Simulation of heat extraction for the Habanero 1 and 3 doublet using a conditioned discrete fracture network model

Abstract

The Habanero 1 and 3 doublet is the major component in the original electricity generation plan for the Geodynamics geothermal project in the Cooper Basin of South Australia. Various heat extraction studies have been conducted using simplified models such as a single fracture connecting the two wells or an equivalent porous medium representing the reservoir. In our approach, a more realistic fracture model is constructed conditional on the seismic events generated during the fracture stimulation process of the reservoir. The fluid flow and heat transfer are then solved using the equivalent pipe approach using a simplified heat exchange model. The results are compared with those from other studies. We demonstrate that the combination of a discrete fracture network and an equivalent pipe approach is an efficient and effective means of modelling industrial-scale fluid flow and heat transfer in geothermal systems such as the Habanero reservoir.