Reservoir-Scale Fracture Permeability in the Dixie Valley, Nevada, Geothermal Field

Abstract

Reservoir-Scale Fracture Permeability in the Dixie Valley, Nevada, Geothermal Field C.A. Barton; C.A. Barton Stanford University Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar S.H. Hickman; S.H. Hickman U.S. Geological Survey Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar R. Morin; R. Morin U.S. Geological Survey Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar M.D. Zoback; M.D. Zoback Stanford University Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar D. Benoit D. Benoit Oxbow Geothermal Corp. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE/ISRM Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering, Trondheim, Norway, July 1998. Paper Number: SPE-47371-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/47371-MS Published: July 08 1998 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Barton, C.A., Hickman, S.H., Morin, R., Zoback, M.D., and D. Benoit. "Reservoir-Scale Fracture Permeability in the Dixie Valley, Nevada, Geothermal Field." Paper presented at the SPE/ISRM Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering, Trondheim, Norway, July 1998. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/47371-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE/ISRM Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering Search Advanced Search AbstractBorehole televiewer, temperature, and flowmeter data recorded in six wells penetrating a geothermal reservoir associated with the Stillwater fault zone in Dixie Valley, Nevada, were used to investigate the relationship between reservoir permeability and the contemporary in situ stress field. Data from wells drilled into productive and nonproductive segments of the Stillwater fault zone indicate that permeability in all wells is dominated by a relatively small number of fractures striking parallel to the local trend of the fault. However, Coulomb failure analysis using our fracture orientations in conjunction with stress orientations and magnitudes determined by Ref. 1 suggests that fault zone permeability is high only when individual fractures as well as the overall Stillwater fault zone are optimally oriented and critically stressed for frictional failure. Fracture geometry may also play a significant role in determining reservoir productivity. The well-developed populations of low-angle fractures present in wells drilled into the producing segment of the fault are not present within the relatively impermeable segment of the Stillwater fault zone.P. 315 Keywords: reservoir characterization, zoback, geothermal reservoir, stillwater fault zone, permeability, hickman, upstream oil & gas, fracture characterization, barton, fracture Subjects: Hydraulic Fracturing, Reservoir Characterization, Non-Traditional Resources, Faults and fracture characterization, Geothermal resources This content is only available via PDF. 1998. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.