| Title | Resource Assessment of Olkaria 1 Geothermal Field, Kenya |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cornel Ofwona |
| Year | 2005 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Olkaria, Resource, Assessment, Simulation |
| Abstract | Olkaria I geothermal reservoir currently occupies an area of 4 sq. km and has been exploited for the purpose of generation of 45 MW electricity since 1981. 32 wells have been drilled in this area and the majority of them were drilled to less than 1600 m depth with the shallowest being 901 m. One well (OW-5) was deepened from 901 m to 2200 m in 1998 and its power output increased to 5 MWe from less than 1 MWe. Current total steam output from the producing wells is 213 kg/s and only 126 kg/s is being utilized. The excess steam can be used to generate an extra 30 MWe and furthermore, if all the shallow wells are deepened to 2200 m, there is a strong possibility of winning more steam to generate more power. It is also possible to extend the resource area by 3 sq. km and more wells drilled thereby making it possible to increase the generating capacity. This paper presents an assessment of the power potential of Olkaria I field. It is concluded that the field can produce up to 100 MWe or more for the next 25 to 30 years if the shallow wells are deepened and the resource area extended by 3 sq. km. |