Numerical simulation of heat production potential from hot dry rock by water circulating through two horizontal wells at Desert Peak geothermal field

• We established a numerical model of two horizontal-well enhanced geothermal system.
• Desirable heat production performance can be obtained under suitable conditions.
• Electricity power depends on water injection rate and injection temperature.
• Reservoir impedance depends on reservoir permeability, water production rate and injection temperature.
• Energy efficiency depends on reservoir permeability and water production rate.

In this work, heat production potential from hot dry rock by water circulating through two horizontal wells was numerically investigated based on the geological data of well DP23-1 under the enhanced geothermal system (EGS) project at Desert Peak geothermal field. The results indicate that the desirable electricity production power and energy efficiency can be obtained under suitable reservoir permeability, water production rate and injection temperature; meanwhile water flow impedance remains at a relative lower level. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the electricity production power mainly depends on the water production rate and the injection temperature; the water flow impedance mainly depends on the reservoir permeability, water production rate and injection temperature; the energy efficiency mainly depends on the reservoir permeability and the water production rate. The heat production performance will be improved when the reservoir permeability, the water production rate and the injection temperature are under reasonable conditions. However, this study is based on that the fractured reservoir is equivalent to a homogeneous porous medium and there is no water loss in the reservoir, so the practical energy output and efficiency of water circulating through two horizontal wells at Desert Peak geothermal field needs further study in the future.