Classification of Geothermal Resources - An engineering approach

Abstract

Geothermal resources have been classified into low, intermediate and high enthalpy resources by their reservoir temperatures. The temperature ranges used are arbitrary and there is not a general agreement. Geothermal resources should be classified by two independent thermodynamic properties of their fluids at the wellhead. They should reflect the fluids availability to do work. By setting the triple point of water as the sink condition, and normalising the fluids specific exergies by the maximum specific exergy of dry saturated steam, geothermal resources can be classified into high, medium, and low category resources by their specific exergy indices (SEI) of greater than 0.5, between 0.05 and 0.5, and less than 0.05. These correspond to geothermal fluids having exergies greater than that of dry saturated steam at 1 bar absolute, between saturated water and dry saturated steam at 1 bar absolute, and less than saturated water at 1 bar absolute respectively.