Initial temperature field in the Los Humeros geothermal reservoir

Abstract

The initial formation temperature field of the Los Humeros geothermal reservoir is presented. The stabilized formation temperatures were estimated for the 40 wells from this field using the Horner and the Spherical Radial Flow (SRF) methods. Both sets of formation temperatures were compared with the formation temperatures obtained by numerical simulation of the circula- tion and shut-in processes of the wells. From these comparisons, the formation temperatures obtained by the SRF method were chosen as more realistic than the Horner method temperatures. In the simulations, the last series of temperature logs was repro- duced numerically considering circulation losses. Results for well H-26 are included as an example. Then isothermal curves of the formation temperatures for wells along different geological sections were obtained. Three sections are included, two longitudinal and one traverse, that illustrate the field initial temperature distribution. The observed temperature distribution shows the reservoir thermal features and the relationship of thermal anomalies and reservoir faults.