Abstract
From the first ideas about Hot-Dry-Rock-Technology (HDR) to today’s interpretation as Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) the Soultz geothermal project is a milestone in geothermal development. It is the first time that a deep heat exchanger was created by reactivating preexisting fractures in a hot granite basement and the coupling to a power plant making the project unique worldwide.
After several years of pre-engineering, the creation of the deep hot reservoir started in the year 2001. Geology was well known as the region is popular to host one of the oldest oil fields worldwide. Additional to the existing oil wells four deep wells were drilled: GPK1 with almost 4.000 m depth and GPK 2–4 with depths of 5.000 m. The three latter ones were drilled from the same drill pad. As the wells are deviated, horizontal distances between the wells are 6 meters at the surface but around 600 m at total depth.
After successful hydraulic and chemical stimulations from 2000/06, the decision to install an organic Rankine cycle was made and the commissioning of the power plant started in 2008. Since January 2011, the power plant is in operation and feeds renewable power to the grid. Nevertheless, this is just one milestone enabling further research and demonstration to meet new challenges resulting from operation, e.g., scaling and corrosion, high temperature pump applications, induced micro seismicity monitoring, and to enhance coupled thermal–hydraulic–mechanical–chemical models for better reservoir understanding.
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Koelbel, T., Genter, A. (2017). Enhanced Geothermal Systems: The Soultz-sous-Forêts Project. In: Uyar, T. (eds) Towards 100% Renewable Energy. Springer Proceedings in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45659-1_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45659-1_25
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