| Title | Evolution of a Complex Conceptual Geological Model for Co-Producing Electricity at the Blackburn Oil Field, Nevada |
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| Authors | Abra GOLD, Estefanny DAVALOS ELIZONDO, Kagan KUTUN |
| Year | 2024 |
| Conference | Stanford Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | Basin and Range province, Devonian reservoir, fault system, geological model, reservoir simulation |
| Abstract | Oil fields characterized by significant proportions of hot water in the reservoir offer a unique opportunity for geothermal energy co-production and utilization. Development of an accurate geological model is essential in understanding the subsurface. However, this is a challenge at the preliminary stages of resource assessment when data on the subsurface parameters and subterranean fault network is scarce. Our focus in this paper is to explore a methodology for developing an accurate conceptual geological model representing the complexly faulted reservoir at the Blackburn Field, Nevada, to create a numerical simulation that will eventually be used to assess the potential of co-producing electricity. There are three steps to the evolution of this model: (1) collection of public data and research on the geological setting of the system; (2) digitization of seismic time-interpretation and cross sections to create the most representative model of the subsurface; and (3) creation of a natural-state numerical model to simulate the thermal gradient through the subsurface. Utilizing publicly available data of the geological system and the commercial Leapfrog Energy 3D subsurface geologic modeling software, we refined a preliminary geologic model to be more representative of the subsurface geology of an active geothermal exploration stage project. The conceptual geological model developed has been imported into VOLSUNG reservoir modeling software to create a natural-state model, further characterizing the Blackburn Field reservoir’s thermal gradient. In the future, new seismic data will be utilized to further evolve the conceptual geological model for numerical simulations. |