4. High-Temperature Frac Fluid and Diverter

 

A naturally occurring geothermal system, known as a hydrothermal system, is defined by three key elements: heat, fluid, and permeability at depth. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are artificially engineered in the form of reservoirs created where there is hot rock but insufficient or little natural permeability or fluid saturation. EGS offers the opportunity to access an enormous, domestic, clean energy resource. A 2006 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study predicted that in the United States alone, 100 GWe of cost-competitive capacity could be provided by EGS in the next 50 years. 

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In EGS, the fluid injection is carefully controlled to create sufficient permeability. A subsurface fracture system of EGS can be installed in the reservoir by hydraulic fracturing, and kept open by proppant. High viscosity fluid helps to create high conductive fracture system by carrying the proppant both in length and height inside the fracture. And high-temperature diverter can further create more fractures evenly. Increased permeability allows fluid to circulate throughout the fractured rock and to transport heat to the surface where electricity can be generated.

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NewWell's high-temperature fracturing fluid and can be used for not only the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) Oil & Gas wells, but the EGS. However it is challenge to yield high viscous fluid at high temperature because polymer in the fluid tend to degrade much faster as temperature increases. By using polymer that is tolerant to high temperature, NewWell provides fluid that can maintain viscosity over 6000 cp for over 5 hours around 350 °F.