Experimental Investigation of the Permeability of Kayenta and St. Peter Sandstones to Hypersaline Brine in the Temperature Interval 70 to 90 exp 0 C at 10.3-MPa Confining Pressure

摘要

Permeabilities of 10.2 cm in length, 2.5 cm in diameter Kayenta (porosity, 20.7, +- 1.66%) and St. Peter (porosity, 13.6, +- 0.13%) sandstones to Magmamax No. 1 brine containing suspended solids were determined from 70 to 90 exp 0 C at 10.3-MPa confining pressure. Measurements were performed without filters, with one 10- mu m filter, and with two 10- mu m filters inserted upstream of the core sample. In all cases, there was a dramatic decrease in permeability within the first hour of flow or few hundred pore volumes of flow through the core. Experiments conducted without filters or with one filter yield permeabilities that represent both the rock and the 2- to 3-mm amorphous silica-iron layer on the top face of the core. The experimental results show that if the Salton Sea Geothermal Field (SSGF) were composed of porous, sedimentary formations similar to Kayenta sandstone, long-term injection of unmodified Magmamax brine would not be feasible. In the case of acidified brine, most of the permeability decline may result from the mobilization of calcite. (ERA citation 03:039946)