| Title | TRACER ANALYSIS FOR THE BERLIN GEOTHERMAL FIELD |
|---|---|
| Authors | Montalvo F., Barrios L. , Matus A. , Guevara W. |
| Year | 2001 |
| Conference | Stanford Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | Berlin, El Salvador, tracers |
| Abstract | Nine radiotracer experiments have been carried out in Berlin geothermal field since 1992, in order to obtain information on the flow of the injected fluid (150-180?C) and to determine rapid connections between wells and at what rate the injected fluids are returning to the production zone. Hydrological communication between the injection zone and the surface springs has also been investigated. At the moment, it is only possible to conclude that no fast flow paths have been detected between the reinjection and the production zones and that a thermal breakthrough is therefore not likely to occur. The reinjectors are therefore downstream (natural state) from the production zone. Only one experiment showed some tracer recovery. The tracer was injected in well TR-12A located close to the production zone. After 3 months of monitoring, 9.44 % was recovered in well TR-4C located around 400 m from the injection well TR-12A. Other 3 wells show recovery curves with lower percentages less than 3 %. The injection flow rate was around 30 kg/s and production flow rate 46 kg/s for well TR-4C according to the tracer return, only 3 kg/s of the total fluid injection reached the production well. Simulations of cooling effect showed that in the optimistic case, there should not be a significant decrease in the temperature of production fluids for at least two years of continuous reinjection. |