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Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana Volumen 76, núm. 1, A0201224, 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2024v76n1a020124
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Prediction of clog time of amorphous silica in the pipes of the wells from Los Humeros geothermal field – A new geochemical model along with a computational algorithm
Predicción del tiempo de obturación con sílice amorfa en los tubos de los pozos del campo geotérmico de Los Humeros – Nuevo modelo geoquímico en conjunto con un algoritmo computacional
Sumit Mishra1,*, Eduardo González-Partida1, Antoni Camprubí2, Sanjeet K. Verma3,
Kailasa Pandarinath4, Renée Pérez-Rodríguez5, Joseph Madondo1
1 Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, 76230, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
2 Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, CDMX, México.
3 División de Geociencias Aplicadas, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C. Camino a la Presa San José # 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sec., 78216, San Luis Potosí, SLP, México.
4 Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Privada Xochicalco s/n, Centro, 62580 Temixco, Morelos, México.
5 Geochemical Research and Engineering, Inc., 75 Cormack Crescent, Edmonton, Alberta T2R2E6, Canada.
* Corresponding author: (S. Mishra) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
How to cite this article:
Mishra, S., González-Partida, E., Camprubí, A., Verma, S.K., Pandarinath, K., Pérez-Rodríguez, R., Madondo, J., 2024, Prediction of clog time of amorphous silica in the pipes of the wells from Los Humeros geothermal field – A new geochemical model along with a computational algorithm: Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana, 76 (1), A020124. http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2024v76n1a020124
Manuscript received: October 15, 2023; Corrected manuscript received: January 25, 2024; Manuscript accepted: February 2, 2024.
ABSTRACT
The primary objective of this article is to introduce a physicochemical model along with a computational algorithm that is valuable for quantifying the occurrence of silica scaling and fouling within geothermal production wells. This model utilizes two-phase flow parameters, temperature and pressure profiles, as well as brine composition to forecast the timing of production pipe constriction caused by amorphous silica deposition over time. The model is applicable to systems with temperatures ranging from 270°C to 305°C, vapor pressures ranging from 55 to 93 bars, and enthalpies ranging from 1189 kJ/kg to 1400 kJ/kg. The predictive model was calibrated using data gathered from six distinct wells within the Los Humeros geothermal field in Mexico, and subsequently, it was applied to forecast outcomes in two additional wells. When the conditions of temperature, pressure, and enthalpy remain relatively constant throughout the production process, the model developed in this study accurately predicts the times at which a certain percentage of pipe sealing occurs in wells with high volumetric fractions of liquid (εl>0.5) and temperatures between 270°C and 305°C. The prediction error is less than 3%.
Keywords: timing of sealing, silica scaling, kinetic precipitation, geothermal field.
