US 12,235,021 B1
Method of controlling tensile-splitting and hydro-shearing parameters during completion of enhanced geothermal system wells
Michael Roy Chambers, Sr., Lindale, TX (US); Timothy David Gray Hillesden Lines, Hayling Island (GB); Carl Bradley Pate, Fort Smith, AR (US); Robert Mansell Pearson, Calgary (CA); and Abdell Wadood M El-Rabaa, Plano, TX (US)
Filed by Michael Roy Chambers, Sr., Lindale, TX (US); Timothy David Gray Hillesden Lines, Hayling Island (GB); Carl Bradley Pate, Fort Smith, AR (US); Robert Mansell Pearson, Calgary (CA); and Abdell Wadood M El-Rabaa, Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/732,816.
Application 18/732,816 is a continuation of application No. 18/644,250, filed on Apr. 24, 2024, granted, now 12,140,344.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/540,435, filed on Sep. 26, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/535,469, filed on Aug. 30, 2023.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 43/26 (2006.01); E21B 41/00 (2006.01); F24T 50/00 (2018.01)
CPC F24T 50/00 (2018.05) [E21B 41/0035 (2013.01); E21B 43/26 (2013.01); E21B 2200/22 (2020.05)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling tensile-split conduits in a subterranean geothermal formation, comprising:
providing an injection well extending from a surface to a subterranean geothermal formation, wherein the injection well comprises a first horizontal lateral, wherein the first horizontal lateral comprises a first plurality of cemented casing sleeves, wherein each of the first plurality of cemented casing sleeves is capable of being opened, closed, or choked;
providing a production well extending from the surface to the subterranean geothermal formation, wherein the production well comprises a second horizontal lateral, wherein the second horizontal lateral comprises a second plurality of cemented casing sleeves, wherein each of the second plurality of cemented casing sleeves is capable of being opened, closed, or choked, and further wherein the second horizontal lateral is approximately parallel to the first horizontal lateral, and further wherein the length of the second horizontal lateral is approximately equivalent to the length of the first horizontal lateral;
opening one or more of the first plurality of cemented casing sleeves in the injection well for injection of a tensile-splitting fluid into a production zone, wherein the production zone is defined within the subterranean geothermal formation, and further wherein the production zone requires tensile-splitting to enhance fluid conductivity;
opening one or more of the second plurality of cemented casing sleeves in the production well for injection of the tensile-splitting fluid into the production zone;
creating a first tensile-split conduit by injecting the tensile-splitting fluid into the production zone of the injection well, wherein a first initiation point of the first tensile-split conduit is no closer to any other initiation point of the injection well for any other tensile-split conduits than the length of the first tensile-split conduit between the injection well and the production well, and further wherein the length of the first tensile-split conduit is at minimum slightly more than the distance halfway between the first horizontal lateral and the second horizontal lateral;
creating a second tensile-split conduit by injecting the tensile-splitting fluid into the production zone of the production well, wherein a second initiation point for the second tensile-split conduit is no closer to any other initiation point of the production well for any other tensile-split conduits than the length of the second tensile-split conduit between the injection well and the production well, and further wherein the length of the second tensile-split conduit is at minimum slightly more than the distance halfway between the first horizontal lateral and the second horizontal lateral, and further wherein the placement of the second initiation point is approximately perpendicular to the first tensile-split conduit of the injection well;
monitoring the pressure in the injection well and the production well;
establishing fluid communication between the injection well and the production well;
injecting proppants into the injection well;
bleeding pressure to just below the tensile-splitting extension pressure and above the hydro-shearing pressure maintaining the first tensile-split conduit and the second tensile-split conduit in the open position; and
producing the heated fluid to the surface, wherein the heated fluid is employed as direct heat or for electricity generation.