid treatment, despite the injection of almost twice as much additional fluid. It is postulated that the cause of the seismic events following the first stage was due to shear failure of chemically weakened cemented fractures or joints in the reservoir. Presumably reservoir strain was sufficiently reduced to preclude further rock failure during the second day of treatment.
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