Geothermal

Many geothermal plays and projects can be found around the world. Unsurprisingly, geothermal industries are most prevalent in volcanically active countries such as Iceland, Indonesia, and New Zealand with much production coming directly from volcanic and basement rocks. However, they are not limited exclusively to those geographies, and many other successful geothermal projects are established in countries such as Germany, France, Canada, and the US, where relatively high heatflows and geothermal gradients create ample hot fluids from more ‘conventional’ clastic reservoirs. When exploring for geothermal energy, it is important to locate sites with favorable conditions for harnessing the Earth's natural heat for energy production. GeoSoftware technology allows geoscientists to identify and assess subsurface reservoirs and containers with the potential for sustainable and efficient heat extraction in areas with favorable heat flow and the presence of highly productive subsurface rocks. This includes conducting initial basin evaluations to assess geothermal potential, often utilizing existing subsurface data from oil and gas exploration and production activities. 

• Determine areas of high heatflow and geothermal gradients from comprehensive well based formation evaluation
• Assess drilled formations for productive fractures and permeability
• Reduce drilling cost and risk through identification of drilling hazards and anomolous pressures
• Rapidly map basement and other reservoir containers using novel seismic interpretation methods and signal enhancing conditioning workflows
• Identify highly productive fracture zones using seismic textural attributes

Understand the subsurface geology, temperature gradients, fluids, and fluid flow by interpreting subsurface structures and rock formations with GeoSoftware's comprehensive solutions. Combining geophysical, geologic, and well based interpretation techniques, 3D models of the subsurface can be built that provide information on the presence and distribution of highly permeable rocks that can support the required Geothermal flow rates that will drive the project economics. Geothermal facility development is costly, and pay back can take time, so it is vital that the reservoir / container is viable over long future production periods.

• Determine connectivity of subsurface features that promote fluid flow
• Derive inputs for predictive flow models integrating legacy well, 2D, and 3D datasets
• Improve confidence in production forecasts by extracting fracture and fault information from seismic textural attributes
• Maximize well productivity by assessing seismic anisotropy to determine stress orientations and likelihood of open and closed fracture systems
• Predict permeability using novel AI and machine learning workflows

Once operators have effectively analyzed subsurface properties and identified potential reservoirs, it is critical to select accurate well placement and choose the best drilling techniques for efficient flow for production. Our solutions help to ensure optimal well placement by strategically positioning wells in precise locations to enhance fluid extraction and energy production.  

• Improve production simulations through incorporation of seismic driven fracture and fault extraction for discrete fault and fracture network modeling
• Optimize well counts and trajectories into the most productive, permeable zones
• Minimize drilling and completion costs through accurate engineering model properties derived from seismic and well constrained models

Utilize our innovative workflows to gain a comprehensive understanding of reservoir properties including temperature gradient, pressure, and fluid composition. This aids in identifying the most productive zones and maximizing heat extraction to maximize reservoir production.