Unlocking Higher Efficiency in CO2-EGS: The Role of Fluid Flow Control

CO2-based enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) offer a promising avenue for clean energy, but uneven CO2 flow within fractures, driven by CO2 plumes, presents a challenge to efficient heat extraction. This study introduces novel special agents that can be placed in the induced fracture to overcome this limitation. The core idea is to employ temperature-sensitive proppants that dynamically adjusts fracture conductivity in response to local temperature changes. This dynamic adjustment ensures a more uniform distribution of CO2 flow throughout the fractured reservoir, preventing the formation of CO2 plume or any preferential flow paths. Our simulations demonstrate that in geothermal formations with connected wells, this technique significantly reduces the risk of CO2 plume induced premature thermal breakthrough and increases the swept reservoir volume. Comparative analysis over 30 years production period shows that this technique can boost the overall thermal power output by over 33% (22K) compared to conventional CO2- EGS systems. This innovative technology presents a significant advancement for improving the efficiency and reliability of CO2-based EGS, contributing to a more sustainable clean energy future.