Data Management

during
Initial Reconnaissance
Specialised Surveys
Confirmation Drilling
Production
Field Expansion

Errol Anderson September 2011

errol.anderson@gsds.co.nz
Phases of Geothermal Development
(from a data management point of view)

Phase Typical Cost

 Initial Reconnaissance $20,000 to $200k

 Scientific Surveys $200k to $2 million
 Confirmation Drilling $ 2 to 20 million
 Production $ 20 to 200 million
 Field Expansion $ ???
 PHASE Data Quantities

Local (Individual)
Increasing Refinement of Geothermal Conceptual Model

Reconnaissance Small volumes,

data on paper (reports)

Scientific Surveys Larger volumes,

data on computer

Confirmation Drilling Large data volumes,

3D and time based

Pre-Production Integrated review

Global (Multi User)

of all data to date

Production Very large volumes

of temporal data

Expansion Reservoir simulation

and future predictions
Initial Reconnaissance
Questions to be Answered
 Are the prospect area characteristics
favourable to host a geothermal resource ?
 What is the possible range of temperature,
permeability and fluid properties ?
 Where is the best zone in the prospect
area for detailed scientific studies ?
 Is enough known about the resource to risk
the expenditure for specialised surveys ?
Initial Reconnaissance
Data Types and Volumes
 Most data collected external to project.
 Non-geothermal geoscientific focus.
 Descriptive rather than measured.
 Printed reports, not electronic format.
 Actual measurements rarely available.
 Data of variable quality, especially location.
 Wide range of data types and formats.
 Little attempt at integrated assessment.
Initial Reconnaissance
Recommended Actions
 Site visit to confirm field locations (GPS).
 Development of initial database of physical
features - springs, faults, structures.
 Preparation of accurate base-map.
 Recording of key interpreted data (spring
temperatures, geothermometers, etc).
 Initial integrated assessment presenting
data on common scales.
 Development of initial conceptual model.
Specialised Scientific Surveys
Questions to be Answered
 Does a geothermal resource exist ?
 What are the likely resource characteristics -
temperature, permeability, fluid properties ?
 What is the resource structure - upflow,
outflow, reservoir boundaries ?
 Where are the best locations for exploration
(confirmation) wells?
 Can we justify cost of confirmation drilling ?
Specialised Scientific Surveys
Data Types and Volumes
 Specifically for geothermal exploration.
 Both remote-sensing and surface methods.
 Large amounts of data, often available in
well-defined electronic format.
 Surveys may require independent
specialised processing and interpretation.
 Focus often on siting “successful”
confirmation well rather than holistic view.
Specialised Scientific Surveys
Recommended Actions
 Deeply-penetrating MT essential.
 Integrated interpretation required to
constrain geophysical models.
 Interpretation should focus on shape,
structure and hydrology.
 Central database to promote detection of
trends and correlations.
 Conceptual model revised to give upflow,
outflow and system boundaries.
Confirmation Drilling
Questions to be Answered
 What are the reservoir characteristics near
the wells - temperature, pressure,
permeability, fluid properties ?
 What are the likely reservoir characteristics
in the undrilled parts of the reservoir ?
 What is the possible resource potential ?
 What is the well productivity, and where are
the best targets to maximise this ?
Confirmation Drilling continued
Questions to be Answered
 What is the reservoir structure - fractures,
stratigraphy, rock types, cap rocks, etc ?
 What is the reservoir hydrology - upflow
and outflow locations and mechanisms ?
 How much steam is proven to date ?
 Are there any drilling difficulties - swelling
clays, hard rock, gas zones, etc ?
 Can we justify production drilling and
power plant construction ?
Confirmation Drilling
Data Types and Volumes
 First “three-dimensional” data from deep
and possibly deviated wells.
 Large amounts of drilling data, often non-
electronic with poorly-defined conditions.
 Wide variety of well logging data.
 First time-dependent data - well heating
and pressure transient tests.
 Data collection dominated by drilling
imperatives.
Confirmation Drilling
Recommended Actions
 Establish database to handle deviated
wells, 3D spatial data and time data.
 Provide tools to compare data from the
same well and between wells
 Use well data to calibrate and extend
geophysical interpretations.
 Revise conceptual model to incorporate
well downhole and discharge data.
 Develop the first reservoir simulation model
to obtain estimates of reservoir potential.
Pre-Production
Questions to be Answered
 How many production wells are required ?
 What are the probable fluid and energy
reserves of the resource?
 Reinjection strategy - how and where ?
 Make-up wells - how many, when, where ?
 Improved estimates of reservoir
parameters and reservoir hydrology.
Pre-Production
Data Types and Volumes
 Many wells drilled over wide area.
 Reliable downhole well data may be limited
because of focus on production.
 Actual boundaries may be established by
wells drilled outside reservoir.
 Focus has moved to supply of steam rather
than overall reservoir conditions.
 Large volumes of data but limited time and
resources for thorough analysis.
Pre-Production
Recommended Actions
 Thorough, integrated resource assessment
to better define reservoir characteristics.
 Recalibration of geophysical interpretations,
particularly boundary locations.
 Examination of trends and distribution of well
measurements.
 Refine reservoir simulation to obtain
improved estimates of resource potential.
Production
Questions to be Answered
 What is the estimated well drawdown in
short-term, medium-term?
 Any changes in discharge characteristics -
pressure, temperature, enthalpy, chemistry ?
 What is the reservoir production response?
 Are there sufficient resource reserves ?
 Scaling, corrosion or gas problems ?
 What likely problems can be anticipated ?
Production
Data Types and Volumes
 Data emphasis moved to production data -
time-based rather than location-based.
 Short-term focus on steam supply rather
than long-term reservoir changes.
 Stable reservoir data not collected or
available in limited locations.
 Data from above-ground installation.
Relationship with reservoir tenuous at best.
Production
Recommended Actions
 Implement database to calculate and record
summary data for long-term trends.
 Record operating conditions of steamfield
and wells to isolate reservoir changes.
 Implement program of well measurements to
monitor reservoir behaviour.
 Regularly calibrate reservoir simulation
model as production data comes available.
 Estimate energy reserves, and refine on a
regular basis.
Field Expansion
Questions to be Answered
 What are the estimated resource reserves
in the medium-term ?
 How will the individual production wells
perform - output, enthalpy, chemistry ?
 How many make-up wells - when, where ?
 What is the reservoir production response?
 Cold-water inflows, thermal breakthrough,
pressure collapse ?
Field Expansion
Data Types and Volumes
 All previous data may be relevant for
reserves assessment.
 Quality of reservoir simulation and future
predictions directly related to data quality.
 Medium-term trends important rather than
short-term variations.
 Efficient data handling tools needed to sift
through voluminous information.
Field Expansion
Recommended Action
 Implement a comprehensive data
management system as early as possible
in a geothermal development.
Conclusions
 Implementation of a geothermal data
management system is recommended.
 The system complexity can be matched to
the phase of development.
 A well-managed database will enhance the
development decisions.
 A well-managed database also increases
the value of the resource.
Geothermal Data
Management Models
Library
Computer Files
GIS or CAD
Analysis Programs
Web-based
Purpose-Built
Library Model
Library Model - Advantages
Paper files, reports, printed documents
 Data easily captured - no unfamiliar
technology.
 Excellent for descriptive, photographic and
diagrammatic material.
 Inexpensive option for small data volumes.
 Metadata usually captured in document.
 Reasonably reliable storage and retrieval if
library or file indexing is used.
Library Model - Disadvantages
Paper files, reports, printed documents
 Data entry required before presenting data
in a different manner.
 Difficult to make data comparisons.
 Extremely difficult to compare data across
time or space, or between disciplines.
 “Stagnant” interpretations and conceptual
models, as difficult to update.
 Interpretations rarely revised on receipt of
new data.
Computer Files
Computer Files - Advantages
Files, spreadsheets, simple databases
 Data easily captured and retrieved by
personnel using familiar applications.
 Individual data sets readily manipulated
and transferred to other applications.
 Relatively inexpensive option.
 Use of document templates can assist in
the capture of metadata.
 Storage and retrieval assisted by
hierarchical folders and long file names .
Computer Files - Disadvantages
Files, spreadsheets, simple databases
 Recording of metadata dependent on skill
and thoroughness of data entry personnel.
 Poor control of data revision, data and
interpretation duplication and data security.
 Poor access to data from other disciplines.
 Difficult data comparison across space, time
or disciplines.
 Separate interpretation programs required.
 Difficult to manage with large data volumes.
GIS or CAD
GIS or CAD - Advantages
Mapping and drawing programs
 Excellent capture of spatial information.
 High-quality presentation and comparison
of spatial data from different sources.
 Centralised storage of core information.
 Often used by regulatory bodies.
 Associated simple database.
 Skills often available within organisation.
Analysis Programs
Analysis Programs - Advantages
Multi-method geophysics packages, etc
 Excellent capture of appropriate specialist
data.
 Excellent integration between different data
sets handled by the program.
 High-quality analysis methods and
presentations.
 Structured data storage and retrieval.
Analysis Programs - Disadvantages
Multi-method geophysics packages, etc
 Poor capture and presentation of well
measurements and time-dependent data.
 Limited capture and presentation of
geological and chemical data.
 Poor data transfer facilities.
 Rudimentary database with limited storage
and retrieval tools.
 Difficult cross-discipline access.
 Web-based
Via Satellite

Head Office Very Remote Site

Via LAN

Via WAN
Website
Remote Site

External Users
offices in
Satellite Office
other Countries
clients
Web-based - Advantages
Using the Internet or Intranet
 Global access to data.
 Assists effective and timely decision-
making.
 Promotes cross-discipline communication.
Web-based - Disadvantages
Using the Internet or Intranet
 Issues of data security with Internet use.
 Connections and speed of access poor in
many locations.
 Poor data-browsing and data-selection
tools unless specially written.
 Presently limited availability and weak
controls on data capture and data editing.
 Purpose-built
Data Entry Utilities
Well physical data
Deviated wells Mapping Conversions
Keyboard ASCII File Spreadsheet Drilling returns Data Compression
Downhole measurements Data Integrity
Transient well tests Units Conversions
Discharge tests Networking
Units Conversion Upgrade path
Well output characteristics
Interference tests
Tracer tests
Well monitoring Reports
Calculation Multiple
Production records
Reinjection Data Export
Units
Conversion
Field chemistry Selection
View/Edit Calculation Downhole chemistry
Units Discharge chemistry Graphs
Conversion Soil chemistry Calculations
Single Will lithology Contouring
Delete Secondary minerals
Selection
Total rock analysis
Units Analysis
MT (Magnetotellurics)
Schlumberger resistivity Conversion
Rename Gravity
Modelling
Microgravity

Data Data Presentation

Management Databases and Analysis
Purpose-built - Advantages
Geothermal-specific applications
 Ordered capture and storage of most
geothermal data sets, including metadata.
 Excellent integration and cross-discipline
access as common protocols used.
 Includes with reporting, graphics and
geothermal-specific interpretation methods.
 Flexible data selection and data transfer.
 “Backbone” program to link applications.
Purpose-built - Disadvantages
Geothermal-specific applications
 Rigid database structure for data integrity.
 Some data sets not included.
 Possibly poor at capturing non-numerical
and descriptive data.
 Expensive, with training required.
 May require data transfer to other
programs for specialised interpretation.