FIFTY YEARS OF POWER GENERATION AT THE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FIELD , CALIFORNIA – THE LESSONS LEARNED
FIFTY YEARS OF POWER GENERATION AT THE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FIELD , CALIFORNIA – THE LESSONS LEARNED
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2011
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本文以1960年至1969年、1969年至1979年、1966年至1995年、1995年至1998年、19791986至2004年和1998年为六个不同的连续时期，分析了加州间歇泉地热田商业发电的50年历史，反映了当时的社会经济力量、油田开发和管理实践以及随后的油藏响应之间的复杂相互关系。结果表明，该油田已被证明是迄今为止世界上开发的最大的商业地热能来源，它的历史展示了在面对不可预测的社会经济力量和具有挑战性的油藏行为时，巧妙地进行现场管理的独特先锋案例。在这方面最重要的创新是通过管道从油田外的长距离输送经过处理的城市污水来增加对水库的注入。结果表明：(A)到目前为止，该油田的发电量相当于一座1,033兆瓦的发电厂，在30年的典型项目寿命内以90%的产能系数生产；(B)现场管理方面的创新导致今天的发电量水平比20年前的预测高出33%。本文还对该领域的未来进行了展望。我们相信，考虑到计划在不久的将来增加至少100兆瓦的新装机容量，目前约850兆瓦的发电量将在未来20年下降至约700兆瓦。在开始开采一个世纪后，该油田仍将通过继续注入相对压力枯竭的油藏来开发，或者可能超过已开发系统下方已知的尚未开发的超高温区。最后，我们指出了地热行业从这一独特领域的历史中吸取的教训。导言加利福尼亚州间歇泉地热田在过去半个世纪(1960年至今)一直在为商业电力提供电力。世界上只有另外两个地热田的发电历史更长，即意大利的Lardarello(自1948年以来一直在生产)和新西兰的Wairakei(自1958年以来一直在生产)。自20世纪70年代以来，间歇泉的发电水平一直高于拉达雷洛或怀拉基，或世界上任何其他地热田。如下文所述，间歇泉油田预计将能够提供数百兆瓦的电力，甚至在50年后，届时该油田将完成一个世纪的商业发电。这种悠久的生产历史和高水平的发电使该油田在地热界独一无二。
This paper analyzes the fifty-year history of commercial power generation at The Geysers geothermal field in California as six distinct and consecutive periods (1960-1969, 1969-1979, 19791986, 1986-1995, 1995-1998, 1998-2004 and 20042010) reflecting the intricate interrelationship between the prevailing socio-economic forces, field development and management practices, and consequent reservoir response. It is shown that this field has proven to be by far the largest source of commercial geothermal power tapped to date in the world, and its history presents a singularly pioneering case of ingenious field management in the face of unpredictable socio-economic forces and challenging reservoir behavior. The most important innovation in this regard has been the augmentation of injection into the reservoir by piping in treated municipal effluents from long distances outside the field. It is shown that (a) this field by now has produced electricity equivalent to a 1,033 MW plant producing at 90% capacity factor over a typical project life of 30 years; and (b) innovations in field management have led to a 33% higher generation level today than forecast two decades ago. This paper also attempts to forecast the future of this field. We believe the present generation capacity of about 850 MW will have declined to about 700 MW over the next two decades, taking into account the planned addition of at least 100 MW new capacity in the near future. A century since its exploitation began, this field would still be exploited by continued injection into the relatively pressure depleted reservoir, or possibly topping the yet-unexploited ultra-high temperature zones known to exist below the exploited system. Finally, we point out the lessons learned by the geothermal industry from the history of this unique field. INTRODUCTION The Geysers geothermal field in California has been supplying commercial electric power continuously for the last half century (1960 to present). Only two other geothermal fields in the world have had a longer history of power generation, namely, Lardarello in Italy (continuously producing since 1948) and Wairakei in New Zealand (continuously producing since 1958). Since the 1970s, the level of power generation at The Geysers has been consistently higher than at either Lardarello or Wairakei, or at any other geothermal field in the world. As discussed below, The Geysers field is expected to be capable of supplying several hundred megawatts of power even another five decades from now, when the field will have completed a century of commercial power generation. This long production history and the high level of power generation makes this field unique in the geothermal world.